DISCOVER BANK v. GREENWOOD HOUSE HOME FOR THE JEWISH AGED

District Court, D. New Jersey·Decided May 29, 2020·No. 3:18-cv-16020·Unknown

Opinion

NOT FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF NEW JERSEY

DISCOVER BANK, Plaintiff, Civil Action No. 18-16020 (MAS) (TJB) v. MEMORANDUM OPINION GREENWOOD HOUSE HOME FOR THE JEWISH AGED, et al, Defendants.

This matter comes before the Court upon review of its docket. On November 9. 2018, Plaintiff Discover Bank (“Discover” or “Plaintiff’) filed a Verified Complaint for Interpleader (the “Complaint’) against Defendants Greenwood House Home for the Jewish Aged t/a Abrams Residence (“Greenwood”); First Bank;! Leslie J. Shayne (“Shayne”), appearing pro se; Charlotte Shayne (“Charlotte Shayne’); and Sondra Lampi (“Lampl™) (collectively, Defendants”). (Compl., ECF No. 1.) I. BACKGROUND’ A, Factual Background On or about October 2, 2018, Discover received correspondence (the “Greenwood Correspondence”) from Greenwood’s counsel directing it to “comply with the enclosed [o]rder

' On November 26. 2018, Defendant First Bank was voluntarily dismissed by Discover and terminated from the above-captioned matter. (ECF No. 9.) * The factual and procedural histories of this matter are well known to the parties and the Court. The Court. therefore, only recounts the details necessary to resolve the newly reinstated motions.

and not permit the funds in the enclosed [Discover] account [owned by Shayne] to be disbursed[,]” other than to the firm’s trust account. (Compl. J 12; Certification of David G. Murphy (“Murphy Certification”) *7°, ECF No. 1-3.) Included with the Greenwood Correspondence were copies of two orders: (1) a September 14, 2018 order from the Superior Court of New Jersey. Chancery Division—General Equity, for Mercer County, in the matter captioned Greenwood House Home for the Jewish Aged t'a Abrams Residence v. Charlotte Shayne, et al., consolidated docket numbers MER-C-69-17 and MER-L-000290-17 (Compl. § 13; Murphy Certification *8—10); and (2) an August 14, 2018 order from the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division—Probate Part, for Mercer County, in the matter captioned /n the Matter of Charlotte Shayne, an Alleged {ncapacitated Person, docket number 18-00597 (Compl. § 13; Murphy Certification *15-19). Also included with the Greenwood Correspondence was a copy of an account statement for a Discover account belonging to Shayne “reflecting deposits, withdrawals, and transfers among multiple accounts . . . with many transactions identified with a hand-written asterisk.” (Compl. § 14; Murphy Certification *11-14.) Based on the Greenwood Correspondence and attached orders, Discover concluded that “it appear[ed] that funds belonging to Charlotte Shayne were deposited with and transferred to [Shayne].” (Compl. § 15.) Thereafter, Discover froze all Discover accounts belonging to Shayne. (/d. 4 16.) On or about October 18, 2018, Discover received correspondence from Shayne (the “Shayne Correspondence”) demanding that Discover immediately unfreeze and release the funds.

3 The Court notes that although the Murphy Certification states that various documents have been attached and labeled as exhibits, Exhibit 1 is the only attachment that has been clearly labeled. Although blank pages are interspersed between subsequent documents, these documents lack a clear label identifying them. For clarity, the Court. therefore, will refer to the page number in the ECF header and denotes such reference with an asterisk. All future references to the page number in the ECF header are similarly denoted with an asterisk.

(Compl. { 17; Murphy Certification *25.) Included with the Shayne Correspondence were copies of two orders: (1) a July 28, 2017 order from South Carolina Probate Court, Oconee County, in the matter captioned Leslie Jay Shayne a/k/a Les Shayne. Petitioner. In the Matter of Charlotte Shayne, an fa]lleged incapacitated person, docket number 2017:GC-37-00-003 and 004 and titled “Final Order Appointing Leslie Jay Shayne a/k/a Les Shayne Guardian And Conservator Over Charlotte Shayne, An Incapacitated Person” (Compl. § 18; Murphy Certification *30-40); and (2) an October 17, 2018 order from South Carolina Probate Court, Oconee County, in the matter captioned /n re: Leslie Jay Shayne, also with the docket number 2017:GC-37-00-003 and 004 (the “South Carolina Probate Order”) (Compl. § 18; Murphy Certification *26-29). The South Carolina Probate Order stated that Discover was to “immediately release the freeze on [Shayne’s] accounts

and that [Shayne] either be wired or be sent cash or an equivalent for all the funds” that had been frozen. (Murphy Certification *29.) The South Carolina Probate Order also noted that “[flailure to do so will result in [Discover] being subject to [c]ontempt of [cJourt sanctions.” (/d.} On November 6, 2018, Shayne sent Discover correspondence that included a copy of a court order from South Carolina Probate Court, Oconee County, holding Discover in contempt of court. (Compl. 19.) On November 9, 2018, Discover filed the underlying interpleader action. □□□□ 20.) B. Procedural Background Plaintiff seeks to interplead “at least $68,911.75, which is currently held in bank accounts with Discover in the name of Leslie J. Shayne” (the “Discover Accounts”). (/d@. § 10.) On January 28. 2019, the Honorable Chief Judge Freda L. Wolfson. U.S.D.J.. enjoined Defendants “from instituting or prosecuting legal proceedings in state or federal courts affecting. involving, or

any way relating to the Discover [A]ccounts.” (Jan. 28, 2019 Order § 1, ECF No. 36.) Motion practice ensued. On September 26, 2019, Judge Wolfson entered an order that terminated all motions (the “Terminated Motions”) pending a status conference and hearing on October 21,2019. (Sept. 26, 2019 Text Order, ECF No. 137.) The Terminated Motions include: (1) Greenwood’s Cross-Motion for Limited Relief from the January 28, 2019 Order (ECF No. 43); (2) Shayne’s Motion to Strike (ECF No. 51); (3) Shayne’s Cross-Motion to Lift the Freeze on Personal Funds (ECF No. 54); (4) Shayne’s Motion to Deny and Dismiss Greenwood’s Cross-Motion (ECF No. 59); (5) Shayne’s Motion for Summary Judgment and Cross-Motion to Strike (ECF No. 70); (6) Shayne’s Emergent Motion to Dismiss (ECF No. 75); (7) Shayne’s Motion to Dismiss for Lack of Jurisdiction (ECF No. 101); (8) Shayne’s Motion for Payment of Accounting Fees? (ECF No. 120); and (9) Shayne’s “Motion for Reconsideration of Judge Wolfson’s Order Denying [Shayne’s] Motion to Recuse”? (ECF No. 132). The September 26, 2019 Order also required the parties “to abstain from filing any additional motions or requests without leave of [the CJourt.” (Sept. 26, 2019 Text Order.) On October 21, 2019, following the status conference, Judge Wolfson sua sponte recused herself from the matter and directed the Clerk of the Court to re-assign the case. (Oct. 21. 2019 Order 2, ECF No. 140.) On October 22, 2019, this matter was reassigned to the Undersigned. Notwithstanding the Court's September 26. 2019 Order, without seeking leave of the Court, on December 2, 2019 Shayne filed an Emergent Motion for Return of Monies and for Summary

+ This motion was incorrectly docketed as “Motion for Discovery.” (See ECF No. 120.) > On October 21, 2019. Judge Wolfson reinstated and denied this motion. (See Oct. 21. 2019 Order, ECF No. 140.)

Judgment. (ECF No. 144.) On December 3, 2019, Discover requested the Court to strike Shayne’s motion for violating the Court’s September 26, 2019 Order. (ECF No. 145.) On December 6, 2019, Greenwood e-filed correspondence joining Discover’s request. (ECF No. 146.) On December 30, 2019, Shayne e-filed correspondence addressing both filings. (ECF No.

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