Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 1 of 24 Page ID #2259 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA TAMPA DIVISION SUNLUST PICTURES, LLC., CASE NO: 8:12-CV-1685-T-35MAP Plaintiff, VS. Tampa, Florida 10:00 a.m. November 27, 2011 TUAN NGUYEN, Defendant. ________________________________/ TRANSCRIPT OF MOTION HEARING BEFORE THE HONORABLE MARY S. SCRIVEN UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE APPEARANCES: Counsel for Plaintiff: (Telephonically) JONATHAN TORRES, ESQUIRE 1417 N. Semoran Boulevard Suite 205 Orlando, FL 32807 (407)953-5818 jonathantorresllc@gmail.com Counsel for Defendant: GRAHAM W. SYFERT, ESQUIRE 1529 Margaret Street Unit 2 Jacksonville, FL 32204 (904)383-7448 graham@syfert.com Court Reporter: CLAUDIA SPANGLER-FRY, RPR, CM Official Court Reporter 801 North Florida Avenue 7th Floor Tampa, FL 33602 (813)301-5575 cookiefry@aol.com CLAUDIA SPANGLER-FRY, OFFICIAL U. S. COURT REPORTER Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 2 of 24 Page ID #2260 Page 2 1 P R O C E E D I N G S 2 November 27, 2012 * * * * * * 3 4 THE COURT: 5 Mr. Torres, what sort of noise are you making on the line? 6 MR. TORRES: 7 THE COURT: 8 MR. TORRES: 9 THE COURT: Please call the case. 10 THE CLERK: In the matter of Sunlust Pictures, LLC -- 11 MR. TORRES: 12 THE COURT: That's better, yes. 13 THE CLERK: -- versus Tuan Nguyen, Case Number 14 In Orange County. Is that better? Counsel and parties, please state your appearances, starting with parties for the Plaintiff. MR. LUTZ: 17 18 All right. 8:12-CV-1685. 15 16 I apologize, I'm in the Courthouse. Mark Lutz, appearing on behalf of Sunlust Pictures. 19 THE COURT: 20 MR. SYFERT: 21 THE COURT: 23 MR. TORRES: 25 Your Honor, Graham Syfert here on behalf of Tuan Nguyen, who is also present in Court today. 22 24 And for the defense? And on the phone? Attorney Jonathan Torres, Florida counsel for Plaintiff. THE COURT: And Mr. Lutz, where's your coat and tie Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 3 of 24 Page ID #2261 Page 3 1 this morning? Did you know you were coming to Federal Court? 2 MR. LUTZ: 3 THE COURT: 4 MR. LUTZ: 5 THE COURT: 6 Where's your coat and tie? I apologize, I did not wear one. Are you an attorney barred in the State of Florida? MR. LUTZ: 7 8 I did. I am not, no, I'm a corporate representative. THE COURT: 9 10 MR. LUTZ: 11 THE COURT: 12 MR. LUTZ: 13 THE COURT: And who is your counsel? 14 I'm sorry? Who is your lawyer? Our counsel is on the phone here. Where is your other lawyer; he hasn't been permitted to withdraw? 15 MR. LUTZ: 16 THE COURT: 17 He wasn't able to appear today. Mr. Torres, are you in the case or out of the case? MR. TORRES: 18 No, I'm still in the case, Your Honor. 19 presented a motion for telephonic appearance due to an 20 emergency hearing conflict in Orange County and I was allowed 21 I to appear by phone and by order that was sent to me yesterday. THE COURT: 22 Well, I'm a little confused. There was a 23 lawyer who moved to withdraw, and there was another lawyer who 24 moved to appear, then he moved to withdraw, so who is on first, 25 I guess? Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 4 of 24 Page ID #2262 Page 4 MR. TORRES: 1 Right now, Your Honor, I'm still on the 2 case. 3 have to confer with them, but right for now, I'm the counsel on 4 the case, Your Honor. 5 And there is still discussions with my client which I THE COURT: 6 lawyer in this case? 7 MR. TORRES: And Mr. Torres, how did you come to be the 8 9 client, Prenda Law, in order to -THE COURT: 10 MR. TORRES: 11 THE COURT: 12 MR. TORRES: 13 THE COURT: 14 MR. TORRES: 15 16 Your Honor, I was contacted by the The client and Prenda Law or Prenda Law? Prenda Law, Your Honor, And what is their relation to you? Just co-counsel arrangement, Your Honor. And what is that arrangement? For me to appear for any local hearings, Your Honor. THE COURT: Well, I got a letter from someone from the 17 Prenda Law Group saying they were not representing any party in 18 this case and were not involved in the case and had no 19 authority to speak on anyone's behalf in this case, so is 20 Prenda Law principal counsel in the case or not? 21 MR. TORRES: 22 THE COURT: 23 No, Your Honor. So what is their relationship again then to you as counsel in this case? 24 MR. TORRES: 25 THE COURT: Well, Your Honor, I was -I'm sorry, I'm sorry, hold on a second. Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 5 of 24 Page ID #2263 Page 5 Ms. Vizza, would you please swear this witness, on the 1 2 phone, yes. 3 Mr. Torres, if you would please raise your right hand. 4 Ms. Vizza. 5 MR. TORRES: 6 Yes. Thereupon, JONATHAN TORRES, 7 8 having first been duly sworn to tell the truth, the whole 9 truth, and nothing but the truth, was examined and testified as 10 follows: 11 MR. TORRES: 12 THE COURT: Yes. All right, sir. You're under oath, you 13 have to give truthful answers to the questions that are asked 14 or face penalties of perjury for false answers. 15 Do you understand that? 16 MR. TORRES: 17 THE COURT: 18 So, starting over now, Prenda is the referring law 19 20 I understand. All right. firm to your firm or the originating firm or principal counsel? MR. TORRES: My understanding, Your Honor, is that 21 Prenda Law was the counsel for Plaintiffs and is still counsel 22 for Plaintiffs. 23 24 25 I was contacted by Brett Gibbs in order to be local counsel to appear on behalf of Prenda Law. THE COURT: So, Prenda Law purports to be the Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 6 of 24 Page ID #2264 Page 6 1 principal law firm in this case? 2 MR. TORRES: 3 THE COURT: 4 Correct. Did Prenda Law file a notice of appearance as principal law firm in this case? MR. TORRES: 5 My understanding, Your Honor, is that 6 they were, at one point, counsel in the case. 7 they actually have a current notice of appearance or not, I'm 8 not sure. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 THE COURT: I'm not sure if And what is your financial arrangement with Prenda Law? MR. TORRES: Well, I'm working on a contingency basis, Your Honor. THE COURT: And what percentage is your cut of the contingency? MR. TORRES: My understanding is that it's 75 percent, 16 my understanding, of whatever the fees are generated, my 17 understanding, at least. 18 19 THE COURT: Yours will be 75 percent and Prenda's will be 25 percent? 20 MR. TORRES: 21 THE COURT: 22 MR. TORRES: Who is principally responsible for the case; Prenda or you? 23 That is correct, Your Honor. 24 25 Well, my understanding is that I was recently contacted in regards to this case. My understanding is that I was going to be primarily Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 7 of 24 Page ID #2265 Page 7 1 responsible and be the local counsel for this case, but the 2 reason why I presented a motion to withdraw is because just 3 recently I was contacted by defense counsel and was advised of 4 certain issues that were going on in the case. 5 THE COURT: 6 MR. TORRES: 7 THE COURT: 9 MR. TORRES: 11 Well, I was contacted, I believe, Your Honor, it was about 15 days ago. 8 10 When were you retained? And who were you contacted by? I was contacted by Mr. Brett Gibbs from Prenda Law. THE COURT: 12 counsel in the case? 13 MR. TORRES: And who did he tell you was current Well, he told me that Prenda Law through 14 another attorney locally was the current counsel in the case, 15 and that's why, you know, they were substituting me for counsel 16 in this case, and eight other cases -- actually seven other 17 cases that purportedly Prenda Law was the counsel on. 18 19 THE COURT: Give me one second, I need to look up something in the docket. 20 (Brief pause.) 21 And did Mr. Wasinger call you? 22 MR. TORRES: No, Your Honor, Mr. Wasinger apparently 23 presented a motion to withdraw or substitution of counsel at 24 that point. 25 THE COURT: And then the Court ordered that he was not Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 8 of 24 Page ID #2266 Page 8 1 granted his leave and directed that he was to appear at this 2 hearing and that his motion for withdrawal would be taken up at 3 this hearing. 4 filed your notice of appearance? And did you see that on the docket when you 5 MR. TORRES: 6 THE COURT: 7 MR. TORRES: 12 I presented the notice of appearance and did not see that Mr. Wasinger was still counsel. THE COURT: 10 11 Did you look at the docket when you filed your notice of appearance? 8 9 No, Your Honor, I did not. Did you look at the docket is what I asked you? MR. TORRES: 13 per se, I didn't -- 14 THE COURT: I looked at -- I did look at the docket, 15 docket on the case you were appearing in? 16 MR. TORRES: 17 THE COURT: 18 The answer is no, you did not read the Correct, Your Honor. And then shortly after you file your notice of appearance, you moved to withdraw? 19 MR. TORRES: 20 THE COURT: 21 MR. TORRES: That is correct, Your Honor. And why is that? Well, Your Honor, I'll be perfectly 22 honest with you. 23 thereafter of being counsel of record, instructed me to call 24 him immediately. 25 Defense counsel contacted me shortly And so I -- actually I did, and left him a message, Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 9 of 24 Page ID #2267 Page 9 1 then he returned my phone call. And there was discussions 2 between Defendant and -- Defendant's counsel and myself in 3 regards to this case. 4 The only thing that -- the first thing that I heard 5 from defense counsel was, you know, rather than see how this 6 case might be settled or anything to that effect, was the fact 7 that there were -- there had been some bar complaints or 8 something to that effect associated with this case or something 9 to that effect, and based on that statement from defense 10 counsel, I decided to present my motion to withdraw and have no 11 further involvement with any of the cases. 12 13 THE COURT: Mr. Wasinger? 14 MR. TORRES: 15 THE COURT: 16 MR. TORRES: 18 THE COURT: Do you have a written contract with Prenda No, I do not, Your Honor. Have you filed a notice of appearance in all of the other cases that Mr. Wasinger has withdrawn from? 20 MR. TORRES: 21 THE COURT: 22 No, I did not, Your Honor. Law Group? 17 19 Did you have any contact with Yes, Your Honor. Have you moved to withdraw in all those cases as well? 23 MR. TORRES: 24 THE COURT: 25 MR. TORRES: Yes, I did, Your Honor. Have those motions been granted? No, Your Honor, based on local rule, Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 10 of 24 Page ID #2268 Page 10 1 after conferring with counsel, but that's something I'll 2 remedy, Your Honor. 3 THE COURT: I got a letter on the 18th from a 4 Mr. Duffy at Prenda Law, Inc. 5 MR. TORRES: 6 THE COURT: Okay. And he advises that he was recently made 7 aware that the Court ordered a principal of Prenda Law to 8 appear in person at the motion to dismiss hearing scheduled for 9 today's date. As the sole principal of Prenda Law, Inc., that would 10 11 be me. For the record, I was never served with notice of the 12 Court's Order or otherwise made aware of it until very recently 13 via a phone call from a fellow attorney. 14 As an initial matter, I must respectfully inform the 15 Court I am located in Chicago and my attendance would require 16 air travel and he has had surgery on his eyes and this and 17 that. 18 Then he says, I also respectfully question how my 19 appearance could benefit the Court, particularly since I am not 20 representing anyone, in italics, in this case and have no 21 authority to speak on anyone's behalf. 22 It would certainly -- it would clearly be improper for 23 me to make any statement on a pending matter in a jurisdiction 24 in which I am not licensed and on behalf of a client I do not 25 represent. In light of the foregoing, I pray that the Court Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 11 of 24 Page ID #2269 Page 11 1 will excuse my attendance at this hearing. Now, is Prenda Law, Inc. different than the entity 2 3 that you are dealing with? MR. TORRES: 4 Your Honor, my only understanding is that 5 Prenda Law is the one that has been in contact with me. 6 That's the only thing I know. To be honest, Your Honor, I responded to an ad for a 7 8 local appearance, that's all I did, Your Honor. 9 that, I was brought into these cases, and that's pretty much 10 11 12 13 14 it. THE COURT: Who is Prenda Law, Inc.? MR. TORRES: That's technically my understanding of the situation or the arrangement, if you will. THE COURT: 16 MR. TORRES: Who is Mr. Gibbs in relation to Mr. Duffy? Well, Mr. Gibbs apparently is a principal at Prenda Law, to my understanding. 18 THE COURT: 19 MR. TORRES: 20 21 22 Is that the person you're local counsel for? 15 17 And other than Mr. Duffy. Who is Mr. Duffy? Mr. Duffy, I have no contact with I've never had any contact with Mr. Duffy. THE COURT: Mr. Lutz, who is the individual who you just spoke to in the Courtroom with you? 23 MR. LUTZ: 24 THE COURT: 25 MR. STEELE: Sorry? Who is that behind you? Your Honor, my name is John Steele. Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 12 of 24 Page ID #2270 Page 12 1 THE COURT: 2 MR. STEELE: 3 Who are you? I'm an attorney, but not involved in this case. 4 THE COURT: 5 You're an attorney with what law firm? MR. STEELE: I'm not an attorney with any law firm 6 right now, but I have worked with Mr. Duffy in the past and I 7 am certainly familiar with this litigation just because I've 8 been involved in many different cases like this in the past. 9 THE COURT: 10 MR. STEELE: 11 THE COURT: But not this case? Correct. So, Mr. Torres, you don't know who your 12 general counsel is other than Mr. Gibbs, and you don't have a 13 written agreement and you just answered a random ad and put 14 your name on a docket in Federal Court? 15 MR. TORRES: Well, Your Honor, I was going to make a 16 local appearance for someone that, you know, needed a local 17 counsel, and so I did. 18 THE COURT: 19 MR. TORRES: 20 THE COURT: 21 Well, you're still a lawyer. I understand. And Mr. Lutz, did Mr. Wasinger speak with you about his decision not to appear at this hearing? 22 MR. LUTZ: 23 THE COURT: 24 MR. LUTZ: 25 THE COURT: They did not, no. Do you know who Mr. Duffy is? I believe he is a principal of Prenda Law. And who is Mr. Gibbs? Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 13 of 24 Page ID #2271 Page 13 1 2 MR. LUTZ: Mr. Gibbs is also affiliated with Prenda Law, I don't know his official title. 3 THE COURT: 4 MR. LUTZ: 5 THE COURT: 6 MR. LUTZ: 7 THE COURT: 8 9 Is he an attorney? I believe so, in the State of California. But not in the State of Illinois? I can't say for sure. Do you know if he is a partner in the Prenda Law Group? MR. LUTZ: 10 THE COURT: 11 MR. LUTZ: I do not know his official title, no. 12 Who is your counsel, who is your lawyer? Prenda Law is one of them, they represent Sunlust in several cases, not in this case, particularly. 13 THE COURT: 14 MR. LUTZ: 15 16 17 What does that mean; particularly? Well, it's not in this matter, they represent us in various different cases. THE COURT: So they were not retained to be your lawyer and they did not refer this matter to Mr. Torres? 18 MR. LUTZ: 19 Mr. Torres is, officially. 20 THE COURT: 21 MR. SYFERT: I don't know what their affiliation with Yes, sir. Your Honor, if I may interject, Mr. Lutz 22 used to work for Mr. Steele down in Miami. 23 actually a paralegal and debt collector for Prenda Law when it 24 was a multi-state, multi-jurisdictional law firm between here 25 and Illinois. That's Mr. Lutz. Mr. Lutz was Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 14 of 24 Page ID #2272 Page 14 So if he's -- he should have better information about 1 2 the structure of Prenda Law than this and probably has very 3 little structure about the -- or very little information about 4 the actual structure of Sunlust Pictures, Your Honor. THE COURT: 5 6 Mr. Lutz. 7 Will you swear this witness, Ms. Vizza, Thereupon, JOHN LUTZ, 8 9 having first been duly sworn to tell the truth, the whole 10 truth, and nothing but the truth, was examined and testified as 11 follows: 12 MR. LUTZ: 13 THE COURT: 14 Yes. Mr. Lutz, you're under oath, you have to give truthful answers or you face penalties of perjury. 15 Do you understand that? 16 MR. LUTZ: 17 THE COURT: 18 MR. LUTZ: 19 THE COURT: 20 MR. LUTZ: 21 THE COURT: 22 MR. LUTZ: 23 Yes. What is your position with Sunlust? I'm a representative of them. What does that mean? Corporate representative. What does that mean? They asked me to appear on various matters throughout the country. 24 THE COURT: 25 MR. LUTZ: Are you an officer of the company? I'm not, no. Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 15 of 24 Page ID #2273 Page 15 1 2 THE COURT: Are you authorized to bind the company to any legal contracts? 3 MR. LUTZ: 4 THE COURT: 5 MR. LUTZ: 6 THE COURT: I am not. Are you salaried? No, 1099. So you are a 1099 contracted entity and 7 you just go around and sit in a Court and represent yourself to 8 be the corporate representative of the company? 9 10 11 MR. LUTZ: THE COURT: Yes. Mr. Torres, did you know this was Mr. Lutz's position, a paid corporate representative? 12 MR. TORRES: 13 THE COURT: 14 MR. LUTZ: 15 THE COURT: 16 MR. LUTZ: 17 THE COURT: 18 MR. LUTZ: 19 THE COURT: 20 MR. LUTZ: 21 THE COURT: 22 MR. LUTZ: 23 No, Your Honor, I did not. Who is the president of Sunlust? I'm unaware. Who is the vice president? I'm unaware Who is the secretary? I have no idea. Who owns Sunlust? I do not know. Who signs your checks? I believe somebody in the accounting department. 24 THE COURT: 25 MR. LUTZ: What is their name? To be honest with you, I can't read the Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 16 of 24 Page ID #2274 Page 16 1 signature. 2 3 THE COURT: located? 4 MR. LUTZ: 5 THE COURT: 6 MR. LUTZ: 8 THE COURT: 10 11 I'm sorry? Where is the accounting department located? 7 9 Where is the accounting department I've received checks from California. How much are you paid monthly to be the corporate representative? MR. LUTZ: Again, it depends on my appearances, the number of appearances that I do. 12 THE COURT: 13 MR. LUTZ: 14 THE COURT: How much were you paid last month? Approximately $1,000. And do you have any other job than to 15 around go to Courts representing yourself to be the corporate 16 representative of Sunlust? 17 MR. LUTZ: 18 THE COURT: For Sunlust, no. Do you have any other job for the Prenda 19 Law holdings to do anything other than go around the country 20 and represent yourself to be their corporate representative? 21 MR. LUTZ: 22 THE COURT: I do not work for Prenda Law. Do you serve in this capacity for any 23 other entity than Sunlust? 24 MR. LUTZ: 25 THE COURT: Yes. What companies? Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 17 of 24 Page ID #2275 Page 17 1 2 MR. LUTZ: Guava, LLC. 3 4 THE COURT: MR. LUTZ: 6 THE COURT: They do. Do you receive a percentage of the recovery of any of these lawsuits? 8 MR. LUTZ: 9 THE COURT: 10 MR. LUTZ: 11 THE COURT: 12 MR. LUTZ: 13 THE COURT: 14 MR. LUTZ: 15 THE COURT: 16 Do they have similar lawsuits around the country? 5 7 Hard Drive Productions would be one and I do not. Do you know Mr. Duffy? Not personally, no. Have you talked to him before? I have not, no. Is he your lawyer? He is not my attorney Is he the lawyer for Prenda Law -- or Sunlust? 17 MR. LUTZ: 18 THE COURT: 19 in, in the country? 20 MR. LUTZ: 21 THE COURT: 22 25 How many matters do you represent Sunlust Approximately a dozen. So half of them are located here in the Middle District and there are others elsewhere? 23 24 In various matters, yes. MR. LUTZ: I believe we have three here in the Middle District. THE COURT: Mr. Torres, I thought you entered an Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 18 of 24 Page ID #2276 Page 18 1 appearance on five of them here in the Middle District. 2 MR. TORRES: 3 THE COURT: 4 MR. TORRES: But not for that particular company. What was the other company? I believe it's FTG Videos. I don't have 5 access to my computer at this time, Your Honor, because I'm in 6 the Court in Orange County, but I believe one of them is FTG 7 Videos. 8 THE COURT: 9 MR. TORRES: 10 11 THE COURT: MR. STEELE: 13 THE COURT: 14 MR. STEELE: 15 THE COURT: 16 MR. STEELE: 17 THE COURT: 18 MR. STEELE: Mr. Steele, who is the principal of I'm sorry, you're asking me, ma'am? Yes, sir. I wouldn't know. You don't know who owns Sunlust? That's correct. You don't know who the president is? I -- the only person that I know that's involved with Sunlust is Sunny Leone. 20 THE COURT: 21 MR. STEELE: 22 F as in Frank, Your Honor. Sunlust? 12 19 F as in Frank or S as in Sam? Sunlust. Sunny Leone? Is one of the people involved with That's the only person I've ever -- 23 THE COURT: 24 MR. STEELE: 25 THE COURT: What is the name? Sunny Leone. Spell it. Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 19 of 24 Page ID #2277 Page 19 1 MR. STEELE: 2 THE COURT: 3 MR. STEELE: 4 S-O-N-N-Y, Leone -L-E-O-N? I believe there's an E at the end of that, I'm not certain. 5 THE COURT: 6 MR. STEELE: Where's is he located. Well, I believe it's a she, and I believe 7 that the last time I heard, she was in India filming a major 8 motion picture with some studio down there, but I don't keep up 9 with that, I don't represent Sunlust or anybody anymore. 10 I no longer actively practice law. 11 THE COURT: 12 MR. STEELE: You're not practicing law? Correct. I do appear occasionally at 13 hearings on an ad hoc basis, but I do not have any current 14 clients. THE COURT: 15 16 of Florida? MR. STEELE: 17 18 19 You still have a bar license in the State No, I'm licensed only in the State of Illinois. I want to make very clear to this Court I'm not 20 purporting in any way to be an attorney licensed in the State 21 of Florida. 22 23 THE COURT: Have you ever been licensed in the State of Florida? 24 MR. STEELE: 25 THE COURT: No. All right. Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 20 of 24 Page ID #2278 Page 20 1 Thank you, sir. 2 So, Mr. Lutz, you don't know who you serve for, you're 3 just sitting here in the Courtroom purporting to be a corporate 4 representative? 5 6 MR. LUTZ: I was contacted by Sunny Leone several months ago. 7 THE COURT: 8 MR. LUTZ: 9 10 11 And told what? She asked me to -- when they needed for me to appear for various reasons, if I would do it on a representative basis. THE COURT: You can sit away from the table, you're 12 not a corporate representative of anybody if you don't have any 13 information about the corporation. 14 You're not an officer or principal of the corporation. 15 The Court will exclude you as a proper corporate entity for 16 this Defendant. 17 Mr. Torres, your motion to withdraw is granted, you 18 are removed from this case. 19 come in to represent this Defendant would need to file a motion 20 for leave to do so. 21 Any other lawyer who purports to The case is dismissed for failure to appear at this 22 hearing, for failure to present a lawful agent, for attempted 23 fraud on the Court by offering up a person who has no authority 24 to act on behalf of the corporation as its corporate 25 representative, and the Court will hear, by motion, a motion Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 21 of 24 Page ID #2279 Page 21 1 for sanctions and fees against this Sunlust entity and everyone 2 affiliated with it, including a motion against Mr. Wasinger for 3 his purposeful failure to appear at this hearing. 4 And a motion will also be heard on Mr. Duffy for his 5 lack of candor in relation to his connection with this matter 6 based upon the representation of Mr. Torres that he was 7 contacted by the Prenda Law Group or Prenda Law, Inc. for the 8 purpose of being retained as local counsel in this case and 9 that was not presented to the Court in this purported 10 correspondence. The case is dismissed. I intend to advise the other Judges in the Courthouse 11 12 of the nature of this matter and may refer this matter to the 13 Florida Bar for further proceedings. Is there anything further from the Plaintiff -- I'm 14 15 sorry -- from the defense? 16 MR. SYFERT: 17 Well, yes, Your Honor, we have one other case that was 18 transferred to Orlando, same issues exist as in this case. 19 THE COURT: 20 MR. SYFERT: 21 24 25 Who is the Judge in the case. The First Time -- it's First Time Videos versus Oppold, O-P-P-O-L-D. It was originally filed in Tampa then transferred to 22 23 No, Your Honor. Orlando. Spaulding I believe is the Judge, Your Honor. THE COURT: Judge Spaulding is a Magistrate Judge. you know the case number? Do Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 22 of 24 Page ID #2280 Page 22 1 2 MR. SYFERT: I don't have that with me. old case number from the -- 3 THE COURT: 4 MR. SYFERT: 5 I have the Tampa case? I have -- yeah, the Tampa case number was 8:12-CV-1685-MSS-MAP. 6 THE COURT: All right. I'll take a look at it. 7 Mr. Torres, a word to the wise, sir. When you 8 represent an entity, no matter how limited your role is, you're 9 placing your bar number at issue and you're placing your name 10 11 and your goodwill at issue before a Court. And saying you're local counsel and you only intended 12 to file on their behalf and pick up a small fee for that 13 limited role does not absolve you from responsibility for 14 making sure that whatever you sign on to, whatever you enter an 15 appearance on behalf of is a legitimate entity with legitimate 16 concerns, because you run a strong risk that you could be 17 sanctioned or lose your bar license behind conduct of the type 18 that you're witnessing here. 19 I hope that this is a lesson to you about how to 20 proceed going forward with characters such as the ones that are 21 presented here. 22 23 MR. TORRES: Yes, Your Honor, I totally understand and thank you. 24 THE COURT: 25 MR. TORRES: Thank you. Am I excused, Your Honor? Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 23 of 24 Page ID #2281 Page 23 1 THE COURT: 2 This matter is dismissed. 3 MR. SYFERT: 4 THE COURT: 5 (Thereupon, the proceedings concluded.) 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 You are excused. Thank you, Your Honor. Thank you. ******** Case 3:12-cv-00889-GPM-SCW Document 61-4 Filed 04/05/13 Page 24 of 24 Page ID #2282 Page 24 CERTIFICATE 1 2 3 STATE OF FLORIDA ) SS 4 COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH ) 5 I, CLAUDIA SPANGLER-FRY, Official Court Reporter for 6 7 the United States District Court, Middle District, Tampa, 8 Division, DO HEREBY CERTIFY, that I was authorized to and did, 9 10 through use of Computer Aided Transcription, report in 11 shorthand the proceedings and evidence in the above-styled 12 cause, as stated in the caption hereto, and that the foregoing 13 pages numbered 1 to 24 inclusive, constitute a true and correct 14 transcription of my shorthand report of said proceedings and 15 evidence. 16 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand 17 in the City of Tampa, County of Hillsborough, State of Florida, 18 this 29th day of November, 2012. 19 20 CLAUDIA SPANGLER-FRY, Official Court Reporter 21 22 23 24 25 BY: /s/ CLAUDIA SPANGLER-FRY