Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-00692/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-00692-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 120
Nature of Suit: Marine Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 46:688 Jones Act

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOSEPH ROBERT SPOONER,

Plaintiff,

v.

MULTI HULL FOILING AC45 VESSEL “4 

ORACLE TEAM USA,” et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 15-cv-00692-JCS 

ORDER TO FILE RESPONSE TO 

REQUEST FOR RELEASE FROM 

ARREST

This Court previously denied Plaintiff Joseph Spooner’s request for a warrant to arrest the 

AC45-class racing catamaran 4 Oracle Team USA (the “Vessel”). See Order (dkt. 17). On Friday, 

March 6, Spooner filed an Amended Complaint (dkt. 19) and a declaration stating that exigent 

circumstances would make judicial review impracticable (dkt. 21). Pursuant to Rule C(3)(a)(ii) of 

the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure’s supplemental rules for admiralty proceedings, and this 

Court’s Admiralty Local Rule 3-1(b), the Clerk issued an arrest warrant for the Vessel without 

judicial review. See Warrant (dkt. 24). The United States Marshals Service executed the warrant 

on March 9, 2015 and arrested three shipping containers at Oracle Racing’s Pier 80 facility, at 

least two of which contain parts matching the description of the Vessel. See Warrant Returned 

Executed (dkt. 26).

Defendant Oracle Racing, Inc. (“Oracle Racing”) has filed a “Request for Release of 

Vessel.” See Request for Release (dkt. 25). According to Oracle Racing: (1) Oracle Racing has 

operated multiple AC45 catamarans labeled as “4 Oracle Team USA”; (2) the vessel that Spooner 

sailed on was sold to a French racing team in December of 2014 and is no longer located in this 

district; and (3) two of the arrested containers contain parts for a different AC45 catamaran 

(“yacht #12”) that was not launched before Spooner’s contract was terminated, and is therefore not 

Case 3:15-cv-00692-JCS Document 27 Filed 03/09/15 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

subject to a maritime lien.1 Id. Oracle Racing also raises various other arguments against the 

continued arrest. See id.

Spooner is hereby ORDERED to file a response to Oracle Racing’s Request for Release no 

later than March 10, 2015. Spooner’s response should address any issues relevant to the propriety 

of the arrest and the existence of exigent circumstances, including but not limited to the following: 

(1) whether Spooner has standing to enforce the contract at issue, which is between Oracle Racing 

and a corporate entity listed as Allegro Yachting Ltd.; (2) whether the issues raised in the 

Amended Complaint are sufficiently tied to any particular vessel to support an in rem action, and 

if so, whether that is the vessel that has been arrested; (3) if the Court determines that the arrest 

should not be vacated, the value of a bond sufficient for release of the Vessel; and (4) each 

argument raised in Oracle Racing’s Request for Release.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 9, 2015

______________________________________

JOSEPH C. SPERO

Chief Magistrate Judge

 

1 Oracle Racing states that “the other container was not opened, so its contents are unknown.”

Case 3:15-cv-00692-JCS Document 27 Filed 03/09/15 Page 2 of 2