Registration of Title to Estate No. 2959

Superior Court of Guam·Decided February 1, 2022·No. LR005-19·Unknown

Opinion

¶ItED SUPERiOR COURT OF GUAM 2022 FEB 1 PH 6: 30 — 1

2 CLERKOFCOURT

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF GUAM 5

6 IN THE MATTER OF THE ) LAND REGISTRATION CASE APPLICATION ) NO.: LR0005-19 7 ) OF 8 ) DECISIONAND ORDER RE. FOR REGISTRATION OF TITLE TO ) OBJECTORS BAYVIEW IV, LLC

10 ESTATE NO. 2959 (formerly a part of ) AND BLUE OCEAN DEVELOPMENT Estate No. 49) nka “LOT NO. 10191” ) LLC’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY 11 MUNICIPALITY OF DEDEDO. ) JUDGMENT

12 ) 13

14 INTRODUCTION 15 This matter came before the Honorable Maria T. Cenzon on November 3, 2021,

on Objector Bayview IV, LLC’s (hereafter “Bayview”) Motion for Summary Judgment

18 filed on May 14, 2021 and Objector Blue Ocean Development LLC’s (hereafter “Blue

19 Ocean”) Joinder in Bayview’s Motion for Summary Judgment and Motion for 20 Summary Judgment filed June 30, 2021.’ Attorney Jacque Terlaje represented 21

22 Petitioner Glenn Nelson (“Petitioner”). Attorney Mitch Thompson represents Objector

23 Bayview and Attorney Jon Visosky represents Blue Ocean. Having duly considered the 24 parties’ briefs, oral arguments, and the applicable law, the Court now issues the 25

27 Bayview and Blue Ocean are collectively referred to herein as “Objectors”. 28 LR0005- 19 Decision and Order: Objectors Motionsfor Summary Judgment Page 1 of 14 following Decision and Order GRANTING the Objectors’ Motions for Summary

2 Judgment.

BACKGROUND

Petitioner brings this land registration action to register title to the subject piece

6 of property, Estate 2959, formerly a portion of Lot 49, also described as Lot No. 10191

(“Property” or “Subject Property”). This Property has also been referred to as “Lot 8 10113,” among others. See, Decision and Order Re: Mot. to Intervene and Order in 9

Opp. to Pet. to Reopen Estate, Superior Court of Guam, Probate Case No. PR0193-48

11 (Aug. 8, 2007). The Petitioner, on behalf of the Estate of Juan De Torres Espinosa, Sr. 12 (also known as Juan Torres Espinosa)(hereafter the “Estate”), in Probate Proceedings 13

14 Case No. PR0193-48, claims an interest in the Subject Property pursuant to a series of

15 deeds dating back to 1861, including a conveyance Deed recorded in 1918 to Espinosa. 16 Petition at ¶ 6 (Sep. 18, 2019). 17 In support of his Petition, Petitioner asserts that “no one other than Petitioner 18 19 has an estate or claims any interest in said land or any part thereof, in law or in equity, 20 in possession, remainder reversion or expectancy,” Id. at ¶J 7-10, and further that

registration is appropriate because “there has been no registration under the Guam

23 Land Registration Act of the interests of the Estate . . . of and in Estate 2959 nka Lot 24 10191. Pet. s Opp. to Objector Bayvzezv IV, LLC s Mot. for Summary Judgment at p. 3. As ,, , . .

set forth in their respective Motions for Summary Judgment, Objectors Bayview and

27 Blue Ocean oppose the Petition for the following reasons: (1) the land registration

28 LR0005- 19 Decision and Order: Objectors ‘MotionsJör Sumnia,y Judgment Page2ofl4 survey map attached to the Petition does not comply with 21 GCA § 60509; and (2)

2 because the Property is already registered land, as adjudicated by several courts of the

Superior Court of Guam.

The Court notes prior cases involving the Subject Property as discussed in the

6 moving papers:

A. LROO17-78: In the Matter of Application of Calvo’s Insurance Underwriters, Inc. $ for the Registration of Lot No. 10113, Gonga, Municipality of Dededo, “Gun Beach”. In 1978, Calvo’s Insurance Underwriters, Inc. (“Calvo’s”) filed a petition to register certain properties, including Estate 49, pursuant to 10 Guam’s Land Registration Act (“GLRA”). In 1981, the court issued a decree of land registration for Estate 49 and other properties as Lot No. 10113-R2. 11 findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (Mar 11, 1981); Decree of Land 12 Registration (Mar 11, 1981). Lot 10113-R2 was ultimately subdivided and became a part of Lots 10113-3 and 10113-R3, which are currently owned by 13 Bayview and Blue Ocean, respectively, who hold certificates of title to the 14 subject property and were bona fide purchasers. This Decree is, as of yet, undisturbed. 15

16 B. PR0193-48: In the Matter of the Estate of Juan De Torres Espinosa, Sr. aka Juan Espinosa De Torres, Sr., PR0194-48. In 2006, Theodore Nelson filed a Motion to 17 Reopen the Estate of Juan Torres Espinosa (the “Estate”) claiming an 18 ownership in Estate 49. Bayview objected to the Motion and the claim of ownership of the property. The Superior Court denied the motion based on 19 Nelson’s failure to establish a claim of ownership and finding that Bayview and Hanil Development (Blue Ocean’s predecessors) were bona fide - purchasers for value of the property and further that Estate 49 was registered 21 land. As such, the Estate of Juan Torres was barred by the Guam Land Title Registration Act to claiming ownership. Decision and Order (Aug. 8, 2007); Judgment (Nov. 21, 2008). The Estate never appealed the Judgment entered in 23 PRO; 9348.2 This Judgment remains in full force and effect. 24 2 25 on August 24, 2007, a Notice of Appeal was filed in the Guam Supreme Court; however, it was prematurely filed because no Judgment had been issued in that case prior to the Notice of Appeal. Thus, the Guam Supreme Court 26 dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction and informed the parties that “an appeal may be taken once a final judgment has been entered on the docket.” Order, In the Matter of the Estate of Juan Torres Espinosa aka Juan Dc 27 Tortes Espinosa, Supreme Court Case No. CVAO7-016 (Nov. 1, 2007). Following the Judgment on November 21, 200$, no appeal was subsequently taken. 28 LR0005l 9 Decision and Order: Objectors Motions for Summay Judgment Page 3 of 14 C. CV0779-08: Bayview IV, LLC and Kyung Maek C&D, LLC vs. Theodore S. Nelson et at., Civil Case No. CV0779-08: In 2008, Bayview filed an action to quiet title in Lot No. 10113-3 and Blue Ocean’s predecessor, Hanil, intervened to quiet 3 title to Lot 10113-R3. The Superior Court ruled in favor of Bayview and 4 quieted the title to Lot No. 10113-3, ruling similarly for Lot No. 10113-R3. The court’s decision granting Bayview and Hanhl’s Motions for Summary Judgment were founded on the principles of res judicata and collateral 6 estoppel. Final Judgment was entered in that matter in 2014 and has not been appealed. See, Final Judgment Dismissing Remaining Claims and Quieting Title (Oct. 21, 2014). Moreover, the Court found that Blue Ocean’s 8 predecessor Hanil was a “good faith purchaser of Lot 10113-R3” and, therefore, Nelson’s claim to Lot 10113-R3 was barred by the Guam Land Title Registration Act. Decision and Order at p. 5 (Feb. 1, 2013). This Court notes 10 that, in the court’s Decision and Order, Nelson disclaimed any interest in Lot 10113-3. Id. at p. 2 (“Defendant Nelson placed on the record, through his 11 previous attorney, that he has no claim on Lot 10113-3 and only Lot R3 12 remains at issue at this stage in the proceedings.”)(citing Hearing of Aug. 28, 2009 at 10:48). 13

14 The Court now considers Objectors’ request to grant their motions for Summary

15 Judgment. 16 DISCUSSION 17 I. Whether Summary Judgment Is Appropriate in this Case. 18 19 Under Rule 56(c) of the Guam Rules of Civil Procedure, summary judgment is 20 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

23 fact that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law.” Guam R. Civ. 24 P. 56(c); see also Gov’t of Guam v. Gutierrez, 2015 Guam 8, ¶J 25-26; Bank of Guam v. 25 Ftores, 2004 Guam 25 ¶ 8; Gayte v. Hemlani, 2000 Guam 25 ¶ 20.

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