In a case involving a dispute arising out of competing development projects, CenterPoint filed a lawsuit in state court seeking to enjoin an annexation and development agreement entered into by the City of Joliet and East Gate Logistics. The state court granted that request and entered a preliminary injunction that enjoined the parts of the agreement related to certain heavy truck access on a roadway being developed by CenterPoint. After the injunction was entered in state court, East Gate filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the CenterPoint agreement violated federal antitrust laws. CenterPoint objected to the filing, arguing, among other things, that the federal court lacked jurisdiction because the antitrust lawstuit was essentially and appeal of the state court’s injunction. The district court rejected the motion to dismiss but stayed the federal proceedings. The East-Gate parties appealed the stay order and CenterPoint cross-appealed its motion to dismiss. The Seventh Circuit dismissed the appeal, explaining that because the federal antitrust lawsuit will be decided in federal court regardless of the outcome of the state court matter, the appeal was premature. (ROVNER and LEE, concurring)
Federal 7th Circuit Court
Civil Court
Jurisdiction