H AND L FARMS LLC v. SILICON RANCH CORPORATION

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA COLUMBUS DIVISION

H&L FARMS LLC, SHAUN HARRIS, and * AMIE HARRIS, * Plaintiffs, * vs. * SILICON RANCH CORPORATION, CASE NO. 4:21-CV-134 (CDL) SR LUMPKIN, LLC, INFRASTRUCTURE * AND ENERGY ALTERNATIVES, INC., IEA CONSTRUCTORS, LLC, and WESTWOOD * PROFESSIONAL SERVICES, INC., * Defendants. *

O R D E R Counsel for Defendants Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, Inc. and IEA Constructors, LLC acknowledge that their clients violated the Court’s order of sequestration in the recently completed trial. See Notice ¶ 3 (May 9, 2023), ECF No. 287; accord Effland Aff. ¶¶ 10, 12-13, 15, 20 (acknowledging that IEA/IEAC in-house counsel sent daily trial updates to Chris Hanson, who later testified as a witness for IEA/IEAC). Because the trial has been completed and the jury verdict confirms that the violation caused no prejudice to Plaintiffs, the available remedies for such violation are limited. A civil contempt citation would not be applicable because there is no need to coerce conduct given that the conduct has occurred. See Int’l Union, United Mine Workers of Am. v. Bagwell, 512 U.S. 821, 827 (1994) (explaining that a civil contempt sanction is remedial, designed to compel future compliance with a court order). And the Court does not wish to burden the United States Attorney with a criminal contempt referral given that office’s limited resources and higher priorities. Accordingly, the Court admonishes Matthew S. Effland, in-house counsel for IEA and IEAC, for disobeying the Court’s sequestration

order. IT IS SO ORDERED, this 11th day of May, 2023. S/Clay D. Land CLAY D. LAND U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA