Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-06374/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-06374-11/pdf.json

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

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523 W. 6 CHOATE & CStreeHt, Su OATEite 541 th Los Ange(213) 623-2297 les, CA 90014

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1.

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STIPULATION OF PARTIES AND ORDER FOR THIRD INTERIM DISTRIBUTION, APPROVAL OF TRUSTEE FEES,

DISMISSAL OF DEFENDANTS NEW LEAF TREE FRUIT COMPANY, LLC AND LIONEL R. GUZMAN

Joseph Choate, Jr., 039018

Bradley L. Cornell, 162384

CHOATE & CHOATE 

523 West Sixth Street, Suite 541

Los Angeles, California 90014-1225

Telephone: (213) 623-2297

Facsimile: (213) 623-6429

Counsel for Plaintiff

Four Seasons Produce, Inc.

and Plaintiff-in-Intervention

Stevco, Inc.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA - FRESNO DIVISION

FOUR SEASONS PRODUCE, INC.,

Plaintiff,

vs.

CONTINENTAL FOOD GROUP, LLC,

etc., et al.,

Defendants.

______________________________

AND RELATED COMPLAINTS IN

INTERVENTION

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Case No. CIV-F-03-6374 LJO 

[Lawrence J. O'Neill]

STIPULATION OF PARTIES AND

ORDER FOR THIRD INTERIM

DISTRIBUTION, APPROVAL OF

TRUSTEE FEES, DISMISSAL OF

DEFENDANTS NEW LEAF TREE FRUIT

COMPANY, LLC AND LIONEL R.

GUZMAN

Recitals

1. Plaintiffs Four Seasons Produce, Inc., DNE World Fruit

Sales dba of Bernard Egan & Company, Stevco, Inc., Euro-Pacific

Fruit Export, Inc., Unimark Foods, Inc., A-W Produce Company,

Citricos Cortes SPR de Ri, Anthony Vineyards, Inc., Suntreat

Packing & Shipping Company, and James Abbate dba Pacific Sales

Company ("plaintiffs") on the one hand and New Leaf Tree Fruit,

Case 1:03-cv-06374-NEW Document 140 Filed 03/30/06 Page 1 of 5
523 W. 6 CHOATE & CStreeHt, Su OATEite 541 th Los Ange(213) 623-2297 les, CA 90014

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2.

______________________________________________________________

STIPULATION OF PARTIES AND ORDER FOR THIRD INTERIM DISTRIBUTION, APPROVAL OF TRUSTEE FEES,

DISMISSAL OF DEFENDANTS NEW LEAF TREE FRUIT COMPANY, LLC AND LIONEL R. GUZMAN

LLC ("New Leaf") and Lionel R. Guzman ("Guzman") (collectively,

"settling defendants") on the other have entered into a

settlement agreement ("Settlement Agreement") settling their

claims against one another, providing for distribution of funds

currently held by the trustee in this action, and dismissing

settling defendants from this action. 

2. The Settlement Agreement was contingent upon settling

defendants obtaining an order for good faith settlement.

3. On March 14, 2006 the court granted settling defendants

application for an order for good faith settlement pursuant to

Calif. Code Civ. Proc. § 877.6(a)(2).

Stipulation

Accordingly, the parties now enter into the following

stipulation pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement and

the terms of the Order on the Second Amended and Restated

Stipulation for Preliminary Injunction (Preliminary Injunction

Order). 

1. The parties approve distribution as provided in the PACA

Trust Chart re Third Interim Distribution attached hereto as

Exhibit A.

2. Distribution by the trustee shall be made within two

days of the court's order on this stipulation.

3. On August 16, 2004, Bradley L. Cornell was appointed to

act as PACA trustee under the Preliminary Injunction Order and

has acted in that capacity since appointment. The Preliminary

Injunction Order provides for compensation to the trustee at the

rate of $250.00 per hour payable on stipulation of the parties or

Case 1:03-cv-06374-NEW Document 140 Filed 03/30/06 Page 2 of 5
523 W. 6 CHOATE & CStreeHt, Su OATEite 541 th Los Ange(213) 623-2297 les, CA 90014

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3.

______________________________________________________________

STIPULATION OF PARTIES AND ORDER FOR THIRD INTERIM DISTRIBUTION, APPROVAL OF TRUSTEE FEES,

DISMISSAL OF DEFENDANTS NEW LEAF TREE FRUIT COMPANY, LLC AND LIONEL R. GUZMAN

application to the court. The parties hereby approve the

compensation requested by the trustee in the amount of $23,206.77

for fees and costs from the date of appointment as detailed in

monthly invoices attached hereto as Exhibit B. The trustee is

entitled to payment from funds in the PACA Trust account, which

amount is reflected in the PACA Trust Chart re Third Interim

Distribution attached hereto.

4. Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, plaintiffs hereby

dismiss with prejudice settling defendants New Leaf Tree Fruit,

LLC and Lionel R. Guzman only pursuant to Fed. Rule of Civil

Proc. 41(a).

IT IS SO STIPULATED:

Dated: March 20, 2006 CHOATE & CHOATE

_______________________________

Bradley L. Cornell

Counsel for Plaintiffs,

Four Seasons Produce, Inc. and

Stevco, Inc. 

Dated: March 20, 2006 FARLEY LAW FIRM

_______________________________

Michael L. Farley

Counsel for Defendants Continental

Food Group, LLC, Ki Thompson, and

Lionel Guzman

Case 1:03-cv-06374-NEW Document 140 Filed 03/30/06 Page 3 of 5
523 W. 6 CHOATE & CStreeHt, Su OATEite 541 th Los Ange(213) 623-2297 les, CA 90014

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4.

______________________________________________________________

STIPULATION OF PARTIES AND ORDER FOR THIRD INTERIM DISTRIBUTION, APPROVAL OF TRUSTEE FEES,

DISMISSAL OF DEFENDANTS NEW LEAF TREE FRUIT COMPANY, LLC AND LIONEL R. GUZMAN

Dated: March 20, 2006 KIMBLE, MACMICHAEL, & UPTON

_______________________________

Jon Wallace Upton

Christopher E. Seymour

Counsel for Defendant New Leaf Tree

Fruit Company, Inc.

Dated: March 20, 2006 RYNN & JANOWSKY, LLP

_______________________________

Bart M. Botta

Counsel for Plaintiffs UniMark

Foods, Inc.; Suntreat Packing &

Shipping Company; and Anthony

Vineyards

Dated: March 20, 2006 SANTOS, STOKES, LLP 

_______________________________

Craig A. Stokes

Counsel for Intervenors Citricos

Cortes SPR de RI and A-W Produce

Company

Dated: March 20, 2006 LEDFORD LAW CORPORATION

_______________________________

Merl Ledford, III

Counsel for Euro-Pacific Fruit

Export, Inc.

Dated: March 20, 2006 MEUERS LAW FIRM, P.L.

_______________________________

Lawrence H. Meuers

Counsel for DNE World Fruit Sales

d/b/a of Bernard Egan & Company

Case 1:03-cv-06374-NEW Document 140 Filed 03/30/06 Page 4 of 5
523 W. 6 CHOATE & CStreeHt, Su OATEite 541 th Los Ange(213) 623-2297 les, CA 90014

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5.

______________________________________________________________

STIPULATION OF PARTIES AND ORDER FOR THIRD INTERIM DISTRIBUTION, APPROVAL OF TRUSTEE FEES,

DISMISSAL OF DEFENDANTS NEW LEAF TREE FRUIT COMPANY, LLC AND LIONEL R. GUZMAN

Dated: March 20, 2006 TYRE KAMINS KATZ GRANOF & MENES

_______________________________

Alan J. Cohen

Counsel for James Abbate dba

Pacific Sales Company

O R D E R

Having read and considered the above stipulation,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. The proposed distribution as set out in the stipulation

is approved. Distribution by the trustee shall be made within

two days of the court's order on this stipulation.

2. The trustee is authorized to pay to himself from the

PACA Trust Account the sum of $23,206.77 on account of fees and

costs incurred as set out in the stipulation.

3. Settling defendants New Leaf Tree Fruit, LLC and Lionel

R. Guzman only are hereby dismissed with prejudice pursuant to

Fed. Rule of Civil Proc. 41(a).

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 28, 2006 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

66h44d UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:03-cv-06374-NEW Document 140 Filed 03/30/06 Page 5 of 5