Precedent Under Siege
The Port Authority stressed that Caceres is not an anomaly. Several prior cases established that if a state court lacks jurisdiction to hear a claim under state law, federal courts also cannot adjudicate it. Invoking the landmark 1938 Supreme Court case Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins, the agency argued that federal courts must follow state law in state-law claims, preventing federal courts from entertaining suits barred in state court.
“The resulting confusion [from the panel opinion] would complicate litigation strategy, burden courts with threshold disputes over forum, and erode the predictability that Erie and its progeny were designed to protect,” the petition said.
Bridgegate Origins
The dispute traces back to 2016, when Baroni was convicted of conspiracy and fraud for his role in a political scheme that caused massive traffic jams in New Jersey. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction in May 2020, along with co-defendant Bridget Kelly’s.
Baroni filed suit in New York state court in 2021, claiming the Port Authority bylaws obligated the agency to cover his legal fees. After removal to federal court, the Port Authority successfully argued that Baroni’s claims were barred by state-law immunity. Yet a federal appellate panel later reversed that decision, allowing Baroni’s claims to proceed.
