Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_11-cv-01437/USCOURTS-azd-2_11-cv-01437-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Margaret Marie Smith, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

State of Arizona; Arizona State Board of

Education; Maricopa County Community

College District; Paradise Valley

Community College; The Higher Learning

Commission; Kelly Burton and John Doe

Burton, husband and wife; Dr. Paul Dale

and Jane Doe Dale, husband and wife; Dr.

Denise Digianfilippo and Joe Doe

Digianfilippo, husband and wife; Dr. Mary

Lou Mosley and John Doe Mosley,

husband and wife, 

Defendants. 

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No. CV 11-1437-PHX-JAT

ORDER

On September 16, 2011, Counsel for Defendants Kelly Ann Fitzsimmons Burton and

John Doe Burton (a/k/a David Perry Burton), filed a notice that these Defendants have filed

a petition for bankruptcy (Doc. 36). An automatic stay is in place for these Defendants.

However, there is no stay of this case as a whole or and no stay as to any of the other

Defendants. Specifically, a bankruptcy court may extend the automatic stay to a proceeding

against co-defendants of the Debtor when “the claims against them and the claims against

the debtor are so inextricably interwoven, presenting common questions of law and fact,

which can be resolved in one proceeding.” In re Ionosphere Clubs, Inc., 111 B.R. 423, 434

Case 2:11-cv-01437-JAT Document 44 Filed 10/11/11 Page 1 of 2
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(Bankr.S.D.N.Y. 1990) (internal quotations omitted). The party seeking to extend the stay

must “affirmatively seek an order from the bankruptcy court, which has authority to extend

the protections of 362(a) pursuant to its equity powers under section 105.” C.H. Robinson

Company v. Paris & Sons, Inc., 180 F.Supp.2d 1002, 1018 (N.D. Iowa 2001) (emphasis

added). 

Here, until a co-Defendant(s) files notice with this Court that they are seeking, or have

been granted, a stay by the bankruptcy court, no stay will be in place as to any co-Defendant.

Additionally, Plaintiff shall keep this Court informed of the status of the Burtons’

bankruptcy, whether Plaintiff is pursuing her claims in the bankruptcy, and whether, as a

result of the bankruptcy, this civil action against the Burtons can be dismissed. Therefore,

IT IS ORDERED that Plaintiff shall file a status report regarding her claims against

the Burtons on December 1, 2011, and shall file a further status report on the first of the

month every four months thereafter (with the next report being due April 1, 2012) until either

this case against the Burtons can be dismissed or the stay can be lifted.

DATED this 11th day of October, 2011.

Case 2:11-cv-01437-JAT Document 44 Filed 10/11/11 Page 2 of 2