Opinion ID: 78403
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Delay Tactic

Text: The bankruptcy court also did not err in concluding that Ginsberg filed the Recusal Motion to postpone the involuntary bankruptcy proceedings against his client and the appeal from the Mataeka AP Judgment. Filing the Recusal Motion frustrated Evergreen's collection efforts on an almost $8 million judgment. The Recusal Motion was filed the day after Evergreen finished its prima facie case on the involuntary bankruptcy proceedings and it apparently was clear to all concerned that Evergreen was going to prevail. The Motion was not filed until July 26th even though many of the incidents outlined in the Motion happened much earlier. [20] Ginsberg further petitioned the district court to stay all related proceedings. Ginsberg also continually stalled the Recusal hearing. Two days before the scheduled pre-hearing conference, he sought a stay of the proceedings pending the resolution of his Petition for a Writ of Mandamus. Ginsberg then postponed the final evidentiary hearing for one month due to his availability constraints and those of his expert witness. Days before the trial, Ginsberg again sought to continue the trial for two weeks in order to properly prepare for the depositions of the witnesses and to properly prepare for the final evidentiary hearing. (Recusal Order at 14.) Finally, at the evidentiary hearing, after both parties finished presenting their cases in chief, Ginsberg asked for a continuance to present his rebuttal case. The evidentiary hearing was continued almost two months, at which time Ginsberg sent a letter to the court saying he did not intend on presenting a rebuttal case. Moreover, the record shows Ginsberg tried to delay the filing of an appeal. After filing the Recusal Motion, Ginsberg filed a motion for extension of time to appeal the Mataeka AP Judgment. The district court found that the stated reasons for wanting to put off filing an initial brief have varied with each filing seeking delay. Taken as a whole, the record is cause for concern. (D. Ct. Case 06-cv-00837-JA, D.E. # 43.) These delaying tactics further support the bankruptcy court's finding of Ginsberg's bad faith.