Securities & Exchange Commission v. Haarman et al

Filing 65

ORDER GRANTING 61 Motion to Withdraw as Attorney. Signed by Judge Dustin M. Howell. (dm)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
AUSTIN DIVISION
SECURITIES & EXCHANGE
COMMISSION,
Plaintiff
v.
PAUL W HAARMAN, PATRICK E
DUKE, APEG ENERGY GP, LLC,
Defendants

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No. 1:21-CV-00235-DAE

ORDER
Before the Court is Matthew Ford’s—attorney for Defendant Patrick E. Duke—
Motion for Withdrawal as Counsel, Dkt. 61. The District Judge referred the motion
to the undersigned for disposition. The motion indicates that for several months,
Duke has not responded to Ford’s calls or emails and that Duke is “seriously in
arrears” on his bills for fees and costs. Id. at 4-5.
The Court set the motion for hearing, Dkt. 63, at which Ford and counsel for
Plaintiff Securities & Exchange Commission, were present. Duke, despite receiving
notice from Ford that the Court had ordered his appearance at the hearing, see id.,
did not appear. After considering the motion, its accompanying declaration, and the
arguments at the hearing, the Court announced its ruling, and the reasons for it, on
the record.
For the reasons stated on the record, the Court GRANTS Ford’s Motion for
Withdrawal as Counsel, Dkt. 61.

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SIGNED February 6, 2024.

DUSTIN M. HOWELL
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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