Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_10-cv-00350/USCOURTS-azd-2_10-cv-00350-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 150
Nature of Suit: Overpayments &amp; Enforcement of Judgments
Cause of Action: 12:1819 Default of Promissory Note

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NOT FOR PUBLICATION

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, as

Receiver for Franklin Bank, SSB, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Larry L. Miller and Jane Doe Miller,

husband and wife; Lance E. Keller and

Jane Doe Keller, husband and wife; Elite

Homebuilders, Inc., an Arizona

corporation, 

Defendants. 

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No. CV-10-350-PHX-GMS

ORDER

On February 18, 2010, this matter was removed from Maricopa County Superior

Court and assigned to Magistrate Judge David K. Duncan (Doc. 8). On March 10, 2010, this

matter was reassigned to this Court (Doc. 20). A Scheduling Conference was held on June

4, 2010 and the Case Management Order was issued (Doc. 27). Upon further review of the

docket, the Court notes that Defendant Elite Homebuilders, Inc. is not represented by

counsel.

Only licensed attorneys may represent a corporation in federal court. Rowland v. Cal.

Men’s Colony, Unit II Men’s Advisory Counsel, 506 U.S. 194, 201-202 (1993) (“It has been

the law for the better part of two centuries . . . that a corporation may appear in federal courts

only through licensed counsel.”) (citing Osborn v. President of Bank of U.S., 9 Wheat. 738,

829, 6 L.Ed. 204 (1824)); D-Beam Ltd. P’ship v. Roller Derby Skates, Inc., 366 F.3d 972,

Case 2:10-cv-00350-GMS Document 30 Filed 07/28/10 Page 1 of 2
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973-74 (9th Cir. 2004) (“It is a longstanding rule that ‘corporations and other unincorporated

associations must appear in court through an attorney.’”) (alteration and citation omitted);

In re Am. W. Airlines, 40 F.3d 1058, 1059 (9th Cir. 1994) (“Corporations and other

unincorporated associations must appear in court through an attorney.”); United States v.

High Country Broad. Co., 3 F.3d 1244, 1245 (9th Cir. 1993) (holding that a corporation’s

president and sole shareholder could not make an “end run around” the counsel requirement

by intervening pro se rather than retaining counsel to represent the corporation) (citing 28

U.S.C. 1654).

 A corporation may appear in federal court only through licensed counsel. See, e.g.,

Rowland, 506 U.S. at 201-202. Because Lance Keller is not a licensed attorney, he may not

appear in this Court on behalf of Elite Homebuilders, Inc. See Nesselrode, LLC v. Measure,

No. CV 07-49-M, 2007 WL 2398820, at *2 (D. Mont. Aug. 14, 2007) (“To the extent

Nesselrode’s motion requests that his corporation, Nesselrode, LLC, be permitted to proceed

pro se, and that he be permitted to represent his corporation, the law does not support his

request. Nesselrode is not an attorney, and . . . his corporation may appear in federal court

only through licensed counsel. . . . [T]his well-settled rule . . . applies even if the individual

seeking to represent the corporation is the president and sole shareholder of the

corporation.”). Therefore,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED directing Elite Homebuilders, Inc. to retain counsel on

or before August 13, 2010.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that pursuant to LRCiv. 7.1.1 and Federal Rule of

Civil Procedure 7.1, Elite Homebuilders, Inc. shall file a Corporate Disclosure Statement on

or before August 13, 2010.

DATED this 28th day of July, 2010.

Case 2:10-cv-00350-GMS Document 30 Filed 07/28/10 Page 2 of 2