Agrifina Corpuz Quiane v. West Physicians Associates, LLC, et al.

CourtDistrict Court, D. Hawaii
DecidedJanuary 26, 2026
Docket1:25-cv-00490
StatusUnknown

This text of Agrifina Corpuz Quiane v. West Physicians Associates, LLC, et al. (Agrifina Corpuz Quiane v. West Physicians Associates, LLC, et al.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Hawaii primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Agrifina Corpuz Quiane v. West Physicians Associates, LLC, et al., (D. Haw. 2026).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF HAWAI‘I

AGRIFINA CORPUZ QUIANE, Case No. 25-cv-00490-DKW-KJM

ORDER (1) GRANTING IN PART Plaintiff, AND DENYING IN PART WITHOUT PREJUDICE DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO v. DISMISS; (2) DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTIONS FOR TEMPORARY RESTRAINING WEST PHYSICIANS ASSOCIATES, ORDER; (3) DENYING LLC, et al., PLAINTIFF’S MOTIONS TO COMPEL ARBITRATION; AND (4) DISMISSING CASE WITHOUT Defendants. LEAVE TO AMEND

In an unconcealed effort to enjoin at least two legal proceedings in State court after receiving rulings with which she evidently did not agree, Plaintiff Agrifina Quiane asserts various claims against Defendants West Physicians Associates, LLC (WPA) and its members, alleging legal errors on the part of multiple State judges and seeking relief from the “final judgment” of those courts. Defendants move to dismiss this lawsuit, arguing that the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction for numerous reasons, including the Rooker-Feldman doctrine.1

Upon review of the parties’ briefing and the record generally, and as more fully set forth herein, the Court agrees with Defendants that the Rooker-Feldman doctrine applies and this case must be dismissed in its entirety due to a lack of

subject matter jurisdiction. The Court also agrees that Quiane has failed to allege federal question jurisdiction in this case. Further, dismissal is without leave to amend because Quiane’s transparency regarding the relief she seeks and the alleged errors made by the various state courts makes plain that amendment would

be futile. In the motion to dismiss, Defendants also seek attorney’s fees and costs incurred during this case. Local Rule 54.2 prescribes a specific procedure for

when and how a party seeks attorney’s fees and/or nontaxable costs. Because Defendants must follow that procedure, and do not appear to have done so to-date, their request for fees and costs is DENIED WITHOUT PREJUDICE, in part because it is premature.

1Rooker v. Fid. Trust Co., 263 U.S. 413 (1923); Dist. of Columbia Court of Appeals v. Feldman, 460 U.S. 462 (1983). 2 For these reasons, as more fully explained below, the motion to dismiss, Dkt. No. 39, is GRANTED IN PART and DENIED IN PART WITHOUT

PREJUDICE. Quiane’s motions for temporary restraining order and motions to compel arbitration, Dkt. Nos. 2, 11-12, 56, are DENIED for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.

BACKGROUND On November 20, 2025, Quiane initiated this action with the filing of a Complaint against WPA and a motion for temporary restraining order (“first TRO motion”), seeking, among other things, a “stay” of all State court actions between

Quiane and WPA. Dkt. No.1 at 6; Dkt. No. 2 at 5.2 A day later, on November 21, the Court advised that no action would be taken on the first TRO motion until proof of service of, or an appearance from, WPA was docketed. Dkt. No. 10. On

the same day, Quiane filed a motion to compel WPA to arbitrate disputes between the two that were allegedly litigated in State court (“first motion to compel”). Dkt. No. 11. On November 25, 2025, Quiane filed a second motion for temporary restraining order (“second TRO motion”), Dkt. No. 12, seeking, among other

things, to enjoin WPA from enforcing any order or judgment of the State courts of

2In citing the first TRO motion, the Court uses the page numbers assigned in the top-right corner of the same, e.g., “Page 5 of 13”. 3 Hawai‘i. Dkt. No. 12. The Court denied the second TRO motion to the extent it sought relief without notice to WPA, again advising that no action would be taken

until either service on or an appearance from WPA was docketed. Dkt. No. 14. A few weeks later, on December 11, 2025, Quiane filed a First Amended Complaint (FAC) against WPA, Antonio Cordero, Ray Romero, Alfred Ines,

Benjamin Gozun, and Marcus Realty (collectively, Defendants). Dkt. No. 26.3 The FAC alleges as follows: Quiane is a licensed physician and co-founder of WPA, which operates a medical practice on the Island of O‘ahu, Hawai‘i. Id. at 5.4 Quiane is also a party to a “WPA Operating Agreement”, which includes an

arbitration clause providing, in part, that “[a]ny controversy arising out of or relating to the operations of the Company or the conduct of its Members shall be resolved by binding arbitration.” Id. (quotation marks omitted). Around April

2024, Quiane received notice of an “internal dispute” with WPA “warranting [her] expulsion” from the practice. At some unalleged time, this “dispute” resulted in WPA filing a “lawsuit” in State court. Id. In April 2025, Quiane “invoked” the

3The Court notes that, although Cordero, Romero, Ines, and Gozun are listed in the caption of the FAC, Dkt. No. 26 at 1, they are not named in the “Parties” section therein, see id. at 4-5. Because the parties appear to do so, however, the Court liberally construes the FAC and presumes Quiane’s intent to name the above individuals as Defendants in this case. 4Because the paragraphs of the FAC are not consecutively numbered, the Court cites to the relevant page numbers of the same. 4 arbitration clause of the WPA Operating Agreement. Id.; Dkt. No. 43 at 3.5 In April and June 2025, Quiane filed “ a responsive pleading” in State court

“asserting arbitration as a jurisdictional bar….” Dkt. No. 26 at 5-6; Dkt. No. 43 at 3. The State court, however, “refused to stay the proceedings or enforce the arbitration clause” and allegedly provided “no findings of fact or legal reasoning

for denying arbitration.” Dkt. No. 26 at 6. Between July and August 2025, Quiane filed further “motions seeking to stay proceedings” in State court and to compel arbitration. Id.; Dkt. No. 43 at 3. The State court denied these requests in August 2025, again allegedly “without addressing arbitrability or issuing

findings….” Dkt. No. 26 at 6; Dkt. No. 43 at 3. Quiane continued to file motions to “compel arbitration” and “stay proceedings” before state judges, which were “denied or disregarded by the trial court….” Dkt. No. 26 at 6. The State court

then “proceeded to enter judgment on the merits without determining arbitrability….” Id. In or about September 2025, the State court also “entered judgment expelling [Quiane from WPA] and ordering a writ of possession.” Id. at 7; Dkt. No. 43 at 4. Quiane appealed, but WPA “execute[d] the judgment,

5In the FAC, it is alleged that this invocation took place in May 2024. Dkt. No. 26 at 5. However, in a subsequently filed motion to “correct the record”, Quiane “clarif[ied]” that she invoked the arbitration clause in April 2025, Dkt. No. 43 at 3. The Court, therefore, accepts Quiane’s “clarif[ication]” of her allegations and GRANTS her clarification motion, Dkt. No. 43, to that limited extent. In all other respects, the motion is DENIED. 5 resulting in an eviction and denial of access to protected health records….” Dkt. No. 26 at 7. In addition, the State trial and appellate courts “failed in their

obligations to uphold constitutional, statutory, and contractual trust duties.” Id. at 9. The following claims are raised and relief sought in the FAC. First, to

compel arbitration under the WPA Operating Agreement and the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). Id. at 11. Second, declaratory relief under the Declaratory Judgment Act (DJA) with respect to the enforceability of the WPA Operating Agreement’s arbitration clause and whether “WPA may continue to

pursue judicial remedies on [the parties’] disputes instead of arbitrating.” Id. at 12. Third, injunctive relief under the FAA “[s]taying” WPA’s claims in State court and enjoining WPA from enforcing any judgment of the State court. Id.

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