Alutiiq International Solutions, LLC v. OIC Marianas Insurance

149 F. Supp. 3d 1208
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedJanuary 14, 2016
DocketLead Case: 2:10-cv-01189-JAD-VCF; Consolidated with Member Case: 2:11-cv-01104-JAD-VCF
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 149 F. Supp. 3d 1208 (Alutiiq International Solutions, LLC v. OIC Marianas Insurance) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Alutiiq International Solutions, LLC v. OIC Marianas Insurance, 149 F. Supp. 3d 1208 (D. Nev. 2016).

Opinion

Order Adopting Report and Recommendation [208] in Part, Sustaining and Overruling Objections [211, 212] to Report and Recommendation, Granting in Part Motion for Default Judgment [185], and Directing the Entry of Final Judgment

Jennifer A. Dorsey, United States District Court Judge

After four years of well-documented delays and litigation abuses by defendants OIC Marianas Insurance Corporation (“OIC”), Oceania Insurance Corporation, Native American Funds Management (“NAFM”), and their principal Dennis Lyon in these consolidated performance-bond actions, plaintiff Alutiiq International Solutions, Inc. secured defaults against all defendants.1 Alutiiq moves for a default judgment,2. and Magistrate Judge Cam Ferenbach recommends that I grant the motion in part and award Alutiiq $5,582,096.38 against OIC, Lyon, NAFM, and Oceania, which includes treble damages, attorneys fees, costs, previously awarded litigation sanctions, and prejudgment interest.3 Both sides raise various objections to the report and recommendation (“R&R”).

Having thoughtfully considered de novo Magistrate Judge Ferenbach’s findings and recommendations and the parties’ extensive briefing and objections on these issues,' I adopt the magistrate judge’s findings and accept his recommendation in part, sustain some objections and overrule others, and direct the entry of final judgment in Alutiiq’s favor.

Background

This litigation over a performance bond issued by OIC to guaranty NCC Electrical Service’s construction work on the OJO Encino Day School in New Mexico spans three lawsuits,-two of which are consolidated here.4 In these consolidated matters, the project’s prime contractor Alutiiq alleges that OIC (headquartered in Saipan) and its majority shareholder Dennis Lyon and his related entities Oceania and construction-funds controller NAFM engaged in a scheme to defraud and owe Alutiiq more than $1.5 million for the work Alutiiq had to replace after NCC failed to complete its obligations on the project.5

[1211]*1211In the first-filed action (2:10-cv-1189-JAD-VCF, “the OIC case”), Alutiiq sues OIC for recovery on performance bond, fraud, negligent misrepresentation/concealment, and violations of Nevada’s and New Mexico’s laws prohibiting insurers from operating without a certificate of authority.6 In the second-filed action. (2:ll-cv-1104-JAD-VCF, “the Lyon case”), - Alutiiq claims that Dennis Lyon, Ruth Chavez Lyon, Melissa San Martin, and two entities owned by Dennis Lyon — Oceania and NAFM — are liable for the. judgment against OIC .for their role in QIC’s failure to pay. In that complaint, Alutiiq pleads claims for fraud, state and federal RICO violations, civil conspiracy, negligent mis-representátion/concealment, and violating Nevada’s and New Mexico’s laws prohibiting insurers from operating without a certificate of authority, along with eorporate-liability/alter-ego theories.7 Alutiiq prays for treble damages under RICO.

Although U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson initially entered default judgment against OIC and in favor of Alutiiq in the OIC action in -2011,8 that judgment was set aside,9 OIC answered, '10 and the litigation continued for four years until I struck OIC’s answer and entered default against it as a case-dispositive sanction for pervasive discovery abuses.11 In the Lyon case, defaults were entered against NAFM and Oceania for failing to plead or otherwise defend,12 Dennis Lyon’s answer was stricken as a case-dispositive sanction for discovery abuses,13 and the claims against San-Martin were dismissed. 14

With defaults in place against . OIC, Lyon, NAFM, and Oceania, Alutiiq now brings its fifth motion for default judgment 15 against these defendants and moves to ■ voluntarily dismiss its claims against Ruth Chavez Lyon.16 After an evidentiary hearing on the motion17 and reviewing the parties’ briefing and supplemental briefing, Magistrate -Judge Ferenbach issued a 22-page report and recommendation.18 He evaluates the motion under the Eitel v. McCool19 factors and recommends that I voluntarily dismiss the' claims against Ruth Chavez Lyon, award base damages of $1,214,-20.42 against all remaining defendants, jointly and severally (against OIC on its performance-bond ' contract claim in the OIC case, and against the remaining defendants on the RICO claim in the Lyon case); add treble damages of $8,643,561.21 against NAFM, Oceania, and Lyon, plus pre- and post-judgment interest, attor[1212]*1212neys fees, and costs, along with my . previous award of $67,296.29 in litigation sanctions against OIC and Lyon; for a total, final judgment of $5,582,096.38 in favor of Alutiiq.20

Both parties object.21 Alutiiq finds two errors in Magistrate Judge Ferenbach’s award:

1. The magistrate judge’s limitation of its base damages to $1,214,520.42 when Alutiiq proved base damages of $1,562,665. Alutiiq argues that the magistrate judge erroneously believed that Alutiiq only prayed for $1,214,520.42, when it actually prayed for $1,562,665 in the first amended complaint, and Rule 54(c) does not limit its default judgment to $1,214,520.42; and
2. The magistrate judge’s limitation of his review to just two of Alutiiq’s claims deprived Alutiiq of treble or punitive damages and attorneys fees against OIC.22 Alutiiq argues that the magistrate judge erroneously believed that deciding the RICO claim from the Lyon case and the performance-bond claim would afford Alutiiq complete relief23 and, in fact, his failure to address any other claim in the OIC case meant that the treble-damages award was recommended only against Lyon, NAFM, and Oceania.24

Defendants candidly acknowledge they cannot dispute these errors.25 They then offer seven of their own objections: (1) treble damages were not warranted; (2) regardless, the magistrate judge’s math was wrong: he quadrupled — not trebled— the RICO award; (3) the R&R improperly lumps OIC in with the other defendants in the total award even though the magistrate judge made a point not to award treble damages against OIC; (4) the magistrate judge ignored the requested judgment set-offs; (5) the magistrate judge erroneously concluded that evidence regarding work on the project was relevant to liability,. instead of just damages; (6) the attorneys fees and costs award was unreasonable; and (7) prejudgment interest was miscalculated.26 Alutiiq “urges this Court tó reject” categorically these objections, but it offers no substantive response to the claim that the magistrate judge improperly quadrupled — not trebled — the RICO damages.27 I consider each challenged portion of the R&R de novo.

Discussion

When a party files specific written objections to a United States magistrate judge’s findings and recommendations, 28

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
149 F. Supp. 3d 1208, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/alutiiq-international-solutions-llc-v-oic-marianas-insurance-nvd-2016.