Aubrey v. Estate of Ira Tobolowsky ( 2022 )

Case: 21-11091 Document: 00516451796 Page: 1 Date Filed: 08/29/2022
United States Court of Appeals
for the Fifth Circuit United States Court of Appeals
Fifth Circuit
FILED
August 29, 2022
No. 21-11091 Lyle W. Cayce
Summary Calendar Clerk
Steven B. Aubrey, Individually;
Steven B. Aubrey, as beneficiary of the Aubrey Family Trust;
Brian E. Vodicka,
Plaintiffs—Appellants,
versus
The Estate of Ira Tobolowsky; Michael Tobolowsky;
Faith G. Burk; Stephen Schoettmer;
David P. Hendricks; Richard B. Aubrey, Jr.;
Betsy S. Aubrey,
as Independent Executrix of the Estate of Richard Buck Aubrey, Deceased;
Rachel Ann Craig; Robin L. Landis;
Jackie K. Wheelington,
Defendants—Appellees.
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Northern District of Texas
No. 3:19-CV-2792
Case: 21-11091 Document: 00516451796 Page: 2 Date Filed: 08/29/2022
No. 21-11091
Before Smith, Elrod, and Southwick, Circuit Judges.
Per Curiam:*
Steven Avery and Brian Vodicka filed an amended complaint against
the estate of the former attorney for the Aubrey Family Trust, Ira Tobol-
owsky, and various others alleging racketeering, harassment, defamation,
malicious prosecution, and abuse of process, seeking $40 million in compen-
satory and exemplary damages. The factual allegations included the misman-
agement of the Trust, Ira Tobolowsky’s legal and business activities, Tobol-
owsky’s murder, and Aubrey’s and Vodicka’s arrest and prosecution for the
murder.
Following defendants’ motions to dismiss, the magistrate judge (M.J.)
issued a series of four reports of findings and conclusions. Each recom-
mended that the motions to dismiss be granted. In each case, Aubrey ob-
jected to the recommendation, but the district court adopted the recommen-
dation and dismissed the complaint.
Aubrey and Vodicka challenge the dismissals. We review a dismissal
de novo, accepting as true all well-pleaded facts and drawing all reasonable
inferences in favor of the nonmoving party. Franklin v. Regions Bank,
976 F.3d 443, 447 (5th Cir. 2020). The plaintiffs must allege sufficient facts
to “state a claim for relief that is plausible on its face,” Bass v. Stryker,
669 F.3d 501, 506 (5th Cir. 2012), and “that, if true, raise a right to relief
above the speculative level,” Franklin, 976 F.3d at 447 (internal quotation
marks and citation omitted). Aubrey and Vodicka have presented nothing on
appeal to show that the district court erred in concluding that there was no
*
Pursuant to 5th Circuit Rule 47.5, the court has determined that this
opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited circum-
stances set forth in 5th Circuit Rule 47.5.4.
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Case: 21-11091 Document: 00516451796 Page: 3 Date Filed: 08/29/2022
No. 21-11091
basis for these claims. See Franklin, 976 F.3d at 447.
Aubrey and Vodicka contend that the district court should not have
dismissed without giving the opportunity to file a second amended com-
plaint. The court did not abuse its discretion in concluding that amendment
would have been futile and denying the motion to amend. See Edionwe v.
Bailey, 860 F.3d 287, 291 (5th Cir. 2017); Jones v. Robinson Prop. Grp., L.P.,
427 F.3d 987, 994 (5th Cir. 2005). The district court also did not abuse its
discretion in denying the motion to disqualify all judges in the Northern
District of Texas, including the M.J. and district judge assigned to this case.
See United States v. Scroggins, 485 F.3d 824, 830 (5th Cir. 2007).
AFFIRMED.
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