Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_06-cv-03881/USCOURTS-cand-5_06-cv-03881-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 31:3729 False Claims Act

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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 Sink brings his motion pursuant to Local Rule 83.6(b) of the Rules of the United States

District Court of the District of Hawai'i. The applicable rule in this court is Civil Local Rule 11-5. 

ORDER REGARDING MOTION TO WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL—No. C-06-03881 RMW

SPT

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

E-FILED on 8/7/06

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ex rel

SCARLETT MCMASTERS,

Plaintiff,

v.

NORTHROP GRUMMAN SHIP SYSTEMS,

INC.; PHIL LOVELIEN,

Defendants.

No. C-06-03881 RMW

ORDER REGARDING MOTION TO

WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL

[Re Docket No. 6]

William Fenton Sink ("Sink") brings the present motion to withdraw as counsel for plaintiff

in the above-captioned action. Civil Local Rule 11-5(a) provides that "[c]ounsel may not withdraw

from an action until relieved by order of Court after written notice has been given reasonably in

advance to the client and to all other parties who have appeared in the case."1

Plaintiff filed this qui tam action in the District of Hawai'i (where plaintiff presently resides)

alleging that defendants made false claims for payments to the United States government and

wrongfully terminated plaintiff for opposing their improper practices in violation of the False Claims

Case 5:06-cv-03881-RMW Document 7 Filed 08/07/06 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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2

 Although this case has been designated for e-filing, Sink's motion was not e-filed.

ORDER REGARDING MOTION TO WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL—No. C-06-03881 RMW

SPT 2

Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729 et seq. On June 9, 2006 the Honorable Helen Gillmor granted defendants'

Motion to Change Venue and transferred the case, including a then pending Motion to Dismiss, to

the Northern District of California. On July 28, 2006 defendants noticed the transferred Motion to

Dismiss for hearing before this court on September 22, 2006. The Motion to Dismiss had been fully

briefed by the parties prior to the transfer. 

On July 28, 2006 Sink filed the present motion to withdraw as counsel citing, inter alia, the

financial and practical difficulties presented by the prospect of having to try a case in California.2

 In

particular, Sink filed a declaration stating that he is a solo practitioner with approximately fifty

clients, travel time and expense to California from Hawai'i would be expensive and a financial

burden, and plaintiff has not cooperated as requested by counsel. Decl. William Fenton Sink Supp.

Mot. Withdraw ¶¶ 4-6. Sink argues that plaintiff will suffer no prejudice because a trial date has not

yet been set. Sink represents that plaintiff has refused to accept his withdrawal from the case and

refuses to seek other counsel. Mot. Withdraw at 8. In addition to filing the present motion, Sink

further represents that he has served this motion and notice of the hearing to the plaintiff via the

United States Postal Service. However, Sink's motion to withdraw did not set a hearing date. 

ORDER

Based on the foregoing, the court hereby orders that:

1. Any party, including plaintiff, who objects shall file papers setting forth their

objections to the present motion by Wednesday, August 23, 2006; and

2. The court will then consider the motion submitted on the papers. 

DATED: 8/7/06

RONALD M. WHYTE

United States District Judge

Case 5:06-cv-03881-RMW Document 7 Filed 08/07/06 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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ORDER REGARDING MOTION TO WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL—No. C-06-03881 RMW

SPT 3

Notice of this document has been sent to:

Counsel for Plaintiff:

William Fenton Sink

Law Offices of William Fenton Sink

Dillingham Transportation Building

735 Bishop Street

Suite 420

Honolulu, HI 96813

Counsel for Defendants:

Brad D. Brian BrianBD@mto.com 

Robert G. Klein

McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP

Five Waterfront Plaza

Suite 400

500 Ala Moana Blvd.

Honolulu, HI 96813

Counsel are responsible for distributing copies of this document to co-counsel that have not

registered for e-filing under the court's CM/ECF program.

Dated: 8/7/06 SPT

Chambers of Judge Whyte

Case 5:06-cv-03881-RMW Document 7 Filed 08/07/06 Page 3 of 3