Cyrousi v. Kashyap

386 F. Supp. 3d 1278
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedJune 27, 2019
DocketCase No. CV 17-5467 PSG (RAOx)
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 386 F. Supp. 3d 1278 (Cyrousi v. Kashyap) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cyrousi v. Kashyap, 386 F. Supp. 3d 1278 (C.D. Cal. 2019).

Opinion

The Honorable Philip S. Gutierrez, United States District Judge

Before the Court are a motion for summary judgment or, in the alternative, for partial summary judgment filed by Defendants Vinod Kashyap and Shalini Kashyap ("Defendants"), see Dkt. # 80 ("Defs. Mot. "), and a motion for summary judgment filed by Plaintiff Pedram Cyrousi ("Plaintiff" or "Cyrousi"), see Dkt. # 81 ("Pl. Mot. "). Both sides have filed oppositions and replies. See Dkts. # 97 ("Pl. Opp. "), # 95 ("Defs. Opp. "), # 119 ("Defs. Reply "), # 117 ("Pl. Reply "). The Court finds the matter appropriate for decision without oral argument. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 78 ; L.R. 7-15. Having considered the moving papers, the Court GRANTS in part and DENIES in part both motions.

I. Background 1

In this action, Plaintiff claims that his former wife, Defendant Shalini Kashyap ("Shalini"), and father-in-law, Defendant Vinod Kashyap ("Vinod"), have breached their obligations under the Form I-864 Affidavit of Support they signed as part of Plaintiff's immigration process.

A. Factual Background

Cyrousi, a citizen of Iran and Germany, married Shalini Kashyap, a United States citizen, on November 21, 2006. See Defendants' Statement of Uncontroverted Facts , Dkt. # 80-1 ("Defs. SUF "), ¶ 7; Complaint , Dkt. # 1 ("Compl. "), ¶¶ 6, 8. Thereafter, on or about February 15, 2008, Shalini petitioned for Cyrousi to immigrate to the United States. Defs. SUF ¶ 6. As a precondition to approval of Cyrousi's application, he needed a sponsor who would sign the Form I-864 Affidavit of Support ("I-864 Affidavit"), agreeing to support him at 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Id. Because Shalini did not meet the statutory income requirements to serve as a *1281sponsor by herself, her father Vinod agreed to serve as a joint sponsor. Id. Cyrousi's I-864 Affidavit was signed by Shalini and Vinod in December 2006. Id. ¶ 8. On February 15, 2008, Cyrousi was granted conditional status as a lawful permanent resident ("LPR") via a marriage-based visa. Defendants' Statement of Genuine Disputes of Material Facts , Dkt. # 95-1 ("Defs. SGF "), ¶ 10.

Sometime in late 2009 or early 2010, Cyrousi and Shalini separated. Defs. SGF ¶ 11; see also Declaration of Anya Goldstein , Dkt. # 95-4 ("Goldstein Decl. "), Ex. K. ("Pl. USCIS Affidavit "), at 1. Cyrousi and Shalini signed a document entitled "Marital Settlement Agreement" in late 2010. Defs. SUF ¶ 9.

The Marital Settlement Agreement states that "the parties intend this Agreement to be a final and complete settlement of all of their rights and obligations as between them, including property rights and property claims, and the right of either Wife or Husband to spousal support." See Declaration of Shalini Kashyap , Dkt. # 80-3, Ex. A ("Marital Settlement ") at 4. The Defendants' I-864 obligation is not specifically mentioned in the agreement, nor is Plaintiff's immigration status. Plaintiff's Statement of Uncontroverted Facts , Dkt. # 85 ("Pl. SUF "), ¶¶ 25-26.

On November 19, 2010, the judgment of dissolution was filed, finalizing Cyrousi and Shalini's divorce. Id. ¶ 12; Defs. SUF ¶ 26. Cyrousi was subsequently married to his second wife Yolanda Foxx from April 2011 to July 2014, though they separated "mere months after their marriage." See Goldstein Decl. , Ex. Q, 3:10-12. Cyrousi married his current wife, Patricia Goodluck, on July 1, 2015. Defendants' Reply to Plaintiff's Statement of Genuine Disputes of Fact , Dkt. # 119-1 ("Reply to Pl. SUF "), ¶ 35.

B. Procedural Background

On July 24, 2017, Plaintiff filed suit in this Court against Defendants, alleging breach of contract. See generally Compl. He alleges that Defendants have failed to provide him with financial support as the I-864 Affidavit requires. See id.

Shalini now moves for summary judgment on the grounds that Cyrousi settled his claim for I-864 support against Shalini through the Marital Settlement Agreement. Further, both Shalini and Vinod move for partial summary judgment on the grounds (1) that Cyrousi cannot prove any breach of I-864 obligations for years 2009, 2012, and 2013; and (2) that their I-864 support obligations terminated in January 2018. See generally Defs. Mot.

Cyrousi moves for summary judgment awarding him $84,977.18 in arrears plus interest and an order for continued support by Defendants under the I-864 Affidavit. See generally Pl. Mot.

II. Legal Standard

A. Summary Judgment

"A party may move for summary judgment, identifying each claim or defense-or the part of each claim or defense-on which summary judgment is sought. 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." Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a).

A party seeking summary judgment bears the initial burden of informing the court of the basis for its motion and identifying those portions of the pleadings and discovery responses that demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. See Celotex Corp. v. Catrett , 477 U.S. 317, 323, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). If the nonmoving party will have the burden of proof at trial, the movant can prevail *1282by pointing out that there is an absence of evidence to support the moving party's case. See id. If the moving party meets its initial burden, the nonmoving party must set forth, by affidavit or as otherwise provided in Rule 56, "specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial." Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc. , 477 U.S. 242, 248, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
386 F. Supp. 3d 1278, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cyrousi-v-kashyap-cacd-2019.