White et al v. Grant Mason Holdings, Inc. et al

Filing 41

ORDER ATTACHED denying without prejudice [31 & 32] Motions to Dismiss and granting 40 Motion to Withdraw as Attorney. The Law Firm of Robert Eckard and Associates, P.A. is directed to comply with the attached order. Attorneys Joelle Marie Schultz; Robert D. Eckard and Timothy J. Goodwin terminated. Corporate defendants are directed to cause new counsel to file notice of appearance on or before 8/21/2015. Signed by Judge Richard A. Lazzara on 7/22/2015. (CCB)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
TAMPA DIVISION
ADAM R. WHITE and
JAMES NEWELL WHITE, III,
Plaintiffs,
v.
CASE NO: 8:14-cv-2975-T-26MAP
IDEAGEAR, LLC,
GRANT MASON HOLDINGS, INC.,
GRANT MASON LLC,
MIDWEST MAIL HOUSE, LLC,
MEDIA SOLUTIONS TEAM, LLC,
PRINT MAIL DESIGN, LLC,
NGUYEN INFORMATION CONSULTING, INC.
d/b/a NET-INTEGRATED CONSULTING, INC.,
RANDAL PIKE,
JESSICA PIKE,
GRANT MAYFIELD,
DARRYL MAYFIELD,
PAUL FREEMAN,
HUNG NGUYEN,
and CHRIS CRONE.
Defendants.
/
ORDER
UPON DUE CONSIDERATION of the procedural history of this case, it is
ORDERED AND ADJUDGED as follows:
1) The Motion to Withdraw as Counsel (Dkt. 40 ) is GRANTED. The Law
Office of Robert Eckard and Associates, P.A., and the attorneys associated with that firm
who have appeared as counsel of record for the Defendants named in the motion are

relieved of any further responsibility to represent those Defendants in this case with the
exception of the fourth paragraph of this order.
2) As to the corporate Defendants, because under Local Rule 2.03(e), “[a]
corporation may appear and be heard only through counsel admitted to practice in the
Court pursuant to Local Rule 2.01 or 2.02[,]”1 the corporate Defendants are directed to
cause new counsel who is admitted to practice before this Court to enter a notice of
appearance on or before August 21, 2015, failing which the corporate Defendants will be
subject, upon proper pleading by the Plaintiffs, to a default final judgment.
3) As to the individual Defendants, they are directed to cause new counsel who is
admitted to practice before this Court to enter a notice of appearance on or before August
21, 2015, failing which the individual Defendants will be subject, upon proper pleading
by the Plaintiffs, to a default judgment.
4) The Law Firm of Robert Eckard and Associates, P.A., through Robert Eckard,
is directed to provide a copy of this order to all Defendants whom it previously
represented within three (3) business days and to file a certificate of service to that effect.
5) All future orders, pleadings, and notices, including a copy of this order, shall be
delivered to the Defendants who are the subject of this order at the addresses listed in
paragraph of the Motion to Withdraw.

1

See also Palazzo v. Gulf Oil Corp., 764 F.2d 1381, 1385 (11th Cir. 1985)
(holding that a corporation or business organization is an artificial entity that cannot
appear pro se but must be represented by counsel).
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6) The Motions to Dismiss filed at dockets 31 and 32 are denied without prejudice
to being refiled once the corporate Defendants who filed those motions retain new
counsel to represent them.
DONE AND ORDERED at Tampa, Florida, on July 22, 2015.

s/Richard A. Lazzara
RICHARD A. LAZZARA
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

COPIES FURNISHED TO:

Counsel of Record

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