Cruz v. Yo

Superior Court of Guam·Decided August 10, 2023·No. CV0638-21·Unknown

Opinion

2023 AUG I O PM I: 34

CLERi{ OF COUfff

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF GUAM BY:~·---

CIVIL CASE NO: CV0638-21

JOSEPH CRUZ and AILEEM CRUZ,

Plaintiffs,

DECISION AND ORDER

vs. DENYING PLAINTIFFS' MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

FRANK SIK YO, YUKO YO, and JESSICA YO,

Defendants.

This matter came before the Honorable Dana A. Gutierrez on Plaintiffs' Joseph Cruz ("Joseph") and Aileem Cruz ("Aileem") (collectively, the "Cruzes") Motion for Summary Judgment; Memorandum of Points and Authorities; Exhibits A-U ("Motion for Summary Judgment) filed September 2, 2022. On February 21, 2023, a Motion Hearing for the Cruzes' Motion for Summary Judgment was held. 1 On March 24, 2023, the parties submitted further briefing. Upon review of the parties' further briefings, the Court took the matter under advisement on May 11, 2023. Upon review of the arguments and applicable law, the Court hereby DENIES the Cruzes' Motion for Summary Judgment on their quiet title claim.

BACKGROUND

On August 20, 2021, the Cruzes filed a Complaint for Declaratory Judgment, or in the Alternative, to Quiet Title (the "Complaint") with regard to real property described as Lot 155, Unit 2, Tract 317, located at #119 Cherry Blossom Lane, Latte Heights, Mangilao, Guam (the

1 Present at thehearing were the Cruzes with counsel Attorney Geri Diaz and Defendant Yuko and Jessica Yo's counsel Attorney William Gavras.

CV0638-2 I; Joseph Cruz and Aileem Cruz v. Frank Sik Yo, Yuko Yo and Jessica Yo

"Property"). 2 On October 27, 2021, Defendants Yuko Yo ("Yuko") and Jessica Yo ("Jessica") filed an Answer to the Complaint ("Answer"). On October 29, 2021 the Cruzes filed a Request for Entry of Default, requesting that the Court enter default against Yuko and Jessica and Defendant Frank Sik Yo ("Frank") for their alleged failure to plead or respond to the Complaint.

At the March I, 2022 Scheduling Conference, there was discussion regarding Yuko and Jessica's Answer and the Cruzes' subsequent Request for Entry of Default, and the parties requested time to brief the issue of whether default should be entered against any parties. Min. Entry, at 9:23:56-9:26:49 AM (March 1, 2022). On March 17, 2022, the Cruzes filed a Stipulation of Parties for Enlargement of Time to File Plaintiff's Motion in Support of the Request for Entry of Default. On April 20, 2022 the Cruzes filed an Amended· Request for Entry of Default, stating that the Cruzes wanted to "proceed on the merits of the claims" against Yuko and Jessica and only sought an entry of default against Frank. Am. Req. for Entry of Default, at 1-2 (April, 20, 2023). On April 21, 2022, the Clerk of Court entered default against Frank. Entry of Default, at I (April 21, 2023).

On September 2, 2022, the Cruzes filed the Motion for Summary Judgment, seeking summary judgment on their quiet title claim as bona fide purchasers, and filed Affidavits in support from Joseph, Aileem, Attorney Geri Diaz, and Jenna Sablan, a Title Operations Manager at Title Guaranty of Guam. Mot. for Summ. J., at 1.

2 The entire property description listed in the Complaint is:

Lot 155, Unit 2, Tract 317 (Formerly Lot 5353-1), Municipality of Mangilao (Formerly of Barrigada), Territory of Guam, Suburban, as said Lot is marked and designed on Drawing Number 3269-2A, as LM. Check Number 145 FY 75, as described in that Subdivision Survey Map, dated May 20, 1975 and recorded May 2, 1975, at the Records Division, Department of Land Management, Government of Guam, under document number 256446.

Area 6,825 +/- square feet.

Complaint, at 2.

CV0638-2 l; Joseph Cruz and Aileem Cruz v. Frank Sik Yo, Yuko Yo and Jessica Yo

On September 29, 2022, Defendants filed an Opposition to Plaintiff's Motion for Summary Judgment (the "Opposition"). On October 21, 2022, the Cruzes filed a Reply to Defendant's Opposition (the "Reply"). On December 1, 2022, Yuko and Jessica filed a Declaration of Counsel Pursuant to Rule 56(d)(2) and (3) and/or Rule 56(e)(l) ("Declaration of Attorney Gavras").

On February 21, 2023, a Motion Hearing was held. At the hearing, the parties presented oral arguments including the possible effect of the March 22, 2021 Decision and Order (the "March 22, 2021 D&O") in Superior Court Domestic Case No. DM0659-18 ("DM0659-18") on the proceedings. Min. Entry, at 10:14:37-10:38:18 AM (February 21, 2023). When the Court inquired whether the Cruzes intended to file anything in DM0659-l 8, Attorney Diaz replied that they were not intending to because the Cruzes believed that bringing this new action "was a more effective way to preserve [the Cruzes'] rights." Min. Entry, at 10:18:43-10:20:10 AM (February 21, 2023).

At the end of the Motion Hearing, the Court ordered further briefing with regard to: (1)

the status of the filing of the March 22, 2021 D&O with the Guam Department of Land Management, (2) whether the March 22, 2021 D&O's cancellation of the Cruzes' deed to the Property raises a genuine issue of material fact in this matter, (3) the Court's ability to review another trial court's March 22, 2021 D&O, and (4) whether the Cruzes have the ability to motion the trial court for reconsideration of its March 22, 2021 D&O and how such reconsideration would affect this case. See Min. Entry, at 10:47:43-10:52:23 AM (February 21, 2023); Order for Further Briefing, at 2 (Feb. 22, 2023).

On March 24, 2023, the Cruzes filed Plaintiff Joseph Cruz and Aileem Cruz's Further Briefing ("Cruzes' Further Briefing") and an Affidavit of Geri E. Diaz in support of the Cruzes'

CV0638-21; Joseph Cruz and Aileem Cruz v. Frank Sik Yo, Yuko Yo and Jessica Yo

Further Briefing. In addition, on March 24, 2023, Yuko and Jessica filed a Plaintiffs Response to Court's Order on Further Briefing ("Yos' Further Briefing"). 3 Upon review of the parties' further briefings, the Court took the matter under advisement and now issues this Decision and Order.

DISCUSSION

The issue before the Court is whether to grant the Cruzes' Motion for Summary Judgment to quiet title on the basis of bona fide purchaser status or whether the March 22, 2021 D&O in DM0659-18 prevents summary judgment of their claim. I. Standard for Summary Judgment The Court shall grant summary judgment "if the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law." Guam R. Civ. P. ("GRCP") Rule 56(a). "A genuine issue of material fact exists when there is sufficient evidence to establish a factual dispute that must be resolved by a fact-finder." Camacho v. Perez, 2017 Guam 16 ,r 12 (citing Iizuka Corp. v. Kawasho Int'! (Guam), Inc., 1997 Guam 10 ,r 7). "A material fact is one that is relevant to an element of a claim or defense and whose existence might affect the outcome of the suit .... Disputes over irrelevant or unnecessary facts will not preclude a grant of summary judgment." Gov'l of Guam v. Gutierrez, 2015 Guam 8 ,r 26 (citing Gayle v. Hemlani, 2000 Guam 25 ,r 20) (quotations omitted).

When reviewing a motion for summary judgment, "[theJ court must draw inferences and view the evidence in a light most favorable to the non-moving party." Id. "A movant bears the initial burden to show that undisputed facts in the record support a prima facie entitlement to the relief requested." Hawaiian Rock Products Corp. v. Ocean Haus., Inc., 2016 Guam 4 ,r 27. "If such a showing is made, however, the non-movant may not simply deny the allegations to create 3 While the caption for Yuko and Jessica's filing is titled "Plaintiffs'," the Court notes that Yuko and Jessica are two of the defendants in this matter.

CV0638-2 I; Joseph Cruz and Aileem Cruz v. Frank Sik Yo, Yuko Yo and Jessi co Yo

a factual dispute, but is obligated to set forth specific facts showing there is a genuine issue for trial." Id.; see Bank of Guam v. Flores, 2004 Guam 25 ,r 7 (finding that the non-movant must "produce at least some significant probative evidence to support the pleadings").

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