In Re New Mexico Natural Gas Antitrust Litigation. State of New Mexico Ex Rel. Department of Finance and Administration v. Southern Union Company

LOGAN, Circuit Judge.

Pursuant to the disqualification provision of 28 U.S.C. § 455(b)(4), District Judge Howard C. Bratton issued a sua sponte order recusing himself from hearing these multidistrict, consolidated cases. The judge certified the order for interlocutory appeal to this Court under 28 U.S.C. § 1292(b). We accepted the appeal and, after reviewing the record, determined oral argument would not be of material assistance in the disposition of this matter. In deciding the case, we have considered the briefs filed by the parties in the petition for review, as well as those filed…