Frey Irrevocable Trust et al v. Tennvada Holdings I, LLC et al
Filing
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ORDER Granting 16 Motion to Reopen Case. Denying 17 Motion for damages and costs. Signed by Judge James C. Mahan on 2/11/2014. (Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF; CC: Bankruptcy Court - SLR)
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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DISTRICT OF NEVADA
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FREY IRREVOCABLE TRUST, et al.,
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2:12-CV-1592 JCM (PAL)
Plaintiff(s)/Appellants,
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v.
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TENNVADA HOLDINGS I, LLC,
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Defendant(s)/Appellees.
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ORDER
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Presently before the court is appellee Tennvada Holdings’ (“Tennvada”) motion to reopen
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the bankruptcy appeal case. (Doc. # 16). Appellants Frey Irrevocable Trust, Kowlaski Trust, and
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Ruth Maasarani Trust (“Trusts”) have filed a response in opposition. (Doc. # 19).
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Also before the court is appellee’s motion for damages and costs. (Doc. # 17). Appellants
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have filed a response in opposition. (Doc. # 20).
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I.
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Background
The limited background facts necessary for resolution of the instant motions are relatively
straightforward.
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The matter arises out of an underlying chapter 11 petition in bankruptcy court. Tennvada
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filed the adversary complaint against the Trusts, objecting to proofs of claims filed in the bankruptcy
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proceeding. Tennvada and defendant William Dyer filed a motion to dismiss the third party
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complaint, which was granted. That order did not contain any language certifying the order for
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appeal. Likewise, the Trusts did not request certification under Bankruptcy Rule 7056(b) nor did
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James C. Mahan
U.S. District Judge
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they ask permission to file an interlocutory appeal.
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This court subsequently dismissed the appeal on April 25, 2013, finding that it did not have
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jurisdiction. (See order, doc. # 15). Tennvada seeks to reopen the case and recover damages and
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costs incurred from that appeal.
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II.
Discussion
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A. Rule 8014
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Federal Rule of Bankruptcy Procedure 8014 governs costs on appeal, providing, in relevant
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part: “Except as otherwise provided by law, agreed to by the parties, or ordered by the district court
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or the bankruptcy appellate panel, costs shall be taxed against the losing party on an
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appeal.” However, that rule does not specifically impose a time limit for requesting costs.
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As with the majority of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure, Rule 8014 is modeled
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after the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure. Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 39, dealing
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with costs, provides that “if an appeal is dismissed, costs are taxed against the appellant, unless the
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parties agree otherwise” Fed. R. App. P. 39(a)(1). However, “a party who wants costs taxed
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must–within 14 days after entry of judgement–file with the circuit clerk, with proof of service, an
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itemized and verified bill of costs.” Fed R. App. P. 39(d)(1) (emphasis added).
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Tennvada did not file its itemized and verified bill of costs within 14 days of entry of
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judgment, and instead waited nearly two months. Thus, although Tennvada was entitled to costs
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when this court dismissed the appeal, it failed to file a timely motion, and its late request must be
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denied.
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B. Rule 8020
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Tennvada also requests sanctions pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 8020. That rule states in
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relevant part: “If a district court or bankruptcy appellate panel determines that an appeal from an
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order, judgment, or decree of bankruptcy judge is frivolous, it may, after a separately filed motion
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or notice from the district court or bankruptcy appellate panel and reasonable opportunity to respond,
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award just damages and single or double costs to the appellee.”
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Tennvada bases its request on the fact that the order dismissing the third party complaint did
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James C. Mahan
U.S. District Judge
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not resolve all claims against all parties, and was not a “final judgment” appropriate for appeal.
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Tennvada points to this court’s observation that the Trusts failed to address the jurisdictional issue
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in the opening brief, and instead assumed that jurisdiction was proper.
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It is well established that trial courts have the inherent power to sanction attorneys for
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abusive litigation practices. See, e.g., Fink v. Gomez, 239 F.3d 989, 992 (9th Cir. 2001). “Before
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awarding sanctions under its inherent powers, however, the court must make an explicit finding that
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counsel’s conduct constituted or was tantamount to bad faith.” Primus Auto. Fin. Servs., Inc. v.
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Batarse, 115 F.3d 644, 648 (9th Cir. 1997) (citation omitted).
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Here, there is no evidence that counsel filed the instant appeal in bad faith or to harass an
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opponent. See id. at 649. While the appeal was ill-advised, the court did not explicitly find that it
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was tantamount to bad faith. The court again declines to find as much now.
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III.
Conclusion
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While Tennvada was originally entitled to costs on appeal, it failed to file a timely itemized
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and verified bill of costs with the court. As such, it is no longer entitled to recovering those costs.
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The court further declines to grant Tennvada’s request for sanctions. Although the appeal
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was ill-advised, this court did not make a finding that it was frivolous and sanctionable in the first
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instance, and declines to do so now.
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Accordingly,
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IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED, and DECREED that appellee’s motion to reopen
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(doc. # 16) be, and the same hereby is, GRANTED.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that appellee’s motion for damages and costs (doc. # 17) be,
and the same hereby is, DENIED.
DATED February 11, 2014.
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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James C. Mahan
U.S. District Judge
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