Grundstein v. Ferguson et al
Filing
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ORDER GRANTING DFT'S MOTIONS; dft's motion to dismiss and motion for sanctions and for a pre-filing order are granted, dkts 26 and 28. Court dismisses all of pltf's claims with prejudice and awards dft atty's fees; dft to file declaration by 5/8/15 itemizing fees and costs. Any pro se complaint filed by Robert Grundstein to be reviewed by court prior to issuance of summons/svc of process by Judge Robert S. Lasnik.(RS) cc Pre-filing list at Intake
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
AT SEATTLE
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ROBERT GRUNDSTEIN,
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Plaintiff,
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Case No. C14-1356RSL
v.
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ROBERT FERGUSON, ATTORNEY
GENERAL OF WASHINGTON, et al.,
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ORDER GRANTING
DEFENDANT’S MOTIONS
Defendants.
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This matter comes before the Court on “Defendant Leon Grundstein/Gencare’s Motion
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To Dismiss,” Dkt. # 26; “Defendant Leon Grundstein/Gencare’s Motion For Sanctions And For
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Pre-Filing Order,” Dkt. # 28; and the Court’s January 6, 2015 Order to Show Cause, Dkt. # 24.
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Having reviewed the parties’ memoranda and the record, the Court finds as follows.1 2
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I. ANALYSIS
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The doctrine of collateral estoppel bars plaintiff from relitigating whether the trust
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property in dispute may be “partitioned” or “distributed,” as this issue was already decided
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against him in state court, Grundstein v. Grundstein, 2011 WL 3055381, at *2-3 (Wn. App. Jul.
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The Court previously held that it would dismiss this action pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m) unless
plaintiff provided proof of service on defendant by January 30, 2015. Dkt. # 24. As of the date of this
Order, plaintiff has not provided the necessary proof of service. However, defendant has asked for a
ruling on the merits of his motions instead of an “administrative dismissal without prejudice,” Dkt. # 26
at 3 n. 3, and so the Court finds that defendant has waived service for the purposes of this motion.
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The Court incorporates by reference the case history that it provided in its order dismissing Robert
Ferguson from this action. Dkt. # 23. Leon Grundstein and Gencare are treated as a single defendant,
as they are in the parties’ filings (the Complaint makes no specific allegations against Gencare).
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ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTIONS - 1
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25, 2011); thus, plaintiff’s claims related to this issue fail. Federal courts must give state court
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judgments the full faith and credit that they would receive in that state. Gupta v. Thai Airways
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Int’l, LTD., 487 F.3d 759, 765 (9th Cir. 2007). Washington’s collateral estoppel doctrine bars a
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party from relitigating an issue that was necessarily and finally determined against him in a prior
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case that ended in a judgment on the merits, where preclusion would not work an injustice and
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this party had a full and fair opportunity to litigate (and actually litigated) the issue. See
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Christensen v. Grant Cnty. Hosp. Dist. No. 1, 152 Wn.2d 299, 307 (2004). This doctrine applies.
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In asserting plaintiff’s claim for dissolution, the Complaint relies heavily on theories and
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precedent that plaintiff unsuccessfully cited in previous actions to argue that the trust property
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should be partitioned as a real estate asset. Grundstein v. Washington State, et. al., 2012 WL
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2514915, at *1 (W.D. Wash. June 28, 2012), aff’d, 577 F. App’x 656 (9th Cir. 2014). This
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claim represents a transparent attempt to relitigate decided issues, and it is barred by collateral
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estoppel. Plaintiff’s conversion claim is likewise barred because plaintiff unsuccessfully argued
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that defendant embezzled from the trust in a state court action (where he sued defendant for
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breach of fiduciary duty). Grundstein, 2011 WL 3055381, at *1. Plaintiff’s claims relating to
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attorney Ronald Meltzer (who is not a party) appear to relate to Meltzer’s alleged misconduct,
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and not to defendant’s, and will be dismissed.
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The Court lacks jurisdiction over plaintiff’s claims challenging the monetary sanctions
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imposed on him during his state court probate proceedings. Under the Rooker-Feldman
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doctrine, a party who loses in state court is barred from seeking what is essentially appellate
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review of the state court judgment in federal court based on the losing party’s claim that the state
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judgment itself violated his federal rights. Johnson v. DeGrandy, 512 U.S. 997, 1005-06 (1994).
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This party may not litigate an issue that is “inextricably intertwined” with a state court decision
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that he is attempting to de facto appeal, even where he is raising a constitutional challenge.
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Bianchi v. Rylaarsdam, 334 F.3d 895, 898 (9th Cir. 2003). This doctrine applies.
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All of plaintiff’s claims are dismissed with prejudice. Defendant is entitled to attorney’s
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fees for being forced to defend against this frivolous action.
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ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTIONS - 2
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The All Writs Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1651(a), gives this Court the inherent power to enter a
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pre-filing order against a vexatious litigant. Molski v. Evergreen Dynasty Corp., 500 F.3d 1047,
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1057 (9th Cir. 2007). Before imposing this extreme remedy: (1) the litigant must receive notice
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and a chance to be heard; (2) the Court must compile “an adequate record for review;” (3) the
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Court must make substantive findings about the frivolous or harassing nature of plaintiff’s
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litigation; and (4) the vexatious litigant order “must be narrowly tailored to closely fit the
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specific vice encountered.” Id. (citation and quotation marks omitted). Plaintiff has a history of
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harassing, meritless filings that resulted in him being declared a vexatious litigant in Ohio in
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2005 and in his disbarment in Washington state in 2012. Dkt. # 27 (Smith Decl. Exh. J-K.).
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Plaintiff has repeatedly and unsuccessfully litigated issues raised here in state and federal court,
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including in actions against this defendant. Grundstein, 2012 WL 2514915; Grundstein, 2011
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WL 3055381. This case represents a clear example of frivolous and harassing litigation.
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Plaintiff has had the opportunity to be heard on this motion, and the necessary record has been
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compiled; a narrowly-tailored pre-filing order would be warranted.
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Looking beyond the All Writs Act, the Court recognizes its inherent power under General
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Rule 3(d) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 11 to sanction litigation misconduct. See Fink v. Gomez, 239 F.3d
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989, 991 (9th Cir. 2001). This Court may exercise this authority “to sanction a party . . . when
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the losing party has acted in bad faith, vexatiously, wantonly, or for oppressive reasons,” as well
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as for “willful[] abuse [of the] judicial process.” Gomez v. Vernon, 255 F.3d 1118, 1133-34 (9th
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Cir. 2001) (citation and quotation marks omitted). General Rule 3(d) authorizes the Court to
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sanction parties who present “unnecessary motions or unwarranted opposition . . . or who
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otherwise so multiplies or obstructs the proceedings in a case as to increase the cost thereof
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unreasonably and vexatiously.” GR 3(d); cf. 28 U.S.C. § 1927. Ninth Circuit precedent holds
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that frivolous and legally unreasonable filings may be sanctioned under Rule 11, Estate of Blue
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v. County of Los Angeles, 120 F.3d 982, 985 (9th Cir. 1997); and that the Court may not decline
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to impose sanctions for a plaintiff’s misconduct simply because he is proceeding pro se, Warren
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v. Guelker, 29 F.3d 1386, 1390 (9th Cir. 1994). Sanctions are in order under this standard.
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ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTIONS - 3
II. CONCLUSION
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For all of the foregoing reasons, defendant’s motion to dismiss and motion for sanctions
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and for a pre-filing order are GRANTED. Dkt. # 26; Dkt. # 28. The Court DISMISSES all of
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plaintiff’s claims WITH PREJUDICE and awards defendant attorney’s fees. Defendant must
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file a declaration with the Court by May 8, 2015 itemizing the fees and costs incurred in
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litigating this action.
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The Court furthermore ORDERS that any pro se complaint submitted for filing in this
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District in which Robert Grundstein is a named plaintiff or purports to act as party representative
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shall be subject to review by the Court prior to the issuance of summons or service of process.
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The following review provisions shall apply, except in cases where Mr. Grundstein is
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represented by an attorney licensed to practice law in this District:
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! The Court will review the proposed complaint to determine whether good
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cause exists to permit the action to proceed in light of the claims raised therein and Mr.
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Grundstein’s past litigation abuses. The proposed complaint shall comply with Fed. R.
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Civ. P. 8(a) and provide a clear statement of the factual and legal basis for each claim
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asserted, specifically identifying each defendant against whom the claim is asserted. The
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proposed complaint shall be accompanied by a signed statement explaining, on a claim-
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by-claim basis, (a) whether each claim was raised in any prior action (with an appropriate
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citation) and (b) why each claim is not barred by collateral estoppel, res judicata, the
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Rooker-Feldman doctrine and/or an applicable immunity.
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ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTIONS - 4
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! If the Court determines that good cause has not been shown, the action will be
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dismissed sua sponte without further notice. If the Court also determines that sanctions
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are appropriate, those shall be imposed at the same time the action is dismissed. Mr.
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Grundstein shall have an opportunity to explain why sanctions should not be imposed in a
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post-judgment motion for reconsideration filed within ten days of the judgment.
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DATED this 1st day of May, 2015.
A
Robert S. Lasnik
United States District Judge
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ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTIONS - 5
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