Tanoa v. Drabble

9 Am. Samoa 3d 104
CourtHigh Court of American Samoa
DecidedOctober 20, 2004
DocketCA No. 89-04
StatusPublished

This text of 9 Am. Samoa 3d 104 (Tanoa v. Drabble) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering High Court of American Samoa primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tanoa v. Drabble, 9 Am. Samoa 3d 104 (amsamoa 2004).

Opinion

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART PLAINTIFFS ’ APPLICATION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION, AND DEFERRING DECISION ON THE PARTIES’ MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

This dispute arises out of an agreement to sublease a portion of the infamous and deteriorating Rainmaker Hotel. Defendant American Samoa Development Corporation (“ASDC”), the current lessee of the hotel, agreed to sublease approximately 1.77 acres of the 6.81 acre hotel site to Dateline Industries Inc. (“Dateline”), which proposed to redevelop that portion of the premises. Defendant Governor Togiola Tulafono (“the Governor”) approved the sublease and Dateline was prepared to begin renovations.

However, on September 20, 2004, before renovations got underway, Plaintiffs ASDC shareholders (“the shareholders”) filed this action for injunctive relief to stop the Dateline program. The shareholders alleged their concern that if Dateline began to renovate the premises, permanent injury would be caused to ASDC’s only asset, the Rainmaker Hotel. The shareholders asked the court to issue a preliminary injunction, which would halt all demolition or renovation of Dateline’s portion of the hotel, until issues surrounding the sublease could be resolved on the merits. The shareholders named as Defendants are: Tom Drabble (“Drabble”), individually and as owner of Dateline; the Governor, individually and in his official capacity; the ASDC Board; Sese McMoore, individually and as Chairperson of the ASDC Board; the Board of Directors of the Development Bank of American Samoa (“the DBAS Board”); Tanielu Liufau (“Liufau”), individually and as Chairperson of the DBAS Board; and Utu Abe Malae (“Utu”), individually and as President of DBAS.

On October 7, 2004, the Court heard the preliminary injunction application. At the outset of the hearing, upon the shareholders’ oral motion, we dismissed the DBAS Board, Liufau and Utu from the case. The remaining Defendants disputed the attempt to procure an injunction. Towards the end of the hearing, they and the shareholders orally moved [107]*107for final- disposition of the action by summary judgment. For the reasons stated below, we place a preliminary injunction upon the renovation of the Rainmaker Hotel until the sublease in question is presented to and acted upon at an ASDC shareholders’ meeting convened for that purpose. We will defer the decision on the summary judgment motions until after the ASDC shareholders act on the sublease.

Discussion

A court may issue a preliminary injunction if the applicant establishes “sufficient grounds” showing that:

(1) there is a substantial likelihood that the applicant will prevail at trial on the merits and that a permanent injunction will be issued against the opposing party; and
(2) great or irreparable injury will result to the applicant before a full and final trial can fairly be held on whether a permanent injunction should issue.

A.S.C.A. § 43.1301Q).

During the October 7 hearing, the shareholders based their preliminary injunction claim on three distinct grounds. First, they assert that the sublease is invalid because the original lease, on which the sublease is based, is itself invalid. They claim that the original lease is invalid because the Legislature of American Samoa never formally approved the lease, as is required by law. Second, they assert that the sublease is invalid because the Legislature has likewise not formally approved it. Lastly, they maintain that the sublease is invalid because the ASDC Board did not convene an ASDC shareholders meeting to consider and obtain their approval of the sublease.

I. Approval of the Original Lease by the Legislature

Any lease having a term of 10 or more years and involving real property controlled by the American Samoa Government (“ASG”), in order to become effective, must be submitted to the Legislature, and not disapproved within 30 days of its submission. A.S.C.A § 37.2030.

The shareholders maintain that the Dateline sublease is invalid because it is founded upon an invalid original lease. They contend that the original Rainmaker Hotel lease, between ASG, as lessor, and the ASDC, as lessee, is invalid under A.S.C.A. § 37.2030 because the Legislature affirmatively disapproved it. The shareholders’ contention is incorrect. The original lease was presented to the Legislature for disapproval twice. The first time the Legislature rejected the lease. The Legislature stood [108]*108inactive on the second submission, resulting in a default approval of that transaction.

On June 14, 1996, the Legislature adopted the resolution S.C.R. No. 24-32, expressly rejecting the original lease. On July 12, 1996, the lease was again presented to the Legislature. This time, the resolution S.C.R. No. 24-35, proposing the rejection of the lease, was not passed. Thus, the Legislature did not disapprove the lease within 30 days of its submission and the lease was validated. See Session Laws and Digest, Vol. 24-4 (October 1996) (documenting that there is no record of the Fono adopting S.C.R. 24-35 and rejecting the lease).

Because the original lease is legal and valid, there is no substantial likelihood that the shareholders would prevail at trial on this issue. Therefore, their application for a preliminary injunction, to the extent that it relies on this issue, is denied.

II. Approval of the Sublease by the Legislature

The shareholders further contend that the Dateline sublease is invalid because it was not submitted to the Legislature for approval under A.S.C.A. § 37.2030. They assert that because the sublease term is for 10 or more years and involves ASG land, section 37.2030 applies. The remaining Defendants, however, maintain that the Legislature impliedly approved subleases and assignments of the original lease when it approved the original Rainmaker Hotel lease, which contained a provision authorizing subleases or assignments.

Whether the Legislature impliedly approved subleases and assignments of the original lease containing a provision authorizing such future transactions is perhaps debatable. Presumably, however, the Legislature was cognizant of the sublease-assignment provision when it considered the original lease. Arguably, by its own precise terms, A.S.C.A. § 37.3020 is inapplicable to subleases and assignments. After all, a sublease or assignment cannot extend a lease beyond the period the Legislature has already authorized. On the other hand, the Legislature may not favorably view a significant change in the scope of activities under a sublease or assignment without at least reconsidering the subsequent transaction. Of course, no change in the use of the premises is contemplated in this instance and is probably unlikely in the normal course of such transactions.

We hold, in any event, there is not a substantial likelihood that the shareholders will prevail at trial on this issue for purposes of issuing a preliminary injunction. Therefore, their application for a preliminary injunction, to the extent it relies on this issue, is also denied. We will, [109]*109however, further consider the legal aspects of this issue, when and if we decide the pending summary judgment motions.

III. Shareholder Approval of the Sublease

The shareholders are upset that the ASDC Board did not consult with them before agreeing to the sublease of a portion of the Rainmaker Hotel premises to Dateline.

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Bluebook (online)
9 Am. Samoa 3d 104, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tanoa-v-drabble-amsamoa-2004.