Rule 33(b), that’s why. I was puzzled (see my blogpost “Why The Chop?” 3/13/23), and did some research. Though rarely invoked, and my research showed only for grievous infractions, Rule 33(b) permits a sua sponte chop for proceedings that cause “unnecessary delay or needless increase in the cost of litigation.”

The Rule doesn’t require a warning, but was the conduct here so egregious that no warning should have been necessary before the OSC? If the parties or their trusty attorney were recidivists, or ignored a warning, might it not have been well to spell that out in the opinion?

Yet another reason why some sort of guidelines for imposing sanctions are needed.