Benita Sanchez Vda. De Cosme v. Sea Containers, Ltd., Appeal of R. Mediavilla & Sons, Inc.

BOWNES, Circuit Judge.

Defendant-Appellant R. Mediavilla & Sons, Inc. appeals from the refusal of the district court to enjoin a proceeding in the Superior Court of Puerto Rico under the third exception to the Anti-Injunction Act which allows a federal court “to stay proceedings in a State court ... to protect or effectuate its judgments.” 28 U.S.C. § 2283. Appellant claims that a prior set tlement judgment in the federal court is a bar to the Commonwealth court proceeding.

I

This case had its genesis in an accident that happened on March 21, 1977, in San Juan harbor, aboard a vessel, the…