Lee v. State

141 P.3d 342, 2006 Alas. LEXIS 119, 2006 WL 2328649
CourtAlaska Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 11, 2006
DocketS-11396
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 141 P.3d 342 (Lee v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Alaska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lee v. State, 141 P.3d 342, 2006 Alas. LEXIS 119, 2006 WL 2328649 (Ala. 2006).

Opinion

OPINION

EASTAUGH, Justice.

I. INTRODUCTION

The State of Alaska filed a superior court complaint against Dennis Lee alleging he violated Alaska’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act by advertising “revolutionary technologies” and a “free electricity” program. The state also obtained a temporary restraining order enjoining Lee from soliciting Alaskan consumers to buy his products or join his discount buying club. Lee refused to participate meaningfully in discovery, even after the superior court issued orders compelling him to do so. In a thoughtful and well-reasoned decision, the superior court imposed liability-establishing discovery sanctions and civil penalties. We affirm.

II. FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

On August 29, 2001 the State of Alaska filed a superior court complaint against Dennis Lee doing business as United Community Services of America (UCSA). The complaint alleged that Lee, UCSA, and two associated corporate entities, Best World Technologies and the International Tesla Electric Corporation (ITEC), had engaged in and continued to engage in unfair or deceptive acts or practices. It also alleged that the defendants violated the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act (UTPCPA) 1 by falsely and deceptively advertising “revolutionary technologies” and a “free electricity” program on the internet and in the Anchorage Daily News. 2 The ITEC website also an *346 nounced related opportunities to invest in “NASDAC,” a “special discount buying club,” which, among other things, offered commissions to members who became “recruiters.”

Lee was scheduled to conduct an August 30, 2001 Anchorage presentation at which he would demonstrate his technologies and offer consumers an opportunity to sign up to “possibly” get free electricity for life. Before the presentation began, the state served Lee with its complaint and a temporary restraining order (TRO) enjoining him from soliciting Alaskan consumers to pay him for products, memberships, dealerships, or other investments related to a “free electricity” program. The TRO stated that Lee could still give the demonstration. Lee gave the demonstration and distributed applications for membership and a “notice of right to cancel” membership in the discount buying club.

As the state’s lawsuit against him proceeded, Lee repeatedly thwarted the pretrial discovery process. The state made numerous attempts by telephone and letter to obtain Lee’s initial disclosures, but he never provided them. Lee responded late to the state’s interrogatories and requests for production and admission. Not satisfied with Lee’s responses, the state moved to compel discovery and moved for attorney’s fees. On August 31, 2002 the superior court ordered Lee to answer some of the state’s interrogatories and to produce specific documents in response to the requests for production. He was to comply within ten days. Lee filed a reconsideration motion, which the superior court denied.

Lee did not provide the discovery the order required. On November 1, 2002 the state filed a motion invoking Alaska Civil Rule 37. The state’s motion asked for an order requiring Lee to show cause why he should not be held in contempt for failing to obey the court’s discovery order. The state also requested that, if Lee failed to respond to the court’s order to show cause, the facts alleged in the complaint be deemed admitted. The superior court scheduled a show cause hearing and warned Lee that if he did not appear at the hearing, the court would consider accepting as established the factual allegations in the state’s complaint. Lee did not attend the show cause hearing. Following the hearing, the court issued an order on the state’s motion. The order gave Lee one more week in which to provide the ordered discovery responses. Lee did not provide the responses. The court then issued a supplemental order granting the state’s request that the facts alleged in the complaint be deemed admitted.

In June 2003 the state moved for summary judgment. It argued that there were no genuine issues of material fact because the court had accepted all facts as alleged in the state’s complaint. Lee responded. The superior court granted the state’s motion, concluding that Lee had violated the UTPCPA.

The state then asked the superior court to impose civil penalties against Lee. After a hearing on the issue, the court issued a final judgment and order on the motion for civil penalties. The court enjoined Lee from making unsubstantiated claims about products offered for sale and from advertising or soliciting for programs related to those products. The court ordered Lee to refund payments for dealerships, memberships, or products upon request by Alaska residents, and imposed civil penalties of $30,000. The court also awarded costs and attorney’s fees to the state.

Lee appeals pro se. 3

III. DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

We review discovery orders under the deferential abuse of discretion standard. 4 *347 Reversal under this standard is warranted only when, after reviewing the whole record, we are left with a definite and firm conviction that the superior court erred. 5 But we apply our independent judgment in deciding the legal question whether the superior court weighed the appropriate factors in issuing a discovery order. 6

A superior court’s imposition of sanctions under Alaska Rule of Civil Procedure 37(b) for a party’s failure to comply with a discovery order is also reviewed for abuse of discretion. 7 But we use our independent judgment to decide the legal issue whether Civil Rule 37(b)(2) applies to a given fact situation. 8 A superior court’s discretion to impose liability-establishing sanctions is limited. 9

Whether Lee violated the temporary restraining order is a mixed question of law and fact. We review the superior court’s factual findings under the clearly erroneous standard. 10 We review questions of law de novo. 11

B. The Superior Court Did Not Abuse Its Discretion when It Granted the State’s Motion To Compel Discovery.

The superior court ordered Lee to answer some of the state’s interrogatories and to produce some of the documents requested. Lee argues that the court erred in compelling discovery because (1) the state was pursuing irrelevant information; (2) he tried to comply with the discovery requests; (3) he requested a protective order; and (4) the discovery order should have included specific findings of fact and conclusions of law.

We find no merit in these contentions.

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Bluebook (online)
141 P.3d 342, 2006 Alas. LEXIS 119, 2006 WL 2328649, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lee-v-state-alaska-2006.