Opinion ID: 622463
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Ghostwriting

Text: In 2008, Frederick Rizzolo (Rizzolo) became embroiled in a contentious, scorched-earth lawsuit, in which eighteen lawyers bombarded each other and the district court with over 500 pleadings. Plaintiffs Kirk and Amy Henry (the Henrys) initiated the suit after Kirk's fateful visit to Rizzolo's Crazy Horse Too gentleman's club in Las Vegas, where Kirk was attacked so ferociously that he became a quadriplegic. The Henrys sued Rizzolo and others for damages, and sought attachment of assets that Rizzolo and his wife had allegedly concealed through a collusive divorce and through various cash transactions with third parties, involving millions of dollars. On January 22, 2009, Rizzolo's attorneys withdrew from representing him. From then until October 6, 2009, Rizzolo proceeded without an attorney. During that period, Rizzolo initially filed documents that bore the stamp of a pro se litigant. For example, he submitted handwritten responses to interrogatories, producing such answers as, I don't believe I am an heir to any other persons [sic] will. But not sure. In July and August 2009, however, while still purportedly proceeding without a lawyer, Rizzolo filed eight documents that seemed to reflect somewhat more familiarity with the legal system than had his initial pro se efforts. Those documents, styled as filed by Frederick J. Rizzolo, Pro Se, sought, among other things, stays of discovery, dismissal, summary judgment, and disqualification of the Henrys' attorney. A number of the filings raised legal arguments and cited precedent. The Henrys' lawyers received the first of these documents, a motion to dismiss, by fax on July 9, 2009. Defending property transfers arising from Rizzolo's Nevada divorce, the motion advanced a series of contentions ranging from the supposed impact of Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64, 58 S.Ct. 817, 82 L.Ed. 1188 (1938), to the applicability of the domestic relations exception to federal diversity jurisdiction. The motion asserted, for example: Begay v. Kerr-McGee Corp., 682 F.2d 1311 (9th Cir.1982), citing Erie Railroad Co. v. Tompkins, 304 U.S. 64 [58 S.Ct. 817,] 82 L.Ed. 1188 (1938) (the  Erie doctrine) brings forth a central issue in this case. Should this Court decline to dismiss for lack of personal and subject matter jurisdiction under the heretofore described theories of lack of complete diversity and the domestic relations exception to diversity, then the Erie doctrine requires that the federal court grant or withhold relief as if decided by the state courts. Jack DeGree (DeGree), the Henrys' attorney, testified that the bottom of the fax they received had a tag line that appeared to identify the sender of the document as Kimsey. Subsequently, DeGree received the official version of this motion through the district court's CM-ECF filing system. This version included an appendix of exhibits, one of which bore what appeared to be a computer file path containing the name James Edward Kimsey. Surprised by the motion and the more than 200 pages of exhibits, DeGree contacted Rizzolo on July 22, 2009 to request an extension of time for responding. DeGree found the ensuing conversation rather odd, given his prior dealings with Rizzolo: In the past, Rizzolo had always been very agreeable in phone conversations; this time, Rizzolo replied that he wanted to think about DeGree's request and would return his phone call. About an hour later, DeGree did receive a return call, but not from Rizzolo. Instead, the caller identified himself as James on behalf of Rick Rizzolo. James refused to agree to any extension unless the plaintiffs agreed to a stay of discovery. Although James provided DeGree with a return phone number at which he could be reached, he would not reveal his last name when asked, either then or in a later phone call DeGree instigated to decline the stay. DeGree also asked James whether he was an attorney, a question that apparently hit a raw nerve. At that point James yelled back, I'm not answering your questions, Mr. DeGree.