ALLISON CLAIRE, Magistrate Judge.
Counter-plaintiff Sierra Railroad Company has filed this motion to compel post-judgment discovery against counter-defendant Patriot Rail LLC (a/k/a Pacific Rail LLC). Although the discovery is propounded only to Patriot Rail LLC, it requests information about "Patriot Companies," which are defined as "Patriot Rail Holdings LLC," "Patriot Equity, LLC," and "Patriot Rail Corp.," as well as Patriot Rail LLC itself.
This litigation arises out of a dispute between Patriot Rail Corp. and Sierra Railroad Co. ("Sierra"). Sierra had a contract with McClellan Business Park. During the term of that contract, Patriot Rail Corp. and Sierra entered into negotiations for Patriot to acquire Sierra.
Sierra sued "Patriot Rail LLC" on March 14, 2008, alleging, among other things, misappropriation of trade secrets.
"Patriot Rail Corp." then sued Sierra on December 31, 2008, alleging, among other things, breach of contract. ECF No. 3. On February 17, 2009, Sierra countersued against Patriot Rail LLC, Patriot Rail Corp. and Larry Coe, alleging, among other things, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, misappropriation of trade secrets, and breach of a 2005 Non-Disclosure Agreement. ECF Nos. 12 (first Amended Counterclaim), 65 (repeated first Amended Counterclaim in answering First Amended Complaint). Sierra also named "Patriot Rail Holdings LLC" and "Patriot Equity LLC" as counter-defendants — these are two of the "Patriot Companies" Sierra now seeks information about — but did not serve them.
On March 15, 2013, four years after filing suit, Sierra filed a motion to serve Patriot Holdings LLC and Patriot Equity LLC. ECF No. 266. Judge Nunley denied Sierra's tardy motion to serve these defendants, and thereupon dismissed them, without prejudice. ECF No. 298.
Sierra's March 15, 2013 motion also sought to add three new counter-defendants, "Pacific Rail LLC," "Patriot Funding LLC" and "Pacific Rail Holdings LLC." ECF No. 266. Sierra argued that these new counter-defendants were needed because Patriot was using them in an effort to defeat any judgment Sierra might obtain. Judge Nunley denied this motion without prejudice, stating:
Furthermore, there is no evidence to support Sierra's allegation that
ECF No. 298 at 16. However, it was established that Patriot Rail LLC and Pacific Rail LLC are the same entity.
On July 22, 2013, Sierra filed its Second Amended Counterclaim against Patriot Rail LLC, Patriot Rail Corp. and Larry Coe. ECF No. 299. This counterclaim identified Patriot Rail Holdings LLC and Patriot Equity LLC, as "Nonpart[ies]."
The trial began on March 10, 2014, on Patriot Rail Corp.'s First Amended Complaint (ECF No. 61), and Sierra's Second Amended Counterclaim (ECF No. 299). The claims against Coe were dismissed by stipulation. ECF No. 440.
On March 28, 2014 and May 1, 2014, the jury returned verdicts for Sierra and against Patriot Rail Corp. and Patriot Rail LLC. On October 31, 2014, Judge Nunley entered judgments in favor of Sierra (1) against Patriot Rail Corp. and Patriot Rail LLC, jointly and severally, for $22.282 million,
Accordingly, Patriot Rail LLC — the respondent here — was rendered liable, singly or jointly, for $23.482 million in judgments. However, as discussed below, as the result of at least $98 million in transfers and distributions it made during the course of the litigation, Patriot Rail LLC rendered itself judgment-proof, with only $1.3 million in remaining assets. Sierra has filed this motion to compel Patriot Rail LLC to produce information showing what happened to those assets.
On July 6, 2015, Sierra filed a motion before Judge Nunley, seeking to amend the judgment to add the following as judgment debtors: Gary Marino, Patriot Rail Holdings LLC a/k/a Pacific Rail Holdings LLC ("Patriot Rail Holdings LLC"), and Patriot Equity LLC. Sierra asserts that Marino and Patriot Rail Holdings LLC diverted $115 million in assets from the counter-defendants to defeat Sierra's judgment. ECF Nos. 581, 692. That motion is pending.
On August 7, 2015, counter-defendant Patriot Rail LLC appealed the judgment. ECF No. 607 (amended ECF No. 654).
On September 24, 2015, Sierra served 40 post-judgment document requests, and 25 post-judgment interrogatories, on Patriot Rail LLC. See ECF No. 704-4 at 3-36 (requests and amended objections and responses), 38-76 (requests and amended objections and responses).
Patriot generally objected that the requests and interrogatories: (1) do not relate to "the location of assets available [now] to satisfy the judgment;" (2) relate to the distribution of assets made "prior to the judgments at issue" and are therefore irrelevant; (3) relate to "separate corporate entities over which Pacific does not have, and has not had, control;" and (4) (the requests only) seek "irrelevant evidence as all liability for the litigation transferred to Patriot Rail Company, LLC, at the time of the sale, as judicially admitted by Sierra in its arguments before the jury in the punitive damages phase."
The parties met and conferred and did not reach agreement.
In connection with the motion to compel, both parties requested that certain exhibits be filed under seal. Sierra moves to seal Exhibits J, L, P, Q and R to the Declaration of Stephanie Albrecht. ECF No. 705. Sierra asserts that there is good cause to seal the exhibits because they "have been designated as subject to the Protective Order [ECF Nos. 21, 190] in this case," and they contain "confidential business and proprietary information the parties and non-party proposed judgment debtors (Gary Marino, Patriot Rail Holdings LLC (n/k/a Pacific Rail Holdings LLC), and Patriot Equity LLC) desire to be protected from public disclosure." ECF No. 705 at 3.
Patriot Rail LLC moves to seal Exhibits B and C to the Declaration of Mary-Olga Lovett. ECF No. 707. Patriot Rail LLC asserts that there is good cause to seal these documents because "they are documents produced with a `Confidential' designation pursuant to the Protective Order on File in this action." ECF No. 707 at 2.
Requests to seal documents in this district are governed by E.D. Cal. R. ("Local Rule") 141. In brief, Local Rule 141 provides that documents may only be sealed by a written order of the court after a specific request to seal has been made. Local Rule 141(a). However, a mere request to seal is not enough under the local rules. In particular, Local Rule 141(b) requires that "[t]he `Request to Seal Documents' shall set forth the statutory or other authority for sealing. . . ."
The court starts "`with a strong presumption in favor of access to court records.'"
A request to seal material must normally meet the high threshold of showing that "compelling reasons" support secrecy.
Here, the parties ask to seal documents related to Sierra's efforts to enforce the judgment. The merits of the case have already been resolved by the jury and the court's entry of judgment. Thus, the discovery sought appears to be only tangentially related to the merits, and therefore, the "good cause" standard applies.
All the documents Sierra requests be sealed are Patriot documents. However, Patriot Rail LLC has not joined in the request to seal the documents, nor has it objected to Sierra's public disclosure of the contents of those exhibits.
Unsurprisingly, neither side convincingly argues that the other side's documents should be sealed, even under the "good cause" standard. Neither side has cited any authority for sealing the subject exhibits.
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 69 provides: "In aid of the judgment or execution, the judgment creditor . . . may obtain discovery from any person — including the judgment debtor — as provided in these rules or by the procedure of the state where the court is located." Fed. R. Civ. P. 69(a)(2). "The discovery contemplated by Rule 69(a) is a distinct phase of the litigation with a narrow focus. It is solely to enforce the judgment by way of the supplemental proceedings."
Generally, the scope of post-judgment discovery is broad. "[T]he judgment creditor must be given the freedom to make a broad inquiry to discover hidden or concealed assets of the judgment debtor."
Patriot argues that the burden or expense of Sierra's requested discovery outweighs its likely benefit. Joint Statement at 25 (citing former Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(2)(C)(iii), now codified at Rule 26(b)(1)). However, it offers no explanation for why such discovery would be burdensome or expensive, nor why any burden or expense outweighs the likely benefit. The latter is the critical question. Moreover, nothing on the face of the discovery shows that it is unwarranted. Sierra seeks information about the financial status of Patriot Rail LLC, which, as discussed below, at some point during the litigation suffered loss or transfer of its assets of at least $98.8 million, leaving it valued at only $1.3 million, and rendering it judgment-proof, according to evidence identified by Sierra.
Patriot argues that Sierra can get its judgment paid by Patriot Rail LLC's co-defendant, Patriot Rail Corp. However, it offers no authority for the proposition that Sierra, the judgment creditor, can enforce its judgment only against Patriot Rail Corp., even though both defendants are jointly and severally liable for the $22.282 million in judgments in favor of Sierra. To the contrary, "joint and several" liability should permit Sierra to choose which of the liable defendants to pursue in enforcing its judgment.
Patriot Rail LLC objects to discovery of asset transfers between Patriot Companies. ECF No. 704 at 26-30.
Patriot Rail LLC argues that discovery cannot be had regarding non-parties unless Sierra has made a sufficient showing of "fraudulent conveyance or alter ego." ECF No. 704 at 27. However, the cases Patriot Rail LLC cites in support of this proposition involve discovery or enforcement efforts directed to non-parties, which is not what is sought here.
Since there is no non-party discovery at issue here, this objection is overruled.
Presumably, Patriot Rail LLC means to argue that Sierra is not entitled to discovery of Patriot Rail LLC's own documents regarding the distribution of its assets to others, because Sierra has made no showing of any reasonable doubt as to the bona fides of the distributions. That is not correct. Sierra offers the deposition testimony of Bennett Marks, who was "Patriot Rail LLC's CFO and designated financial condition witness." ECF No. 522 at 11-21 (TLN Order 10-23-2014).
The total judgment against Patriot Rail LLC is for $23.482 million. However, Sierra identifies evidence that at the time of the trial, the value of Patriot Rail LLC was only $1.3 million.
Patriot objects to allowing discovery to go back to March 14, 2008, the date the first lawsuit commenced, as unduly burdensome or harassing. ECF No. 704 at 30-31. It offers no explanation for why this would be unduly burdensome or harassing. It cites no case that prohibits Rule 69 discovery from going back to the date the litigation commenced, nor does it offer any other more sensible way of determining how far back discovery should go. Instead, it simply argues that the two cases Sierra relies upon do not "address time frames or factual circumstances comparable to what Sierra seeks here." ECF No. 704 at 30.
Both of the two cases discussed by both parties allowed discovery all the way back to the date litigation commenced. See
Patriot Rail LLC says it has no problem allowing discovery going back three years, and cites
Here, Sierra alleges that the events leading to this litigation occurred in 2007. It initially filed suit in 2008, and then filed a counter-suit in 2009. Sierra's discovery requests ask for information about assets and asset transfers occurring during the litigation — that is, from March 14, 2008 (the date of Sierra's initial lawsuit) to the present — that rendered Pacific Rail LLC judgment-proof. On its face, therefore, discovery going back to the beginning of the litigation is warranted.
Having thus offered no reasoning, authority, nor reasoned alternative for how far back to permit discovery, Patriot Rail LLC's objections to discovery extending back to 2008 will be overruled.
Patriot Rail LLC argues that Sierra is requesting documents and interrogatory answers that have already been provided by third parties. ECF No. 704 at 31. It argues that the requests are therefore just harassment, or are intended to create an argument that Patriot Rail LLC has control over those third-parties.
Sierra states that does not require "the production of any documents that were previously produced by other Patriot companies." ECF No. 704 at 21 n.5. Accordingly, to the degree Sierra has already obtained requested documents from other Patriot Companies, the motion to compel their production from Patriot Rail LLC will be denied.
In response to individual document requests, and at oral argument, Patriot Rail LLC argued that it was improper for Sierra to try to compel it to produce documents in the possession of third parties, namely, non-parties Patriot Rail Holdings LLC, Patriot Rail Equity LLC and co-counter-defendant Patriot Rail Corp. Sierra argues that a party may be ordered to produce documents of another entity if it has a "legal right" to obtain the other entity's document, or has "control over the entity who is in possession of the document." ECF No. 704 at 21 (citing
Sierra is correct that it may request the production of documents that are in another party's "possession, custody, or control." Fed. R. Civ. P. 34(a)(1);
Sierra has presented evidence that the Patriot Companies were all somehow involved with each other. For example, Gary Marino is the President, CEO and Chairman of Pacific Rail Holdings and Patriot Rail LLC (a/k/a Pacific Rail LL). ECF No. 704-5 at 15 (Marino Depo. 12-9-2015). Patriot Rail Holdings and Patriot Rail LLC share the same address. ECF No. 704-5 at 23 (Marino Depo. 12-9-2015). Patriot Equity LLC is "domiciled" in Marino's home.
However, Sierra cites no authority for the proposition that by sharing an address or an office or cabinet space, Patriot Rail LLC is clothed with the legal right to obtain documents from Patriot Rail Holdings LLC or Patriot Equity LLC. Even Patriot Rail LLC's ownership of 87.5% of Patriot Rail Holdings LLC does not, by itself, establish that Patriot Rail LLC has the legal right to demand and receive documents from Patriot Rail Holdings LLC. Sierra has not, for example, shown that this level of investment makes Patriot Rail Holdings LLC a "wholly owned subsidiary" of Patriot Rail LLC, which relationship might give Patriot Rail LLC the legal right to compel its subsidiary to produce documents.
Sierra's motion to compel Patriot Rail LLC to produce documents in the possession of other Patriot Companies will therefore be denied.
Patriot interposes the same "control" argument to the interrogatories. However, the objection is inapplicable to interrogatories that ask for Patriot Rail LLC to provide information it has, whether about its own affairs, or about the affairs of others. Patriot Rail LLC offers no explanation of how it would not be in control of information it has. Of course, if that information is subject to a privilege or other protection, Patriot Rail LLC is free to assert that privilege, accompanied by a privilege log that complies with Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(5)(A).
This objection is overruled.
Patriot Rail LLC seemed to argue at the hearing that it would be too burdensome to require it to produce a privilege log. This objection is overruled to the degree it relates to relevant documents or information within Patriot Rail LLC's possession, custody or control.
Patriot Rail LLC's individual Contentions incorporate one or more of the objections which the court is overruling, as discussed above. Accordingly, to the degree these objections form the basis for Patriot Rail LLC to decline to answer an interrogatory, limit the answer to an interrogatory, or decline to produce a requested document or privilege log, it will be ordered to answer or produce the requested information.
Some of Sierra's document requests and some of its interrogatories ask for information dating back to the "inception" of any Patriot company. The relevance of such information is not apparent from the face of the discovery request, and the Sierra has not offered any explanation for it. Accordingly, the motion to compel will be denied to the degree it seeks information pre-dating March 14, 2008, the date Sierra first sued over this matter.
Several of Patriot Rail LLC's objections are based upon lack of "relevance." Sierra has refuted the objection as it relates to documents detailing asset transfers to other Patriot Companies. The relevance of other requests is apparent from their face. For example, Sierra requests information about the executive compensation paid out to Patriot Company executives. On its face, such discovery seeks to learn what happened the assets of Patriot Rail LLC, and Patriot Rail LLC has not explained why it is not relevant or why it is too burdensome.
However, Sierra has not addressed the relevance concern of other requests for which the relevance is not apparent on its face. Accordingly, the motion to compel answers to Interrogatories 8 and 9, regarding which law firms represented Patriot Companies, will be denied.
For the reasons set forth above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Sierra's Motion To Compel (ECF No. 688) is decided as follows:
1. Sierra's Request To Seal Documents (ECF No. 705) is DENIED.
2. Patriot Rail LLC's (a/k/a Pacific Rail LLC) Request To Seal Exhibits (ECF No. 707) is DENIED.
3. Patriot Rail LLC's objection that the discovery or privilege logs sought are unduly burdensome is OVERRULED.
4. Patriot Rail LLC's objections to third-party discovery are OVERRULED, inasmuch as there is no such discovery requested.
5. Patriot Rail LLC's relevancy objections to discovery of asset transfers among Patriot Companies, are OVERRULED.
6. Patriot Rail LLC's objections to discovery going back to March 14, 2008 (on grounds of relevancy, burdensomeness or otherwise), are OVERRULED.
7. Patriot Rail LLC's "control" objections to interrogatories seeking information it possesses, are OVERRULED.
8. Sierra's Motion To Compel documents not in the possession of Patriot Rail LLC is DENIED without prejudice to a showing that Patriot Rail LLC has legal control over the documents.
9. Sierra's Motion To Compel answers to Interrogatories 8 and 9, is DENIED.
10. Sierra's Motion To Compel information already provided by third parties is DENIED.
11. Sierra's Motion To Compel information pre-dating March 14, 2008 is DENIED.
12. Other than as denied or limited above, Sierra's Motion To Compel is GRANTED.