Opinion ID: 2149857
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: referee's decision

Text: Pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 44-4839(2) (Reissue 2004), whenever objections are filed with a liquidator and the liquidator does not alter his or her denial of the claim, the disputed claim may be referred to a court-appointed referee who submits findings of fact and his or her recommendation. In the present case, the disputed claims were referred to the court-appointed referee. The district court approved and adopted procedures to be used to govern the referee's participation in the administration of the claims against Amwest in accordance with § 44-4839(2). Because all four of Strategic's claims involved similar facts, the referee consolidated the claims and issued a single report in which he recommended that all of the claims be denied. In denying the claims, the referee stated that pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 44-4835(2) (Reissue 2004), the inclusion of late filed claims in the claims adjudication process is wholly within the discretion of the Liquidator; the Liquidator has exercised his discretion to accept [Strategic's] claims as Class 6 (Late Filed Claims). The [District] Court should not review this action of the Liquidator. The referee continued, explaining: The . . . Liquidator's determination that no amount should be allowed for [Strategic's] claims is supported by the Hearing Record. The Notices of Default are without any specificity. If Saxton was in default of its performance obligations under the Lease Agreements, the Lease Agreements required notice to Saxton and an opportunity to cure the default. The nature of Saxton's claimed defaults is not identified. It is reasonable to conclude that upon learning of Amwest's liquidation, [Strategic] sought a complete forfeiture of the Lease Bonds. The obligations [sic] of Amwest was to assure Saxton's performance; there is nothing in the Hearing Record to support a conclusion that Saxton failed to perform any of its lease obligations while the Bonds were in-force. Strategic disagreed with the referee's report and filed its objections to the referee's findings in the district court.