Hemlani v. Melwani

CourtSuperior Court of Guam
DecidedDecember 4, 2024
DocketCV1527-13
StatusUnknown

This text of Hemlani v. Melwani (Hemlani v. Melwani) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Superior Court of Guam primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hemlani v. Melwani, (superctguam 2024).

Opinion

202li DEC -4 l"M Li: 55 CLER:'\ Or COURT

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF GUAM

KAMLESH K. HEMLANI, individually and CIVIL CASE NO. CV1527-13 derivatively and in the name of and on behalf of RAD HI PURAN TRUST,

Plaintiff, DECISION AND ORDER RE DEFENDANT'S MOTION FOR vs. SUMMARY JUDGMENT

MANU & ANITA MELWANI, JETHMAL K. MELWANI, ISHWARP HEMLANI, VINOD I. & YOGITA V. HEMLANI, RADHI P. HEMLANI ESTATE, PARAMANAND MELWANI ESTATE, RADHl'S FOUNDATION, RADHI PURAN TRUST, RADHI FAMILY TRUST, PACIFIC RAINBOW, INC., SAFETY 1st SYSTEMS INC., PACIFIC AMERICAN TITLE INSURANCE & ESCROW COMPANY, VASUDEV B. HEMLANI, P.D. HEMLANI FOUNDATION, LTD., CHITRA HEMLANI, SONA HEMLANI, PADI DARYANANI, and DOES 1-95,

Defendants,

This matter came before the Honorable John C. Terlaje on August 23, 2024, for a Hearing

on Defendant Radhi Puran Foundation's ("Defendants") Motion for Declaratory Summary

Judgment against Plaintiff Kamlesh K. Hemlani, individually and derivatively and in the name of

and on behalf ofRadhi Puran Trust ("Plaintiff'). Present was Attorney Thomas M. Tarpley Jr. on

behalf of Plaintiff, and Attorneys Rodney J. Jacob, Louie Yanza, Minakshi Hemlani, and Bill R. DECISION AND ORDER (Defendants' Motions for Summary Judgment) CVJ 527-13,· Kamlesh K. Hemlani v. Manu & Anita Melwani, et al.

Mann on behalf of Defendants. After reviewing the record, relevant law, and arguments from the

parties the Court finds that Defendants successfully proved that there are no genuine issues as to

material facts and that the Defendants are entitled to judgment as a matter of law. The Motion for

Declaratory Summary Judgment is therefore GRANTED.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

1. Plaintiffs claim in this case originated in CV0758-12, where Defendant sought a

declaration of the Court that Radhi Hemlani-settlor and trustee of Radhi Puran Trust-

was incapacitated; Plaintiff also sought the Court remove Radhi Hemlani as trustee and

name Plaintiff as trustee. Verified Compl. (June 25, 2012).

2. On July 10, 2013, Presiding Judge Lamorena issued a decision and order granting

Defendant's Motion to Dismiss and ordering CV0758-12 dismissed. Decision & Order on

Joint Mot. to Dismiss (July 10, 2013).

3. Presiding Judge Lamorena reasoned that Plaintiff did not have standing because Defendant

was still alive and there was no finding of her incompetence. Id.

4. On August 13, 2013, Radhi Hemlani died, making the reasons stated for the dismissal

moot. Suggestion of Death, Ex. A (Aug. 28, 2013).

5. Plaintiff filed a new complaint, which created case no. CV1527-13, and the case was

originally assigned to the Honorable James L. Canto II. Notice of Judge Assignment (Feb.

13, 2014).

6. On July 14, 2015, Judge Canto issued a decision and order granting the Defendants' Motion

to Dismiss and ordering CV1527-13 dismissed. Decision & Order (July 14, 2015).

2 DECISION AND ORDER (Defendants' Motions for Summary Judgment) CVJ 527-13; Kamlesh K. Hemlani v. Manu & Anita Melwani, et al.

7. Plaintiff appealed, and the Supreme Court of Guam reversed Judge Canto's rulings and

remanded the case for further proceedings. Kamlesh K. Hemlani v. Anita & Manu Melwani,

2016 Guam 33.

8. On remand, this case was assigned to Presiding Judge Lamorena. Notice of Judge

Assignment (Nov. 7, 2017).

9. Presiding Judge Lamorena issued a decision and order granting the Defendants' Motions

for Summary Judgment and ordering CV 1527-13 dismissed. Decision & Order (June 18,

2018).

10. Presiding Judge Lamorena reasoned that Plaintiff could not bring a lawsuit on behalf of the

trust because he did not have permission of at least one other co-trustee. Id

11. Additionally, Plaintiff did not have standing to challenge the MOS and the distributions

made therefrom. Id.

12. Plaintiff appealed, and the Supreme Court of Guam affirmed the dismissal for lack of

standing against the named estates or trusts, reversed the dismissal for lack of standing

against the individual defendants, and remanded the case for further proceedings. Kamlesh

K. Hemlani v. Anita & Manu Melwani, 2021 Guam 26.

13. On May 31, 2023, the case was assigned to Judge John C. Terlaje. Notice of Judge

Assignment (May 31, 2023).

14. On June 12, 2023, Plaintiff filed its Request for Scheduling Conference. Pl.'s Req. for

Scheduling Conference (June 12, 2023).

3 DECISION AND ORDER (Defendants' Motions for Summary Judgment) CVJ 527-13; Kamlesh K. Hemlani v. Manu & Anita Melwani, et al.

15. On July 5, 2023, Defendants filed their response to Plaintiffs Request for Scheduling

Conference and Request for Scheduling Conference. Defs.' Resp. to Pl. 's Reg. for

Scheduling Conference and Reg. for Scheduling Conference (July 5, 2023).

16. On May 15, 2024, the Court ordered the parties to file a Status Report. Order for Status R.

(May 15, 2024).

17. On June 11, 2024, the Parties agreed that there were seven (7) pending motions and that

the Summary Judgment Motions were the most important to determine which parties were

still involved in the present case. Minute Entry (June 11, 2024).

18. On August 23, 2024, the Court heard arguments from both parties regarding Defendants'

Motion for Declaratory Summary Judgment and took the matter under advisement. Minute

Entry (Aug. 23, 2024).

DISCUSSION

Under Rule 56( a) of the Guam Rules of Civil Procedure ("GRCP"), summary judgment

is proper "if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file,

together with other affidavits, if any, show there is no genuine issue of material fact that the

moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law." When deciding a motion for summary

judgment, "the court must draw inferences and view the evidence in a light most favorable to the

non-moving party." Flores, 2004 Guam 25 ,i 7. Summary judgment is proper only where there is

no genuine dispute as to any material fact. GRCP 56(a). "[T]he mere existence of some alleged

factual dispute between the parties will not defeat an otherwise properly supported motion for

summary judgment; the requirement is that there be no genuine issue of material fact." Bank of

Guam v. Flores, 2004 Guam 25 ,i 30 (quoting Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 4 77 U.S. 242, 248

4 DECISION AND ORDER (Defendants' Motions for Summary Judgment) CV1527-J 3; Kamlesh K. Hemlani v. Manu & Anita Melwani, et al.

( 1986). Whether a fact is material is determined by the governing substantive law; if the fact may

affect the outcome, it is material. However, "[f]actual disputes that are irrelevant or unnecessary

will not be counted." Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242,248 (1986).

The issue before this court is whether Plaintiffs actions amount to a breach of his duties

owed to the Trust and, if so, whether such breach subjects Plaintiff to removal as co-trustee for

the Trust.

I. The Undisputed Facts

The following facts are not in dispute: P.D. Hemlani and Radhi formed the RPT in 1997.

Compl., Ex. 6 (Dec. 17, 2013). Under the trust agreement, the survivor of P.D. Hemlani or Radhi

was to serve as sole trustee and the survivor was entitled to the net income of the RPT for his or

her lifetime. Id. Upon the death of the survivor, any remaining assets were to be distributed to the

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