Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-00109/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-00109-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 891
Nature of Suit: Agricultural Acts
Cause of Action: 07:499 Agricultural Commodities Act

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Lawrence H. Meuers, Esq. (SBN 197663) 

Steven M. De Falco (Fla. Bar No. 0733571) 

MEUERS LAW FIRM, P.L. 

5395 Park Central Court 

Naples, FL 34109 

Telephone: (239) 513-9191 

Facsimile: (239) 513-9677 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

FRESNO DIVISION 

GRIMMWAY ENTERPRISES, INC. 

D/B/A GRIMMWAY FARMS, a 

California corporation, and NATURIPE 

FARMS, LLC f/k/a GLOBAL BERRY 

FARMS, LLC, a Delaware Limited 

Liability Company, 

 

Plaintiffs, 

vs. 

PIC FRESH GLOBAL, INC., a 

California corporation; and JEFFREY D. 

CASE, an individual, 

Defendants. 

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Case No.: 1:07-cv-109 

TEMPORARY RESTRAINING 

ORDER 

This matter is before the Court upon Plaintiffs’ Ex-Parte Motion for 

Temporary Restraining Order pursuant to Rule 65(b) of the Federal Rules of 

Civil Procedure. Pursuant to Rule 65(b), a temporary restraining order may be 

granted without notice to the adverse party only if: (1) it clearly appears from 

specific facts shown by declaration or verified complaint that immediate and 

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irreparable injury, loss or damage will result before the adverse party can be 

heard in opposition, and (2) the applicant’s attorney certifies the reasons that 

notice should not be required. 

In this case, it clearly appears from the Affidavit of Pamela Terry, the 

Declaration of Kristy Belflower and the Certification of Counsel that Plaintiffs, 

Grimmway Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Grimmway Farms (“Grimmway Farms”) 

and Naturipe Farms, LLC f/k/a Global Berry Farms, LLC (“Naturipe”), are 

produce dealers and trust creditors of Defendant, PIC Fresh Global, Inc. (“PIC 

Fresh”), under Section 5(c) of the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act 

(PACA), 7 U.S.C. §499e(c), and has not been paid for produce in the total 

amount of $42,179.60 supplied to said Defendant as required by PACA. It is 

also clear from the same affidavit, declaration and the certification of counsel 

that said Defendant is in severe financial jeopardy and the PACA Trust assets 

are being dissipated or threatened with dissipation (Frio Ice, S.A. v. Sunfruit, 

Inc., 918 F.2d 154 (11th Cir. 1990)) and that said Defendant is not or may not be 

in a position to pay creditor’s claim (JSG Trading Corp. v. Tray-Wrap, Inc., 917 

F.2d 75 (2d Cir. 1990)), thereby warranting the relief requested by Plaintiffs. On 

the basis of the pleadings, affidavit, declaration and other submissions Plaintiffs 

have filed in this matter, it appears Plaintiffs will suffer immediate and 

irreparable injury due to said Defendant’s dissipation of Plaintiffs’ beneficial 

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interest in the statutory trust created pursuant to 7 U.S.C. §499e(c) and that such 

dissipation will continue in the absence of injunctive relief. Therefore, the Court 

is of the opinion that a Temporary Restraining Order should be issued. 

If notice is given to the Defendants of the pendency of this motion, trust 

assets will be further threatened with dissipation before the motion is heard. As 

noted in the legislative history of PACA, once dissipation has occurred, 

recovery of trust assets is all but impossible. H.R. Rep. No. 543, 98th Cong., 2d 

Sess. 4 (1983), reprinted in 1984 U.S. Code & Admin. News 405, 411. J.R. Brooks 

& Son, Inc. v. Norman's Country Market, Inc., 98 B.R. 47 (Bkrtcy. N.D.Fla. 1989). 

Entry of this Order without notice assures retention of the trust assets under the 

control of this Court, which is specifically vested with jurisdiction over the 

Trust. 7 U.S.C. §499e(c)(5). In accord with Rule 65(b)(2), the applicants’ 

attorney has certified why notice should not be required. 

Based on the foregoing, the Court finds that Plaintiffs and other PACA 

trust creditors, if any, will suffer immediate irreparable injury in the form of a 

loss of trust assets unless this order is granted without notice. 

Therefore, it is by the United States District Court for the Eastern District 

of California 

ORDERED: 

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1. Defendant, PIC Fresh, its agents, officers (including the 

Defendant Jeffrey D. Case), subsidiaries, assigns, banking and financial 

institutions, and all persons in active concert or participation with said 

Defendant are enjoined and restrained from dissipating, paying, transferring, 

assigning or selling any and all assets covered by or subject to the trust 

provisions of the PACA without agreement of Plaintiffs, or until further order 

of this Court. Under §499e(c)(2) of PACA, the assets subject to this order 

include all of the assets of PIC Fresh unless PIC Fresh can prove to this Court 

that a particular asset is not derived from perishable agricultural commodities, 

inventories of food or other products derived from perishable agricultural 

commodities or receivables or proceeds from the sale of such commodities or 

products. Provided however, PIC Fresh may sell perishable agricultural 

commodities or products derived from perishable agricultural commodities 

for fair compensation, without right of set-off, on the condition that PIC Fresh 

maintains the proceeds of such sale subject to this Order. 

2. This Order shall be binding upon the parties to this action and all 

other persons or entities who receive actual notice of this Order by personal 

service or otherwise.

3. The $42,179.60 in PACA Trust assets belonging to Plaintiffs and in 

the possession of the Defendant will serve as Plaintiffs’ security for this 

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injunction as required by Rule 65(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

4. This Temporary Restraining Order is entered this 29th day of 

January, 2007, at 4:30 p.m. 

5. A hearing on Plaintiffs’ Motion for Preliminary Injunction is set for 

the 7th day of February, at 12:00 p.m. 

6. Plaintiffs shall serve a copy of this Order, together with the 

annexed Affidavit, Declaration and Memorandum of Law, by personal service, 

including by facsimile transmission or federal express, on or before the 31st day 

of January, 2007. Such service shall be deemed good and sufficient. 

7. Defendants may apply to the Court for modification or dissolution 

of the instant Order upon two (2) days’ notice to Plaintiffs, or upon such shorter 

notice as the Court may allow. 

8. Defendants shall file any and all responsive papers to Plaintiffs’ 

Motion on or before February 5, 2007 at 3:00 p.m. 

DONE and ORDERED, this 29th day of January, 2007 at Fresno, 

California. 

/s/ Oliver W. Wanger 

 Judge Oliver W. Wanger 

Eastern District of California 

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