In re Petroforte Brasileiro de Petroleo Ltda.

530 B.R. 503, 25 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 301, 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 1664, 61 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 20, 2015 WL 2265918
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida.
DecidedApril 20, 2015
DocketCASE NO. 14-15408-RAM
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 530 B.R. 503 (In re Petroforte Brasileiro de Petroleo Ltda.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Florida. primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Petroforte Brasileiro de Petroleo Ltda., 530 B.R. 503, 25 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 301, 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 1664, 61 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 20, 2015 WL 2265918 (Fla. 2015).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING IN PART MOTION FOR RELIEF FROM SEAL AND GAG ORDER

Robert A. Mark, Judge, United States Bankruptcy Court

The pending contested matter in this chapter 15 bankruptcy case poses a novel question: When, if ever, may a foreign representative in a chapter 15 case obtain ' an order authorizing discovery under seal, including an order prohibiting subpoenaed parties from disclosing the contents of the subpoenas to parties that are the targets of the investigation? The short answer is not in this case.

The court entered an ex-parte Order in this chapter 15 case granting this exceptional relief. That Order is now being challenged in the Motion for Relief From Seal Orders and Gag Provisions, for Limited Unsealing of Record, and to Stay (the “Motion for Relief’) [DE # 22 under seal]. The Motion for Relief was filed by the law firm of Carlton Fields Jorden Burt, P.A. (“CFJB”) on behalf, of two of the subpoenaed parties. After thorough review of the facts and law, the Court is granting in part the Motion for Relief and vacating the provision of its prior Order preventing the subpoenaed parties from disclosing the contents of the subpoenas to other parties, including the targets of the investigation.

[506]*506 Factual and Procedural Background

Dr. Afonso Henrique Alves Braga, as Trustee of Petroforte Brasileiro de Petró-leo Ltda. (the “Trustee”), filed this chapter 15 bankruptcy case for the purpose of investigating “suspected misappropriated assets of Petroforte” in this district [DE # 2 ¶ 17]. On March 27, 2014 the Court entered its Order Granting Recognition of Foreign Main ' Proceeding Pursuant to § 1515 and 1517 of the Bankruptcy Code and Granting Related Relief [DE # 7] (the “Recognition Order”). As provided in § 1521(a)(4), the Recognition Order authorized the Trustee “to examine witnesses, take evidence or seek the delivery of information concerning the assets, affairs, rights and obligations of Petroforte and the Related Entities.” The “Related Entities” are the entities and individuals to which the Brazilian Bankruptcy Court extended the effects of the bankruptcy. A list of the “Related Entities,” which includes some of the discovery targets referred to later in this Order, is attached as Exhibit A to the Recognition Order (the “Related Entities”).

The pending dispute arises from the Trustee’s discovery strategy, specifically his effort to keep discovery requests sealed- and a further effort to preclude subpoenaed parties from disclosing the contents of subpoenas to anyone other than their counsel. This strategy was pursued by the filing an ex-parte Amended Motion for Order Permitting Issuance of Subpoenas and Filings Under Seal and Related Relief [DE # 10 and DE # 13 under seal] (the “Motion to Seal and Restrict Disclosure”).1 The Motion to Seal and Restrict Disclosure and the supporting documents were filed under seal and have not been disclosed to any party including CFJB. Therefore, the substance of these documents will not be discussed in this Order. The Court can disclose that the Motion to Seal and Restrict Disclosure was supported by a lengthy Declaration executed by the Trustee which, in turn, was supported by documents including court orders and judgments.

After review of the Mption to Seal and Restrict Disclosure and the supporting exhibits, the Court entered its June 11, 2014 Order Granting Motion of Trustee for Order Permitting Issuance of Subpoenas and Filings Under Seal and Related Relief [# 16 under seal] (the “Seal and Gag Order”). The Seal and Gag Order authorized the Trustee to issue subpoenas on discovery targets and prohibited the subpoenaed parties (the “Subpoenaed Parties”) from disclosing the existence or contents of the subpoenas to any other parties, except to' their own attorney.

The sealing of the papers filed in this case and the gag provisions are part and parcel of the same relief because the Trustee’s stated goal is to prevent the targets of the Trustee’s investigation (the “Targets”) from either dissipating assets or-“bullying” Subpoénaed Parties into destroying or withholding documents or creating fraudulent documents. The subpoenas seek broad financial information from multiple third parties about entities which are now part of the Petroforte estate and third parties which have a connection to the Petroforte estate and potential assets of the estate.

[507]*507CFJB represents or has represented some of the Targets of the subpoenas. CFJB became aware of the Seal and Gag Order only because they were also retained to represent Geofinanee Limited (“Geofínance”) and 1st BridgeHouse Asset Management, LLC (“BridgeHouse”), two of the Subpoenaed Parties, and, as described earlier, the Seal and Gag Order permits Subpoenaed Parties to furnish copies of the subpoenas and the Seal and Gag Order to their counsel. CFJB’s review of the Seal and Gag Order resulted in the filing of the Motion for Relief on August 28, 2014.

Upon review of the Motion for Relief, the Court entered its August 29, 2014 Order Setting Hearing on Motion for Relief from Seal Orders and Gag Provisions and Extending Time for Compliance with Subpoenas [DE # 23 under seal] (the “August 29th Order”). The August 29th Order excused Geofinance and BridgeHouse from responding to the subpoenas served on them until the Court ruled on the Motion for Relief. It also set briefing deadlines and scheduled a hearing on the Motion for Relief on October 16, 2014.

Prior to the October 16th hearing, CFJB sought further interim relief in its Motion to Extend Discovery Stay Pending Hearing on [Motion for Relief] [DE # 25 under seal]. Following a hearing on September 10, 2014, the Court entered its Order Granting in Part Motion to. Extend Discovery Stay [DE # 31 under seal] (“the September 10th Order”). In that Order, the Court denied CFJB’s request to stay discovery as to all of the Subpoenaed Parties pending a ruling on the Motion for Relief. However, the September 10th Order preserved the Target’s rights to seek a protective order if the Motion for Relief was granted by prohibiting the Trustee and his attorneys from looking at any documents produced by the Subpoenaed Parties pending further Order.

The parties submitted papers as required by the August 29th Order, specifically, the Trustee’s Response to the Motion for Relief [DE # 30 under seal] (the “Trustee’s Response”) and CFJB’s Reply in support of the Motion for Relief [DE # 55 under seal]. Two arguments presented by CFJB can be disposed of without lengthy analysis. First, CFJB, on its own behalf, argues that the Seal and Gag Order must be vacated because it creates an insurmountable ethical dilemma between its duty to comply with the Seal and Gag Order and its duties as counsel to some of the Targets. Although extensively briefed by both sides, the Court announced at prior hearings that CFJB’s ethical dilemma is not relevant to the propriety of the Gag and Seal Order. CFJB must comply with this Court’s Orders notwithstanding any ethical conflict. Second, CFJB argues that this bankruptcy case and the discovery sought by the Trustee are manifestly contrary to the public policy of the United States pursuant to 11 U.S.C. § 1506. This argument is rejected. “The narrow public policy exception contained in § 1506 ‘is intended to be invoked only under exceptional circumstances concerning matters of fundamental importance to the United States.’ ” In re Vitro S.A.B. de C.V.,

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530 B.R. 503, 25 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. B 301, 2015 Bankr. LEXIS 1664, 61 Bankr. Ct. Dec. (CRR) 20, 2015 WL 2265918, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-petroforte-brasileiro-de-petroleo-ltda-flsb-2015.