All Courts |
Federal Courts |
US Federal District Court Cases |
District Court, District of Columbia |
2015-07 |
-
81,7('67$7(6',675,&7&2857 )257+(',675,&72)&2/80%,$ BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB ',675,&77,7/( 3ODLQWLII Y &LYLO$FWLRQ1R $%- $1,7$.:$55(1 et al. 'HIHQGDQWV BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB 0(025$1'8023,1,21 'HIHQGDQWV $QLWD :DUUHQ DQG 7LPRWK\ 'D\ KDYH PRYHG IRU VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW FRQWHQGLQJWKDWSODLQWLII'LVWULFW7LWOHODFNVVWDQGLQJWRSXUVXHLWVFODLPVLQWKLVFDVH%HFDXVH SODLQWLIIKDVWKHQHFHVVDU\ VWDQGLQJWKHPRWLRQZLOOEHGHQLHG 7KH&RXUWKDVVHWIRUWKWKHIXOOIDFWXDOEDFNJURXQGRIWKLVFDVHLQQXPHURXVSUHYLRXVRUGHUV DQGUHSHDWVRQO\WKHUHOHYDQWIDFWVKHUHSee 2UGHU'HF>'NW @JUDQWLQJSODLQWLII¶V PRWLRQIRUSUHOLPLQDU\LQMXQFWLRQ2UGHU-DQ>'NW @GHQ\LQJGHIHQGDQWV¶PRWLRQ WRVWD\SUHOLPLQDU\LQMXQFWLRQ0HP2S 2UGHU-XQH>'NW @GHQ\LQJGHIHQGDQWV¶ PRWLRQVWRGLVPLVVDQGGHIHQGDQW:DUUHQ¶VPRWLRQWRFRPSHODUELWUDWLRQDQGVWD\SURFHHGLQJV 0HP2S 2UGHU-XQH>'NW@GHQ\LQJGHIHQGDQWV¶PRWLRQWRVWD\GLVFRYHU\ 3ODLQWLIILVDUHDOHVWDWHVHWWOHPHQWFRPSDQ\WKDWRQ-XO\KDQGOHGWKHVDOHRID SURSHUW\IRUPHUO\RZQHGE\GHIHQGDQW:DUUHQ$P&RPSO>'NW @([WR$P &RPSO >'NW @ FRQWUDFW EHWZHHQ SODLQWLII DQG GHIHQGDQW :DUUHQ $W WKH WLPH RI WKH VDOH SODLQWLII PLVWDNHQO\ ZLUHG WKDW ZDV RZHG WR :HOOV )DUJR WKH PRUWJDJH OHQGHU WR GHIHQGDQW :DUUHQ $P &RPSO 3ODLQWLII DOOHJHV WKDW GHIHQGDQW :DUUHQ¶V DGXOW VRQ GHIHQGDQW'D\DVVLVWHGKLVPRWKHUZLWKWKHVHWWOHPHQWSURFHVVDQGZDVSUHVHQWDWWKHFORVLQJ$II RI6WHYHQ6XVKQHU([%WR3O¶V2SSWR'HIV¶0RWIRU6XPP->'NW @³6XVKQHU$II´ 0RWIRU3UHOLP,QM+U¶J7U'HF³+U¶J7U´DW DQGWKDWLPPHGLDWHO\ DIWHUZDUGVGHIHQGDQW:DUUHQWUDQVIHUUHGVRPHRIWKHVHIXQGVWRGHIHQGDQW'D\ DQGRWKHUV See, e.g.([WR$P&RPSO>'NW @FDVKLHU¶VFKHFNIRU PDGHRXWWRGHIHQGDQW'D\DQG $QWKRQ\ 6LOYD ([ WR $P &RPSO >'NW @ FDVKLHU¶V FKHFN IRU PDGH RXW WR GHIHQGDQW'D\ 3ODLQWLIIDOVRDOOHJHVWKDWGHIHQGDQWVVSHQWDQGKDYHUHSHDWHGO\UHIXVHGWRUHWXUQ WKHIXQGVsee, e.g. 6XVKQHU$II ± ZKLFKGHIHQGDQWVKDYH\HWWR GHQ\ 'HIHQGDQWVPRYHGIRUVXPPDU\MXGJPHQWRQ-XQH RQWKHVROHJURXQG WKDWSODLQWLII GRHVQRWKDYHVWDQGLQJWRSXUVXHLWVFODLPV0RWIRU6XPP->'NW @³'HIV¶0RW´ DW ³7KHUHLVQRPDWHULDOIDFWLQGLVSXWHWKDWWKHHQWLUHW\RIWKHPRQH\GHPDQGHGE\'LVWULFW7LWOH ZRXOG EH PRQH\ GXH WR QRQSDUW\ :HOOV )DUJR´ 'HIHQGDQWV¶ WKHRU\ LV WKDW DOWKRXJK LW ZDV 'LVWULFW7LWOHWKDWUHFHLYHGDQGZDVVXSSRVHGWRGLVEXUVHWKHIXQGVDWWKHVHWWOHPHQWLWZDV'LVWULFW 7LWOH WKDW LQDGYHUWHQWO\ ZLUHGIXQGVWRGHIHQGDQW:DUUHQDQG'LVWULFW 7LWOH LVQRZ VHHNLQJ WKH UHWXUQRIWKRVH IXQGVEDVHGRQLWVFRQWUDFWZLWK:DUUHQDQGRWKHUHTXLWDEOHJURXQGV'LVWULFW7LWOH GLG QRW LWVHOI VXIIHU WKH HFRQRPLF KDUP WKDW FRXOG JLYH ULVH WR $UWLFOH ,,, VWDQGLQJ EHFDXVH WKH $W RUDO DUJXPHQW GHIHQGDQWV¶ FRXQVHO GHFOLQHG WR FRQWHVW SODLQWLII¶V DVVHUWLRQ LQ DQ DIILGDYLWWKDW'D\ZDVSUHVHQWDWWKHFORVLQJDQGDFNQRZOHGJHGWKDWDVDUHVXOWWKDWDOOHJDWLRQ ZRXOGEHDFFHSWHGDVHYLGHQFHLQWKLVFDVH+U¶J7UDW 3ODLQWLIIDOOHJHVWKDW6LOYDLVDUHODWLYHRIWKHGHIHQGDQWV0HPRI3 $LQ6XSSRI3O¶V 0RWIRU3UHOLP,QM>'NW @DW3ODLQWLIIDOVRDOOHJHVWKDWWKHFKHFNZDV GHSRVLWHGLQDQDFFRXQWRZQHGE\6LOYDDQGXVHGWRSXUFKDVHUHDOSURSHUW\LQ0DU\ODQGSee ([ WR$P&RPSO>'NW@FRS\RIZLUHWUDQVIHUIURP6LOYDWRWKH%UHQQDQ7LWOH&RPSDQ\([ WR$P&RPSO>'NW@GHHGRIWUXVW PRQH\ZDVXOWLPDWHO\RZHGWR:HOOV)DUJRId.0HPRI3 $LQ6XSSRI0RWIRU6XPP- >'NW @³'HIV¶0HP´DW± 6XPPDU\MXGJPHQWLVDSSURSULDWH³LIWKHPRYDQWVKRZVWKDWWKHUHLVQRJHQXLQHGLVSXWHDV WRDQ\PDWHULDOIDFWDQGWKHPRYDQWLVHQWLWOHGWRMXGJPHQWDVDPDWWHURIODZ´)HG 5&LY3 D 7KH SDUW\ VHHNLQJ VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQW EHDUV WKH ³LQLWLDO UHVSRQVLELOLW\ RI LQIRUPLQJ WKH GLVWULFW FRXUW RI WKH EDVLV IRU LWV PRWLRQ DQG LGHQWLI\LQJ WKRVH SRUWLRQV RI WKH SOHDGLQJV GHSRVLWLRQVDQVZHUVWRLQWHUURJDWRULHVDQGDGPLVVLRQVRQILOHWRJHWKHUZLWKWKHDIILGDYLWVLIDQ\ ZKLFKLWEHOLHYHVGHPRQVWUDWHWKHDEVHQFHRIDJHQXLQHLVVXHRIPDWHULDOIDFW´Celotex Corp. v. Catrett 86 LQWHUQDO TXRWDWLRQ PDUNV RPLWWHG 7R GHIHDW VXPPDU\ MXGJPHQWWKHQRQPRYLQJSDUW\PXVW³GHVLJQDWHVSHFLILFIDFWVVKRZLQJWKHUHLVD JHQXLQHLVVXH IRU WULDO´
Id. DWLQWHUQDO TXRWDWLRQ PDUNV RPLWWHG 7KH H[LVWHQFH RI DIDFWXDO GLVSXWH LV LQVXIILFLHQW WRSUHFOXGHVXPPDU\MXGJPHQWAnderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.86± $GLVSXWHLV³JHQXLQH´RQO\LIDUHDVRQDEOHIDFWILQGHUFRXOGILQGIRUWKHQRQPRYLQJ SDUW\DIDFWLVRQO\³PDWHULDO´LILWLVFDSDEOHRIDIIHFWLQJWKHRXWFRPHRIWKHOLWLJDWLRQId. DW Laningham v. U.S. Navy)G'&&LU,QDVVHVVLQJDSDUW\¶VPRWLRQWKH FRXUWPXVW³YLHZWKHIDFWVDQGGUDZUHDVRQDEOHLQIHUHQFHVµLQWKHOLJKWPRVWIDYRUDEOHWRWKHSDUW\ RSSRVLQJWKHVXPPDU\MXGJPHQWPRWLRQ¶´Scott v. Harris86DOWHUDWLRQV RPLWWHGTXRWLQJUnited States v. Diebold, Inc.86SHUFXULDP $SODLQWLIIFDQHVWDEOLVKWKDWLWKDVVWDQGLQJE\VKRZLQJ WKDW³LWKDVVXIIHUHGDQµLQMXU\ LQ IDFW¶ WKDW LV D FRQFUHWH DQG SDUWLFXODUL]HG DQG E DFWXDO RU LPPLQHQW QRW FRQMHFWXUDO RU K\SRWKHWLFDOWKHLQMXU\LVIDLUO\WUDFHDEOHWRWKHFKDOOHQJHGDFWLRQRIWKHGHIHQGDQWDQGLW LV OLNHO\ DV RSSRVHG WR PHUHO\ VSHFXODWLYH WKDW WKH LQMXU\ ZLOO EH UHGUHVVHG E\ D IDYRUDEOH GHFLVLRQ´ Friends of the Earth, Inc. v. Laidlaw Envtl. Servs.86± 7KH ³LQMXU\LQIDFW´HOHPHQWZKLFKLVDWLVVXHKHUH UHTXLUHVDSDUW\WR³VKRZWKDWKHSHUVRQDOO\KDV VXIIHUHG VRPH DFWXDO RU WKUHDWHQHG LQMXU\ DV D UHVXOW RI WKH SXWDWLYHO\ LOOHJDO FRQGXFW RI WKH GHIHQGDQW´Valley Forge Christian Coll. v. Americans United for Separation of Church & State, Inc.86TXRWLQJGladstone, Realtors v. Village of Bellwood86 see also Public Citizen v. Nat’l Highway Traffic Safety Admin.)G '&&LU Fla. Audubon Soc. v. Bentsen)G'&&LU 7KLV LV DQ DFWLRQ IRU EUHDFK RI FRQWUDFW EURXJKW E\ D SDUW\ WR WKH FRQWUDFW DJDLQVW WKH FRXQWHUSDUW\ 7KH H[LVWHQFH RI WKH FRQWUDFW EHWZHHQ 'LVWULFW 7LWOH DQG GHIHQGDQW :DUUHQ LV XQGLVSXWHG ,QGHHGGHIHQGDQW:DUUHQKHUVHOIVRXJKWWRLQYRNHWKHWHUPVRIWKHVDPHFRQWUDFWLQ KHUPRWLRQWRVWD\DQGWRFRPSHODUELWUDWLRQSee 'HI:DUUHQ¶V0RWWR&RPSHO$UELWUDWLRQ 6WD\ 3URFHHGLQJV >'NW @ ,Q DGGLWLRQ WKLV FDVH VHHNV UHPHGLHV LQ WRUW DJDLQVW GHIHQGDQWV :DUUHQDQG'D\IRUWKHLU DOOHJHGZURQJIXOIDLOXUHWRUHWXUQIXQGVWKDWGRQRWEHORQJWRWKHP $V WKH&RXUWKDVLQGLFDWHGWZLFHEHIRUH SODLQWLII KDVVWDQGLQJWRSXUVXHLWVFODLPVKHUH 7KHUHLVQRTXHVWLRQWKDWSODLQWLIIKDVVWDQGLQJWRSXUVXHLWVFODLPVLQWKLV FDVH)LUVWSODLQWLII¶VEUHDFKRIFRQWUDFWFODLPDJDLQVWGHIHQGDQW:DUUHQ SODLQO\DOOHJHVWKDWSODLQWLIIKDVVXIIHUHGDQ³LQMXU\LQIDFW´± WKHEUHDFKRI WKHFRQWUDFW± WKDWLV³WUDFHDEOHWR´GHIHQGDQW:DUUHQDQGUHGUHVVDEOHE\WKH &RXUW$QGVHFRQGGHIHQGDQWV¶RQJRLQJUHIXVDOWRUHWXUQWKH WR SODLQWLII KDV SODFHG SODLQWLII VTXDUHO\ LQ WKH SDWK RI ³LPPLQHQW´ DQG ³FRQFUHWH DQG SDUWLFXODUL]HG´ KDUP $OO SDUWLHV DSSHDU WR DJUHH WKDW WKLV DPRXQWLVVWLOORZHGWR:HOOV)DUJRDQGWKH IDFWWKDW:HOOV)DUJRPD\QRW \HWKDYHVRXJKWWRFROOHFWWKHIXQGVIURPSODLQWLIIGRHVQRWFKDQJHWKHIDFW WKDWGHIHQGDQWV¶UHIXVDOWRUHWXUQWKHIXQGVKDVH[SRVHGSODLQWLIIWROLDELOLW\ 0HP2S 2UGHU-DQDW FLWDWLRQVRPLWWHG0HP2S 2UGHU-XQHDW ± 1RWKLQJLQGHIHQGDQWV¶VXPPDU\MXGJPHQWEULHILQJDOWHUVWKLVDQDO\VLV 'HIHQGDQWVDUJXH WKDWSODLQWLIIKDV³VKRZ>Q@QRGHPDQGOHWWHULQGHHGQRFRUUHVSRQGHQFHDWDOOIURPDQ\RWKHUSDUW\ WRWKHUHDOHVWDWHFORVLQJGHPRQVWUDWLQJLWKDVDQ\REOLJDWLRQZKDWVRHYHUWRSD\DQ\RQH´ 5HSO\ 0HPLQ6XSSRI'HIV¶0RW>'NW@DWQRURWKHUZLVHHVWDEOLVKHGLWVLQMXU\LQWKLVFDVH 'HIHQGDQWV IXUWKHUSRLQWWRHYLGHQFHWKDWSXUSRUWHGO\HVWDEOLVKHVWKDW³:HOOV)DUJRLQWHQGVWRVHHN LWVRZQUHPHGLHVDQGKDVQHLWKHUUHTXHVWHGQRUDXWKRUL]HG'LVWULFW7LWOHWRGRLWVELGGLQJLQWKLV UHJDUG´'HIV¶0HPDWsee also ([$WR'HIV¶ 0RW>'NW @ $GMXVWDEOH5DWH+RPH (TXLW\&RQYHUVLRQ6HFRQG'HHGRI7UXVW([%WR'HIV¶0RW>'NW @ $SSRLQWPHQWRI 6XEVWLWXWH7UXVWHHV %XWGHIHQGDQWV¶H[KLELWVGRQRWHVWDEOLVKDQ\IDFWWKDWLVPDWHULDOWKDWZRXOGUHTXLUHWKH HQWU\RIMXGJPHQWLQWKHLUIDYRU7KH\GRQRWGHPRQVWUDWHZKDW LQWHQWLRQVLIDQ\QRQSDUW\ :HOOV )DUJRKDVZLWKUHVSHFWWRGHIHQGDQWVDQGZKHWKHULQIDFWWKHPRQH\RZHGWRWKHOHQGHUZLOOEH UHWULHYHGWKURXJKRWKHUPHDQV 0RUHRYHUHYHQLI:HOOV)DUJRLV SXUVXLQJLWVRZQUHPHGLHVWKDWZRXOG QRWFKDQJHWKH IDFWWKDWSODLQWLIIWRRKDVEHHQLQMXUHG ,QDVZRUQDIILGDYLWWKHSUHVLGHQWRI'LVWULFW7LWOHVWDWHV WKDWEHFDXVHRIGHIHQGDQWV¶UHIXVDOWR UHWXUQ WKH IXQGV ³'LVWULFW7LWOHKDVEHHQH[SRVHGWRWKH 0RUWJDJH/HQGHUIRUSD\PHQWRIWKHHQWLUHDPRXQWGXHWR SD\RIIWKHORDQ´DQG³'LVWULFW7LWOHLV DOVRH[SRVHGWROLDELOLW\IURPWKHQHZRZQHURIWKH3URSHUW\DQG'LVWULFW7LWOH¶VFRPPHUFLDOOHQGHU IRULWVRXWVWDQGLQJOLQHRIFUHGLW´ 6XVKQHU$II ,QRWKHUZRUGVSODLQWLII¶VHYLGHQFH± ZKLFK GHIHQGDQWV KDYH QRWUHEXWWHG ± VKRZVWKDWSODLQWLII ³KDVVXIIHUHGVRPHDFWXDOor threatened LQMXU\ DVDUHVXOWRIWKHSXWDWLYHO\LOOHJDOFRQGXFWRIWKHGHIHQGDQW>V@´ See Valley Forge86DW HPSKDVLVDGGHG FLWDWLRQRPLWWHG see also AT&T Corp. v. FCC)G'&&LU
Document Info
Docket Number: Civil Action No. 2014-1808
Judges: Judge Amy Berman Jackson
Filed Date: 7/30/2015
Precedential Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 7/30/2015