Gov't of Guam v. Core Tech Inter'l Corp.

Superior Court of Guam·Decided August 14, 2023·No. CV1198-18·Unknown

Opinion

r:ILFn I ·-- SU' PER'Qr.i -,\I •\. cntlR" U I ..i

OF GUAM 2023 AUG 14 PH 5: 29 CLERK OF COURT

BY: ~ IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF GUAM - - - " ' - - - -

GOVERNMENT OF GUAM, MICHAEL CIVIL CASE NO. CV1198-18 J.B. BORJA, in his capacity as Director of Land Management, DECISION AND ORDER RE CORE Plaintiff, TECH INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION'S MOTION TO and DISMISS AND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND GUAM GUAM WATERWORKS AUTHORITY, a WATERWORKS AUTHORITY'S Guam Public Corporation, SECOND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT Plaintiff-Intervenor,

vs.

CORE TECH INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, YOUNEX ENTERPRISES CORPORATION,

Defendants.

CORE TECH INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION,

Counterclaim Plaintiff,

GOVERNMENT OF GUAM, MICHAEL J.B. BORJA, in his capacity as Director of Land Management, and GUAM WATERWORKS AUTHORITY, a Guam Public Corporation,

Counterclaim Defendants.

ORIGINAL CVl 198-18 DECISION AND ORDER RE CORE TECH INT'L CORP.'S MOTION TO Page 2 DISMISS AND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND GWA'S SECOND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

The Court here considers two remaining dispositive motions: Core Tech International

Corporation's ("Core Tech") Motion to Dismiss and Motion for Summary Judgment against

Plaintiff-in-Intervention Guam Waterworks Authority ("GWA") and GWA's second Motion for

Summary Judgment against Core Tech. Incorporating its Decision and Order issued on

November 30, 2021, the Court generally determines that any interest in lots at issue here

conveyed by the Government of Guam ("Gov. Guam") to GWA reverted according to the

language of the conveyance document. Moreover, Gov. Guam also conveyed the same property

to third parties, and title to the property eventually ended up in the hands of Core Tech upon

Core Tech's reliance on Certificates of Title issued to Core Tech's predecessor. Core Tech was

entitled to rely upon those Certificates of Title, and therefore its title is protected under Guam's

Land Title Registration law. Finally, the Court determines that the law of the case doctrine does

not preclude the findings made here.

I. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

Gov. Guam commenced this action against Core Tech on December 17, 2018. Gov.

Guam petitioned the Court to cancel and amend certain Certificates of Title issued to Core Tech

and/or Younex Enterprises. On March 25, 2019, GWA moved to intervene, which the appearing

parties did not oppose. GWA filed its Petition to Quiet Title on April 17, 2019.

The Court set a dispositive motion deadline of April 2, 2021. Stip. and Order (Jan. 12,

2021). Four motions were filed on or before that date: (1) Core Tech's Motion for Summary

Judgment against Gov. Guam and the Department of Land Management (DLM), filed on March

31, 2021; (2) Core Tech's Motion to Dismiss and Motion for Summary Judgment against GWA,

filed on April 2, 2021; (3) GWA's Motion for Summary Judgment, filed on April 2, 2021; and

(4) Gov. Guam's Motion for Summary Judgment, filed on April 2, 2021.

ORIGINAL CV! 198-18 DECISION AND ORDER RE CORE TECH INT'L CORP.'S MOTION TO Page 3 DISMISS AND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND GWA'S SECOND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

To streamline its review of the pending motions, the Court opted to consider GWA and

Gov. Guam's dispositive motions first. It disposed of those motions in its November 30, 2021

Decision and Order Re Gov. Guam and GWA's Motions for Summary Judgment and its

September 9, 2022 Decision and Order Denying Core Tech's Motion for Summary Judgment

against Gov. Guam and DLM.

The Court heard Core Tech's motion against GWA on December 17, 2021. Shortly after

that hearing, G WA attempted to bring an interlocutory appeal. After the interlocutory appeal

attempt was denied, 1 the parties engaged in two further rounds of supplemental briefing and a

second oral argument on November 22, 2022. 2 The Court also permitted GWA to present a

second Motion for Summary Judgment concerning its April 17, 2019 Petition to Quiet Title filed

against Core Tech. See Order Granting Mot. Leave to File Summ. J. (Feb. 13, 2023).

The Court now disposes of Core Tech's motion against GWA and GWA's second motion

against Core Tech.

II. UNDISPUTED FACTS ESTABLISHED IN THE COURT'S NOVEMBER 30. 2021 DECISION AND ORDER

The Court restates the following relevant facts that it found to be undisputed in its

November 30, 2021 Decision and Order:

1. In "November 15, 1945, Congress ... enacted the Guam Land Transfer Act, Public Law

1 CVA22-001 (Order (May 27, 2022)). 2 At the request of GWA's new counsel, the Court gave GWA leave to file a supplemental brief, which it filed on August 12, 2022. Core Tech also had an opportunity to respond to GWA's supplemental brief. Then, upon converting Core Tech's motion to dismiss to a motion for summary judgment, the Court permitted the parties to submit further briefs and statements of material facts on the statute of limitations issues. Order Converting Mot. Dismiss to Mot. Summ. J. and Permitting Further Briefing (Dec. 13, 2022). The parties' statements and briefs were filed in January and February 2023.

ORIGINAL CV! 198-18 DECISION AND ORDER RE CORE TECH INT'L CORP.'S MOTION TO Page 4 DISMISS AND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND GWA'S SECOND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

79-225, 59 Stat. 584, authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to transfer lands the military

no longer needed to the Government of Guam." United States v. Gov't of Guam, No. CV

. 17-00113, 2018 WL 6729629, at *3 (D. Guam Dec. 21, 2018).

2. On August 1, 1950, the United States Congress enacted the Organic Act of Guam, which

directed the transfer of"title to all property, real and personal, owned by the United

States and employed by the naval government of Guam in the administration of the civil

affairs of the inhabitants of Guam ... to the Government of Guam within ninety days"

after enactment. 48 U.S.C. § 1421f(a).

3. The Organic Act also provided that any land "not reserved by the President of the United

States within ninety days after" the enactment was to be transferred to the Government of

Guam. Id § 1421f(b).

4. On October 30, 1950, President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 10178, which

indicated that the Naval Government of Guam quitclaimed certain land to the United

States, including the land at issue in this case. Deel. Clark, Ex. A (Apr. 2, 2021)

(Judgment on Declaration of Taking (Jul. 31, 1950)).

5. A Judgment on Declaration of Taking covering the subject land was recorded with the

government as Doc. No. 20991 on August 4, 1950. Id.

6. On May 23, 1980, the United States executed a Grant of Easement on the property, by

which it granted the Government of Guam ("Gov. Guam") "an easement for the

construction, installation, operation, maintenance, repair, and replacement of a sewage

pumping station, force main, outfall, sewer lines and other general utility facilities." Id.,

Ex. E (Grant of Easement, Inst. No. 312261 (May 23, 1980)).

OR!Glr~AL CV! 198-18 DECISION AND ORDER RE CORE TECH INT'L CORP.'S MOTION TO Page 5 DISMISS AND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT AND GWA'S SECOND MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

7. On the same day, the United States also executed a General Purpose Lease, which

granted Gov.

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