Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_04-cv-00363/USCOURTS-azd-2_04-cv-00363-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 625
Nature of Suit: Drug Related Seizure of Property
Cause of Action: 

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MINUTES OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

United States of America v. Lear Jet

THE HONORABLE JOHN W. SEDWICK 2:04-cv-0363 JWS

PROCEEDINGS: ORDER FROM CHAMBERS July 27, 2006

This order disposes of the motion at docket 162. 

At docket 156, claimant Alberto Abed-Schekaiban (“Abed”) moved for leave to

file additional documents in support of the motion for reconsideration he filed at

docket 153. The United States responded by asserting some of the documents were

forgeries and suggesting they caused a conflict of interest between Abed and his

counsel to arise. Docs. 157, 160. That suggestion led Abed’s counsel to file a motion

at docket 162 requesting that the court order the United States to “[a]rticulate each

specific circumstance of and alleged misconduct which [the United States] contends

gives rise to [the United States’s] accusations of a conflict of interest.” Doc. 162, p. 8. 

In response to the motion at docket 162, the United States highlights conduct that may

give rise to a conflict of interest, but insists it “has not moved to disqualify counsel for

Abed.” Doc. 168, p. 8. After the United States filed its response to the motion at docket

162, the court issued an order in which it resolved the motion for reconsideration at

docket 153 without relying on the documents of disputed authenticity. Doc. 173. The

court also stayed this case with respect to Abed until August 21, 2006, and directed the

parties to submit separate status reports on that date. Id., p. 8.

Because 1) the court did not rely on the disputed documents and has already

resolved the motion to which they were related; 2) the United States has disavowed any

current interest in seeking disqualification of Abed’s counsel; and 3) this case is stayed

with respect to Abed, the motion at docket 162 is DENIED. The parties may discuss

issues relating to a conflict of interest between Abed and his counsel in their status

reports. Should the United States feel there is a continued conflict that warrants

disqualification of Abed’s counsel, it may file a motion to that effect. The court will take

no further action on this topic unless the United States files such a motion.

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Case 2:04-cv-00363-JWS Document 178 Filed 07/27/06 Page 1 of 1