Saskatchewan Mutual Insurance Co. v. CE Design, Ltd.

To enforce a judgment entered in Canada refusing to enforce judgment entered in a state court in Illinois on behalf of a class against a Canadian insurer was not enforceable because it did not provide proper notice, the insurer sought to register that Canadian judgment in federal court in Illinois to prevent the class’ attempt to enforce its Illinois judgment. Jurisdiction was based on CAFA. Contrary to the intent of the statute and the law, the Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of the registration on grounds that as the case reached federal court the insurer was the plaintiff, the class is the defendant and thus there is no jurisdiction because CAFA only applies to a plaintiff class and not a defendant class. The question presented is whether the registration of a foreign judgment alters the status of the parties to that judgment.