Baroi et al v. Platinum Condominium Development, LLC et al

Filing 145

ORDER granting 140 Motion to Substitute Bankruptcy Trustee as party in interest. S William Manera substituted for Cathey Goodman and Stephen Goodman. Signed by Judge Philip M. Pro on 11/28/11. (Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF - ECS)

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Don Springmeyer, Nevada Bar No. 1021
Wolf Rifkin Shapiro Schulman & Rabkin, LLP
3556 East Russell Road
Second Floor
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

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[Additional Counsel on Signature Page]

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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DISTRICT OF NEVADA

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ION BAROI, et al.,

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Case No.: 2:09-CV-00671-PMP-GWF

Plaintiffs,

THIS DOCUMENT APPLIES TO:
ALL RELATED ACTIONS

vs.
PLATINUM CONDOMINIUM
DEVELOPMENT, LLC,
MARCUS HOTELS, INC., AND
MARCUS MANAGEMENT LAS
VEGAS, LLC,

PLAINTIFFS STEPHEN AND CATHEY
GOODMAN'S MOTION TO
SUBSTITUTE BANKRUPTCY TRUSTEE
AS PARTY IN INTEREST AND
MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND
AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT THEREOF

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Defendants.

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COME NOW two of the Plaintiffs, Stephen and Cathey Goodman, and move this

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Honorable Court for entry of an Order substituting the trustee in their Chapter 7 bankruptcy

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proceeding in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona, No. 2-09-bk-21580-

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SSC, S. William Manera, as a plaintiff in this proceeding, as any proceeds realized in this

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proceeding will inure to the benefit of the Goodmans' bankruptcy estate. Mr. Manera has retained

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Plaintiffs' counsel listed below to represent the interest of the Goodman bankruptcy estate in this

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proceeding.

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///

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Case 2:09-cv-00671-PMP -GWF Document 140

Filed 11/04/11 Page 2 of 4

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WHEREFORE, premises considered, Stephen and Cathey Goodman pray this Honorable

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Court will enter an Order substituting the trustee, S. William Manera, as a plaintiff in this matter.

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Stephen and Cathey Goodman seek such other further and different relief that the Court deems

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appropriate, premises considered. Oral argument is not requested.
MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES

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Stephen and Cathey Goodman filed a Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding in the United

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States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona, No. 2-09-bk-21580-SSC. S. William Manera

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is the trustee in bankruptcy. Mr. Manera has retained the undersigned as counsel to represent the

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bankruptcy estate's interest in this action, with approval of the United States Bankruptcy Court for

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the District of Arizona by Order dated September 2, 2011.

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"The interests of the debtor [in bankruptcy] in property include causes of action." In re

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Van Dresser Corp., 128 F.3d 945, 948 (6th Cir. 1997). The trustee becomes the representative of

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the estate, 11 U.S.C. § 323(a), responsible for "collect[ing] and reduc[ing] to money the property

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of the estate," 11 U.S.C. § 704(a)(1). The trustee has the capacity to sue. 11 U.S.C. § 323(b). A

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debtor in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy imparts upon the trustee the exclusive right to assert the debtor's

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claims, Van Dresser, 128 F.3d at 948, thereby rendering the trustee the only real party in interest

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under Fed. R. Civ. P. 17(a) if the trustee elects to pursue the claim. Maerki v. Wilson, No. 93-

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3857, 1995 WL 242004, at * 2 (6th Cir. Apr. 25, 1995); In re Bard, 49 F. App'x 528, 529 (6th
Cir. 2002).

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WHEREFORE, premises considered, Stephen and Cathey Goodman pray this Honorable

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Court will enter an Order substituting the trustee, S. William Manera, as a plaintiff in this matter.

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Stephen and Cathey Goodman seek such other further and different relief that the Court deems

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appropriate, premises considered.

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2.

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RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED this 4th day of November, 2011.

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/s/ Don Springmeyer
__________________________________
Don Springmeyer, Nevada Bar No. 1021
Wolf Rifkin Shapiro Schulman & Rabkin, LLP
3556 East Russell Road
Second Floor
Las Vegas, NV 89120
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

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Jonathan H. Waller, Nevada Bar No. 5538
Kirk D. Smith, pro hac vice
Haskell Slaughter Young & Rediker, LLC
2001 Park Place North
1400 Park Place Tower
Birmingham, AL 35203
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]

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Peter McNulty
McNulty Law Firm
827 Moraga Drive
Bel Air, CA 90049
Phone: [phone]
[e-mail]

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Attorneys for Plaintiffs

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IT IS SO ORDERED.

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________________________________
PHILIP M. PRO, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
Dated: November 28, 2011.

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3.

Case 2:09-cv-00671-PMP -GWF Document 140

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Filed 11/04/11 Page 4 of 4

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

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I hereby certify that I am an employee of Wolf, Rifkin, Shapiro, Schulman & Rabkin, LLP, and

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that I served a true and correct copy of the foregoing on this 4th day of November, 2011 via the

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Court’s ECF system, which will serve notice of the above, upon the following:

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ANDREW P. GORDON (NSBN 3421)
KRISTEN T. GALLAGHER (NSBN 9561)
McDONALD CARANO WILSON LLP
2300 W. Sahara Ave., Suite 1000
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
NANCY J. SENNETT (admitted pro hac vice)
DAVID M. LUCEY (admitted pro hac vice)
BRIAN P. KEENAN (admitted pro hac vice)
FOLEY & LARDNER LLP
777 East Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53202-5306
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
[e-mail]
Attorneys for Defendants

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/s/ Michael J. Hannon______________________
An employee of Wolf Rifkin Shapiro Schulman &
Rabkin, LLP

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