USA v. 35 Luxury Vehicles

Filing 77

ORDER denying as moot 73 Claimant Grand Union's Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim ; denying as moot 74 Claimant Grand Union's Motion for Hearing ; granting 76 United States' Unopposed Motion to Dismiss Certain Property. Signed by Judge Sheri Polster Chappell on 10/7/2014. (LMF)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
FORT MYERS DIVISION
USA,
Plaintiff,
v.

Case No: 2:13-cv-793-FtM-38CM

34 LUXURY VEHICLES,
Defendant.
/
ORDER1
This matter comes before the Court on United States' Unopposed Motion to
Dismiss Certain Property (Doc. #76) filed on October 6, 2014. The United States seeks
to dismiss the civil forfeiture action against twenty-three defendant vehicles, listed by
VIN and Claimant below:
1. 5UXZV4C59D0E09628
2. 5UXZV4C52D0E12421

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

3. 5UXZV4C58D0E12424

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

4. 5UXZV4C54D0E12422

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

5. 5UXZV4C56D0E12535

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

6. 5UXZV4C51D0E12247

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

7. 5UXZV4C58D0E12536
1

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

Disclaimer: Documents filed in CM/ECF may contain hyperlinks to other documents or Web sites.
These hyperlinks are provided only for users’ convenience. Users are cautioned that hyperlinked
documents in CM/ECF are subject to PACER fees. By allowing hyperlinks to other Web sites, this court
does not endorse, recommend, approve, or guarantee any third parties or the services or products they
provide on their Web sites. Likewise, the court has no agreements with any of these third parties or their
Web sites. The court accepts no responsibility for the availability or functionality of any hyperlink. Thus,
the fact that a hyperlink ceases to work or directs the user to some other site does not affect the opinion
of the court.

8. 5UXZV4C5XD0E12537

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

9. 5UXZV4C54D0E12534

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

10. 5UXZV4C52D0E11995

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

11. 5UXZV4C52D0E11950

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

12. 5UXZV4C57D0E12138

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

13. 5UXZV4C59D0E12089

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

14. 5UXZV4C50D0E11994

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

15. 5UXZV4C57D0E11989

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

16. 5UXZV4C51D0E11986

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

17. 5UXZV4C5XD0E12246

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

18. 5UXZV4C58D0E12245

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

19. 5UXZV4C56D0E12664

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

20. 5UXZV4C50D0E12353

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

21. 5UXZV4C54D0E12355

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

22. 4JGDF2EE6DA166292

DLD Enterprises, Inc.

23. WP1AF2A24DLA29163

DLD Enterprises, Inc.

Grand Union International Corp. (Grand Union) and DLD Enterprises, Inc. (DLD)
filed verified claims with respect to the above named defendant vehicles, and their
interests have now been settled through negotiations with the United States. Therefore,
the United States is seeking voluntary dismissal of the twenty-three vehicles pursuant to
written settlement with the vehicles’ claimants, Grand Union and DLD. Specifically, the
United States seeks dismissal of these vehicles under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure
41(a)(2) and 54(b).

2

Except as provided in Rule 41(a)(1) (dismissal by stipulation or before an answer
or motion for summary judgment has been filed), dismissal of an action must be by
court order. Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of America, 511 U.S. 375, 378–381
(1994); Anago Franchising, Inc. v. Shaz, LLC., 677 F.3d 1272, 1280 (11th Cir. 2012).
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a)(2) provides that “an action may be dismissed at
the plaintiff’s request only by court order, on terms that the court considers proper.” “The
district court enjoys broad discretion in determining whether to allow a voluntary
dismissal under Rule 41(a)(2).” Pontenberg v. Boston Sci. Corp., 252 F.3d 1272, 1280
(11th Cir. 2001). A “voluntary dismissal should be granted unless the defendant will
suffer clear legal prejudice, other than the mere prospect of a subsequent lawsuit, as a
result.” Id. (internal quotation marks omitted).
While Rule 41(a)(2) allows for the dismissal of an action, the Courts in this
District generally hold that Rule 41(a)(2) applies only to the entire action and not some
of the parties in the case. Nevertheless, pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(b), “when
multiple parties are involved, the court may direct entry of final judgment as to one or
more, but fewer than all, claims or parties only if the court expressly determines that
there is no just reason for delay.” The United States agrees that its interests in these
twenty-three vehicles have been resolved through negotiation and settlement. The
remaining vehicles will be unaffected by the dismissal, as will the remaining claimants.
Therefore, there is no just reason for delay and the Motion to Dismiss the twenty-three
vehicles is due to be granted.
Accordingly, it is now
ORDERED:

3

(1) United States' Unopposed Motion to Dismiss Certain Property (Doc. #76) is
GRANTED. All claims against Defendant Vehicles
1. 5UXZV4C59D0E09628

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

2. 5UXZV4C52D0E12421

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

3. 5UXZV4C58D0E12424

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

4. 5UXZV4C54D0E12422

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

5. 5UXZV4C56D0E12535

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

6. 5UXZV4C51D0E12247

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

7. 5UXZV4C58D0E12536

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

8. 5UXZV4C5XD0E12537

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

9. 5UXZV4C54D0E12534

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

10. 5UXZV4C52D0E11995

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

11. 5UXZV4C52D0E11950

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

12. 5UXZV4C57D0E12138

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

13. 5UXZV4C59D0E12089

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

14. 5UXZV4C50D0E11994

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

15. 5UXZV4C57D0E11989

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

16. 5UXZV4C51D0E11986

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

17. 5UXZV4C5XD0E12246

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

18. 5UXZV4C58D0E12245

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

19. 5UXZV4C56D0E12664

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

20. 5UXZV4C50D0E12353

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

21. 5UXZV4C54D0E12355

Grand Union International Corp. (Claimant)

4

22. 4JGDF2EE6DA166292

DLD Enterprises, Inc.

23. WP1AF2A24DLA29163

DLD Enterprises, Inc.

are DISMISSED. Finding no just cause for delay, the Clerk shall enter judgment
accordingly and terminate only these Defendant Vehicles.
(2) Claimant Grand Union’s Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim (Doc.
#73) is DENIED as moot.
(3) Claimant Grand Union’s Motion for Hearing (Doc. #74) is DENIED as moot.
DONE and ORDERED in Fort Myers, Florida this 7th day of October, 2014.

Copies: All Parties of Record

5