Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_09-cv-00901/USCOURTS-caed-1_09-cv-00901-22/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 891
Nature of Suit: Agricultural Acts
Cause of Action: 07:499 Agricultural Commodities Act

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Order Granting Joint Motion and Amended Joint 

Motion for Approval of Stipulation and Order 

Authorizing Receiver to Distribute Funds With 

Respect to PACA Claims 

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Lawrence H. Meuers (SBN 197663) 

MEUERS LAW FIRM, P.L. 

5395 Park Central Court 

Naples, FL 34109 

Telephone: (239) 513-9191 

Facsimile: (239) 513-9677 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

FRESNO DIVISION 

KINGSBURG APPLE PACKERS, INC. 

D/B/A KINGSBURG ORCHARDS, et al.

Plaintiffs,

 vs. 

BALLANTINE PRODUCE CO., INC., et al.,

 Defendants. 

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Case No.: 1:09-cv-00901-AWI-SMS

Chief Judge Anthony W. Ishii

DATE: June 21, 2010 

TIME: 1:30 p.m. 

JUDGE: Anthony W. Ishii 

RELATED COMPLAINTS-ININTERVENTION)

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(Doc. Nos. 176 & 182) 

ORDER GRANTING JOINT MOTION AND AMENDED JOINT MOTION FOR 

APPROVAL OF STIPULATION AND ORDER AUTHORIZING RECEIVER TO 

DISTRIBUTE FUNDS WITH RESPECT TO PACA CLAIMS

Before this Court is the Joint Motion and Amended Joint Motion for Approval of 

Stipulation and Order authorizing Receiver to Distribute Funds with respect to PACA 

Claims. The Court has considered the Motions and is otherwise fully advised in the 

premises. Accordingly, it is 

ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Stipulation Instructing and Authorizing 

Receiver to Distribute Funds with Respect to PACA Claims; Releasing Claims Against 

Bank of the West is approved. 

Case 1:09-cv-00901-AWI-JLT Document 200 Filed 06/28/10 Page 1 of 4
Order Granting Joint Motion and Amended Joint 

Motion for Approval of Stipulation and Order 

Authorizing Receiver to Distribute Funds With 

Respect to PACA Claims 

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ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Receiver shall distribute $1,650,644.00 of 

the 2009 Crop Proceeds to the Meuers Group,1 Stokes Group,2 Intervening Plaintiff, RJO 

Produce Marketing, Inc., and LoBue Bros., Inc. pursuant to the schedule attached as 

Exhibit “A”. 

ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Receiver shall distribute $450,000.00 of the 

2009 Crop Proceeds to Bank of the West.

ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Bank of the West is dismissed with prejudice 

from each of the complaints and complaints in intervention filed by the Meuers Group, 

Stokes Group, or Intervening Plaintiffs, RJO Produce Marketing, Inc. and LoBue Bros., 

Inc. 

ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that once the Receiver has distributed the Funds 

pursuant to Exhibit “A,” the Receiver shall have discharged all of his duties and 

obligations to the Court under the Consent Injunction and Order Establishing PACA 

Claims Procedure and Vacating June 22, 2009 Preliminary Injunction Hearing and to all 

parties to this PACA Action, including the Meuers Group, Stokes Group, LoBue Bros., 

Inc., RJO Produce Marketing, Inc., and the Bank of the West and thereafter shall have no 

further duties or obligations to the Court, the Meuers Group, Stokes Group, LoBue 

Bros., Inc., RJO Produce Marketing, Inc., the Bank of the West, or any other party in the 

PACA Action. 

ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the Receiver shall retain the balance of the 

2009 Crop Proceeds as a reserve to pay expenses as authorized in the State Court 

Action. If the Receiver’s actual costs and expenses are less than the balance retained by 

 

1 The Meuers Group consists of Plaintiffs, Kingsburg Apple Packers d/b/a Kingsburg Orchards and David Del Curto, S.A., along with Intervening Plaintiffs, Giumarra International Marketing; 

Agricamex, LTDA; Delifruit, S.A., Exportadora & Servicios Rucaray, S.A.; Exportadora Agricola Casabindo, LTDA; and Southern Fruits, S.A. 

2 The Stokes Group consists of Intervening Plaintiffs, Comercial Greenvic, S.A., C&D Comercio y 

Desarvolo Internacional, and Spectrum Produce Distributing, Inc. 

Case 1:09-cv-00901-AWI-JLT Document 200 Filed 06/28/10 Page 2 of 4
Order Granting Joint Motion and Amended Joint 

Motion for Approval of Stipulation and Order 

Authorizing Receiver to Distribute Funds With 

Respect to PACA Claims 

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the Receiver, the Receiver shall send the difference to Meuers Law Firm, P.L., counsel 

for the original plaintiffs in this Action, in trust for distribution to the PACA Claimants, 

as they so agree.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

June 25, 2010 

 ______________________________________________ 

 Anthony W. Ishii 

 Chief District Judge

Case 1:09-cv-00901-AWI-JLT Document 200 Filed 06/28/10 Page 3 of 4
EXHIBIT A 

BALLANTINE PRODUCE DISTRIBUTION CHART 

Receiver Recovery $ 2,100,644.00 

Distribution to Bank of the West $ 450,000.00 

Available for PACA Distribution $ 1,650,644.00 

Meuers Law Firm, P.L. Distribution Amount 

Kingsburg Orchards $ 248,408.19 

Giumarra International Marketing $ 9,255.26 

David Del Curto, S.A. $ 512,032.23 

Agricamex, Ltda. $ 165,555.49 

Delifruit, S.A. $ 20,576.97 

Exportadora & Servicios Rucaray $ 1,910.31 

Exportadora Agricola Casabino $ 87,429.92 

Southern Fruit, S.A. $ 119,040.28 

Totals for Meuers Law Firm, P.L. $ 1,164,208.64

Stokes Law Office LLP

C&D Comercio $ 220,744.49 

Comercial Greenvic, S.A. $ 219,356.52 

Spectrum $ 10,970.00 

Totals for Stokes Law Office $ 451,071.01

Chielpegian Law Offices

RJO Produce Marketing, Inc. $ 7,878.34 

Totals for Chielpegian Law Offices $ 7,878.34

Keaton & Associates

LoBue Bros., Inc. $ 27,486.01 

Totals for Keaton & Associates $ 27,486.01

Case 1:09-cv-00901-AWI-JLT Document 200 Filed 06/28/10 Page 4 of 4