Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-06374/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-06374-13/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 FOR DISMISSAL AND FOR AUTHORITY FOR TRUSTEE TO MAKE FUTURE DISTRIBUTIONS

OF PACA TRUST ASSETS

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 FOR

DISMISSAL AND FOR AUTHORITY FOR

TRUSTEE TO MAKE FUTURE

DISTRIBUTIONS OF PACA TRUST

ASSETS; [PROPOSED] ORDER

THEREON

Recitals

1. Plaintiff Four Seasons Produce, Inc., filed the within

action on October 6, 2003 seeking enforcement of the statutory

trust established under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities

Act "PACA" (7 U.S.C. §499e(c)) for payment of produce delivered

by Four Seasons to defendant Continental Food Group, LLC

("Continental"). In addition, plaintiff alleged that defendants

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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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______________________________________________________________

STIPULATION OF PARTIES FOR DISMISSAL AND FOR AUTHORITY FOR TRUSTEE TO MAKE FUTURE DISTRIBUTIONS

OF PACA TRUST ASSETS

Ki Thompson ("Thompson"), Lionel Guzman ("Guzman"), and New Leaf

Tree Fruit Company, LLC ("New Leaf") were persons or entities in

positions of control over PACA trust assets and were therefore

liable for unpaid PACA debts of Continental until full payment

was made to all of Continental's qualified PACA trust creditors.

2. Pursuant to stipulation of the parties, the court has

ordered and modified several preliminary injunction orders

restraining defendants' dissipation of PACA trust assets and

establishing a procedure by which all qualified PACA trust

creditors could intervene and participate in the distribution of

Continental's PACA trust assets. The currently operative

preliminary injunction is the Second Amended and Restated

Preliminary Injunction and order thereon dated August 16, 2004.

3. Pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Preliminary

Injunction the following additional PACA trust creditors

intervened in the action: 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"). 

4. Following the claims procedure established in the

Second Amended and Restated Preliminary Injunction, the PACA

trust assets of Continental have been collected and distributed

on a pro rata basis to Continental's intervening PACA trust

creditors.

5. On March 14, 2006 the court entered an Order

Determining Good Faith Settlement approving the settlement

agreement between all plaintiffs and defendants New Leaf and

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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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______________________________________________________________

STIPULATION OF PARTIES FOR DISMISSAL AND FOR AUTHORITY FOR TRUSTEE TO MAKE FUTURE DISTRIBUTIONS

OF PACA TRUST ASSETS

Guzman. Monetary sums paid by defendants New Leaf and Guzman

under the settlement agreement were distributed on a pro rata

basis to Continental's intervening PACA trust claimants. 

Pursuant to the settlement agreement and by order dated March 28,

2006, defendants New Leaf and Guzman were dismissed with

prejudice from the action.

6. On June 2, 2006 intervening plaintiff A-W Produce

Company filed a Stipulation of Dismissal without Prejudice of

Remaining Claims as to the sole remaining defendant Thompson. 

The court has not entered an order on the stipulation.

7. On July 21, 2006 intervening plaintiff DNE world fruit

sales d/b/a Bernard Egan & Company filed a Stipulation and

Proposed Order for Voluntary Dismissal without Prejudice as to

the remaining defendant Thompson which the court entered on July

24, 2006.

8. All remaining plaintiffs now desire to dismiss the

within action without prejudice as to the remaining defendant

Thompson as set forth below.

Stipulation

NOW THEREFORE, Four Seasons Produce Co., Inc.; 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 ("Remaining Plaintiffs") on the one hand and

defendant Ki Thompson on the other, by and through their

respective counsel of record, hereby stipulate as follows: 

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STIPULATION OF PARTIES FOR DISMISSAL AND FOR AUTHORITY FOR TRUSTEE TO MAKE FUTURE DISTRIBUTIONS

OF PACA TRUST ASSETS

1. The complaint is voluntarily dismissed By Remaining

Plaintiffs without prejudice to as to the remaining defendant Ki

Thompson. 

2. To the extent the trustee receives further PACA trust

assets of Continental, the trustee shall distribute such assets

according to the provisions of the Second Amended and Restated

Stipulation for Preliminary Injunction.

3. The case shall be administratively closed. The court

shall retain jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of this

stipulation. 

IT IS SO STIPULATED:

Dated: September 1, 2006 CHOATE & CHOATE

_______________________________

Bradley L. Cornell

Counsel for Plaintiffs,

Four Seasons Produce, Inc. and

Stevco, Inc. 

Dated: September 1, 2006 FARLEY LAW FIRM

_______________________________

Michael L. Farley

Counsel for Defendants Continental

Food Group, LLC, Ki Thompson, and

Lionel Guzman

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STIPULATION OF PARTIES FOR DISMISSAL AND FOR AUTHORITY FOR TRUSTEE TO MAKE FUTURE DISTRIBUTIONS

OF PACA TRUST ASSETS

Dated: September 1, 2006 RYNN & JANOWSKY, LLP

_______________________________

Bart M. Botta

Counsel for Plaintiffs UniMark

Foods, Inc.; Suntreat Packing &

Shipping Company; and Anthony

Vineyards

Dated: September 1, 2006 SANTOS, STOKES, LLP 

_______________________________

Craig A. Stokes

Counsel for Intervenors Citricos

Cortes SPR de RI and A-W Produce

Company

Dated: September 1, 2006 LEDFORD LAW CORPORATION

_______________________________

Merl Ledford, III

Counsel for Euro-Pacific Fruit

Export, Inc.

Dated: September 1, 2006 TYRE KAMINS KATZ GRANOF & MENES

_______________________________

Alan J. Cohen

Counsel for James Abbate dba

Pacific Sales Company

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STIPULATION OF PARTIES FOR DISMISSAL AND FOR AUTHORITY FOR TRUSTEE TO MAKE FUTURE DISTRIBUTIONS

OF PACA TRUST ASSETS

O R D E R

Having read and considered the above stipulation,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. The complaint is dismissed without prejudice to as to

defendant Ki Thompson. 

2. To the extent the trustee receives further PACA trust

assets of Continental, the trustee shall distribute such assets

according to the provisions of the Second Amended and Restated

Stipulation for Preliminary Injunction.

3. This case shall be administratively closed. The court

shall retain jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of this

stipulation. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 6, 2006 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

66h44d UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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