United States v. Meyer

376 F. Supp. 3d 1290
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Florida
DecidedApril 19, 2019
DocketCase No. 18-cv-60704-BLOOM/VALLE
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 376 F. Supp. 3d 1290 (United States v. Meyer) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District 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
United States v. Meyer, 376 F. Supp. 3d 1290 (S.D. Fla. 2019).

Opinion

ORDER ADOPTING MAGISTRATE JUDGE'S REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION

BETH BLOOM, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

THIS CAUSE is before the Court upon Plaintiff United States of America's ("Plaintiff") Motion to Strike Defendant's Jury Demand, ECF No. [33], and Plaintiff's Motion to Strike Defendant's Affirmative Defenses, ECF No. [34], (collectively, the "Motions"). On October 10, 2018, the Motions were referred to the Honorable Alicia O. Valle, United States Magistrate Judge, for Report and Recommendation, ECF No. [38]. On March 21, 2019, Judge Valle issued a Report and Recommendation (the "Report"), recommending that the Motions be granted. See Report, ECF No. [88]. The Report advised the parties that objections to the Report must be filed within fourteen days. Id. at 11. Thus, any objections were required on or before April 4, 2019. On April 3, 2019, Defendant Michael L. Meyer ("Defendant") filed an unopposed motion for extension of time to file objections by April 18, 2019. ECF No. [91]. The Court granted the Defendant' motion that same day. ECF No. [92].

To date, neither party has filed any objections, nor have they sought any further extension of time to do so. The Court has, nonetheless, conducted a de novo review of Judge Valle's Report, the record, and is otherwise fully advised. See Williams v. McNeil , 557 F.3d 1287, 1291 (11th Cir. 2009) (citing 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1) ).

Upon review, the Court finds Judge Valle's Report and Recommendation to be well reasoned and correct. The Court agrees with the analysis in Judge Valle's Report and Recommendation, and it is accordingly ORDERED AND ADJUDGED as follows:

1. The Report and Recommendation, ECF No. [88] , is ADOPTED ;
2. The Motion to Strike Defendant's Jury Demand, ECF No. [33] , is GRANTED .
3. Defendant's Jury Demand asserted in his Answer, ECF No. [32] , is STRICKEN .
4. The Motion to Strike Affirmative Defenses, ECF No. [34] , is GRANTED .
5. The Affirmative Defenses asserted by Defendant in his Answer, ECF No. [32] , are STRICKEN .

DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at Miami, Florida, this 19th day of April, 2019.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION TO DISTRICT JUDGE

ALICIA O. VALLE, UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

THIS CAUSE is before the Court upon the United States' Motion to Strike Defendant's Jury Demand (ECF No. 33) and the United States' Motion to Strike Affirmative Defenses (ECF No. 34) (together, the *1293"Motions"). U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom has referred the Motions to the undersigned for appropriate disposition. See (ECF No. 38). Accordingly, having reviewed the Motions, Defendant's Omnibus Response in Opposition to the Motions (ECF No. 36), and the United States' Reply (ECF No. 39), and being otherwise duly advised in the matter, the undersigned recommends that the Motions be GRANTED for the reasons stated below.

I. BACKGROUND

On August 17, 2018, the United States filed a First Amended Complaint for Permanent Injunction and other Relief against Defendant Michael Meyer. See (ECF No. 29) (the "First Amended Complaint"). The First Amended Complaint generally alleges that, from 1999 to the present, Defendant has "promoted an abusive tax scheme that results in scheme participants claiming unwarranted federal income tax deductions for bogus charitable contributions." Id. ¶ 10. According to the First Amended Complaint, Defendant's actions have caused "at least $ 35 million in harm to the United States." (ECF No. 29 ¶¶ 4, 259, 275). The United States seeks to enjoin Defendant from taking certain action and to affirmatively take other action, pursuant to 26 U.S.C. §§ 7402, 7407, and 7408. See generally (ECF No. 29 ¶¶ 5-6, 197-282). The United States also seeks disgorgement of Defendant's "ill-gotten gains" derived from the alleged charitable giving tax scheme described in the First Amended Complaint. Id.

On September 1, 2018, Defendant filed his Answer to Complaint, Affirmative Defenses, and Jury Trial Demand. See generally (ECF No. 32). Defendant asserted four affirmative defenses, including laches, estoppel, release, and statute of limitations. (ECF No. 32 at 22). Defendant also demanded "trial by jury of all claims and defenses ... so triable." Id. On September 24, 2018, the United States filed a Motion to Strike Defendant's Jury Demand and a Motion to Strike Affirmative Defenses. (ECF Nos. 33 and 34, respectively). The Motions are ripe for adjudication.

II. MOTION TO STRIKE JURY DEMAND

A. The Parties' Arguments and Legal Standard

The United States seeks to strike Defendant's demand for a jury trial, arguing that the Complaint seeks only equitable relief. See generally (ECF Nos. 33, 39 at 2-7). The parties agree that the United States' claim for an injunction is equitable in nature and is not triable before a jury. (ECF No. 33 at 2) (noting that injunctive relief is an equitable remedy, not triable by a jury); (ECF No. 36 at 4) (noting that "Defendant does not object to a bench trial of the Government's claims for a prospective injunction"). Defendant argues, however, that the United States' disgorgement claim is "in the nature of a legal penalty and should accordingly be tried by a jury." (ECF No. 36 at 4).

Injunctive relief is governed by 26 U.S.C. § 7402(a), which provides in relevant part:

The district courts of the United States ... shall have such jurisdiction to make and issue in civil actions, writs and orders of injunction ...

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Bluebook (online)
376 F. Supp. 3d 1290, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-meyer-flsd-2019.