Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_13-cv-01123/USCOURTS-azd-2_13-cv-01123-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 490
Nature of Suit: Cable/ Satellite TV
Cause of Action: 47:0605 Communications Act of 1934

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The Court’s previous order stated in part that 

the stipulation is in any case ineffective to effectuate the dismissal of

defendant Los Tucanes Mexican Food, LLC because the stipulation

was signed on that defendant’s behalf by defendant Martin Garcia

Velazquez, a non-attorney, as the company’s “authorized

representative” notwithstanding that it is well-established that a nonWO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

J & J Sports Productions, Inc.,

 Plaintiff,

vs.

Martin Garcia Velazquez, et al.,

 Defendants.

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No. CV-13-01123-PHX-PGR 

 ORDER

 

 

On October 4, 2013, the Court entered an order (Doc. 16) wherein it rejected

the parties’ stipulated dismissal of this action on two grounds: first, because the

stipulation specifically conditioned its effectiveness on the Court retaining jurisdiction

over the parties’ settlement agreement which the Court declined to do, and second,

because the stipulation was improperly signed on behalf of defendant Los Tucanes

Mexican Food, LLC by defendant Martin Garcia Velazquez, a non-attorney.1

 The

Case 2:13-cv-01123-PGR Document 18 Filed 10/31/13 Page 1 of 3
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attorney may not appear in federal court on behalf of a limited liability

company. See Lattanzio v. COMTA, 481 F.3d 137, 140 (2nd Cir. 2007)

(Court held that a limited liability company, even one solely-owned, may

appear in federal court only through a licensed attorney.)

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Court ordered the parties to cure the defects by filing an appropriate stipulation of

dismissal or an appropriate notice of voluntary dismissal.

On October 30, 2013, the parties timely filed a Stipulated Judgment (Doc. 17),

prepared by the plaintiff’s counsel, wherein they request that the Court enter a

judgment in the amount of $15,000 in favor of the plaintiff. While the Court will enter

the requested judgment by separate document as to defendant Martin Garcia

Velazquez, individually and doing business as Los Tucanes Mexican Food, the

Court rejects the parties’ stipulation as to defendant Los Tucanes Mexican Food,

LLC since the stipulation was improperly signed on that defendant’s behalf solely by

Martin Garcia Velazquez, a non-attorney. 

The Court finds it to be absolutely inexplicable that the plaintiff’s counsel

would draft the Stipulated Judgment so that Martin Garcia Velazquez, acting pro se,

would sign it on behalf of his limited liability company notwithstanding, and without

any reference to the fact, that the Court had already specifically informed the parties

that only an attorney could appear on that defendant’s behalf in this Court. Since

the Court cannot dismiss defendant Los Tucanes Mexican Food, LLC from this

action based on the parties’ improper Stipulated Judgment, the Court will require that

the parties file a stipulated dismissal of that defendant signed by an attorney for that

defendant admitted to practice before this Court, or the plaintiff can voluntarily

dismiss that defendant from this action, or, if appropriate, the plaintiff can seek entry

of default and default judgment against that defendant or that defendant may seek

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to further litigate this action. If the parties fail to timely comply with this Order, the

Court will dismiss this action with prejudice as to defendant Los Tucanes Mexican

Food, LLC without further notice. Therefore,

IT IS ORDERED that the parties’ Stipulated Judgment is accepted as to

defendant Martin Garcia Velazquez, individually and doing business as Los Tucanes

Mexican Food, and is rejected as to defendant Los Tucanes Mexican Food, LLC.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the parties shall file an appropriate document

relating to defendant Los Tucanes Mexican Food, LLC in accordance with this Order

no later than November 21, 2013.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the caption of all future documents filed in

this action shall comply with the party name capitalization rule of LRCiv 7.1(a)(3).

DATED this 31st day of October, 2013.

Case 2:13-cv-01123-PGR Document 18 Filed 10/31/13 Page 3 of 3