Westphal v. Ho-Chunk Nation

4 Am. Tribal Law 386
CourtHo-Chunk Nation Trial Court
DecidedNovember 19, 2003
DocketCV 02-75
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 4 Am. Tribal Law 386 (Westphal v. Ho-Chunk Nation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ho-Chunk Nation Trial Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Westphal v. Ho-Chunk Nation, 4 Am. Tribal Law 386 (hochunkct 2003).

Opinion

[387]*387ORDER (Dismissal)

TODD R. MATHA, Associate Judge.

INTRODUCTION

The Court must determine whether to dismiss the instant case against the defendants with or without prejudice. The Court reviews the applicable procedural rules for purposes of rendering this decision. The analysis of the Court follows below.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

The plaintiff, Troy S. Westphal, by and through Attorney William J. Grogan, initiated the current action by filing a Complaint with the Court on July 24, 2002.1 Consequently, the Court issued a Summons accompanied by the above-mentioned Complaint on July 24, 2002, and delivered the documents by personal service to the defendants’ representative, Ho-Chunk Nation Department of Justice (hereinafter DOJ).2 The Summons informed the defendants of the right to file an Answer within twenty (20) days of the issuance of the Summons pursuant to HCN R. Civ. P. 5(A)(2). The Summons also cautioned the defendants that a default judgment could result from failure to file within the prescribed time period.

The defendants, by and through DOJ Attorney Michael P. Murphy, timely filed its Answer on August IS, 2002. The Court reacted by mailing Notice(s) of Hearing to the parties on. August 29, 2002, informing them of the date, time and location of the Scheduling Conference. The Court convened the Scheduling Conference on October 8, 2002 at 1:30 p.m. CDT. The following parties appeared at the Conference: DOJ Attorney Michael P. Murphy, defendants’ counsel. The following party failed to make an appearance, and did not inform the Court of an inability to attend the hearing: Troy S. Westphal, plaintiff. The Court postponed the Scheduling Conference due to his absence as permitted by HCN R. Civ. P. 44(C), and memorialized this decision in its October 11, 2002 Order (Granting Plaintiff Leave to Reschedule).

On October 17, 2002, the plaintiff submitted the Amended Complaint, naming Bally Gaming, Inc. as a co-defendant. The Court, however, declined to accept the document since the plaintiffs counsel had neither sought admission with the Ho-Chunk Nation Bar nor the ability to make a special appearance. See HCN R. Civ. P. 16(B); see also Scheduling Conference (LPER at 1, Apr. 28, 2003, 02:42:18 CDT). Attorney William J. Grogan corrected this deficiency on October 28, 2002, when he filed the Motion to Appear Pro Hoc Vice.

Shortly thereafter, the Court mailed Notice(s) of Hearing to the parties on November 5 2002, informing them of the date, time and location of the Scheduling Conference. The Court convened the Scheduling Conference on December 9, 2002 at 3:30 p.m. GST. The following parties appeared at the Conference: Attorney William J. Grogan, plaintiff s counsel (by tele[388]*388phone), and DOJ Attorney Michael P. Murphy, defendants’ counsel. The Court entered the Scheduling Order on December 10, 2002, setting forth the applicable timeline of the instant case.

On March 31, 2003, the plaintiff filed a Request to Admit and a Request for Production of Documents.3 The parties also requested an extension of certain timelines in the Scheduling Order. The Court entered its March 31, 2003 Order reflecting the parties’ agreement.

On April 15, 2003, the Court granted the special appearances of the following legal counsel on behalf of Bally Gaming: Attorneys Steven L. Nelson, Jeffrey J. Conta and Lee M. Seese. Due to several unresolved matters, the Court determined to schedule a Status Hearing. The Court mailed Notice(s) of Hearing to the parties, including Bally Gaming, on April 15, 2003, informing them of the date, time and location of the Hearing.

Prior to convening the Status Hea,ring, the defendants filed the Motion to Dismiss and accompanying Brief in Support of Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss on April 17, 2003. The Court reacted by entering its April 18, 2003 Order (Motion Hearing) in which the Court related its intention of entertaining the recently filed motion at the Status Hearing. Consequently, the plaintiff submitted a Motion for Extension of Time on April 24, 2003, but failed to note proper service upon the defendants. See Notice of Deficiency re: Certificate of Service (Apr. 25, 2003); see also HCN R. Civ. P. 5(B). The plaintiff attempted to correct this defect in its April 28, 2003 Afidavit of Mailing, but only indicated service of process upon the Court. This filing likewise prompted a Notice of Deficiency.

The Court convened the Status Hearing on April 28, 2003 at 2:30 p.m. CDT. The following parties appeared at the Hearing: Attorney William J. Grogan, plaintiffs counsel (by telephone), and DOJ Attorney Michael P. Murphy, defendants’ counsel. Attorney Steven L. Nelson also made an appearance on behalf of Bally Gaming. In the presence of the Court, the plaintiff served Bally Gaming with a copy of the Amended Complaint, and none of the parties objected to the Court’s decision to afford the newly named defendant twenty (20) days to file its answer. Status Hr’g (LPER at 1, Apr. 28, 2003, 02:42:18 CDT). The parties, however, later stipulated to resolving the Motion to Dismiss prior to requiring a responsive pleading. Id. at 2, 02:52:00 CDT.

The Court accordingly granted the plaintiffs oral motion for an extension of time to respond to the pending motion. Id., 02:48:53 CDT. By agreement of the parties, the Court scheduled a Motion Hearing for May 16, 2003 at 1:30 p.m. CDT. Id., 02:53:44 CDT. Bally Gaming joined its co-defendants’ Motion to Dismiss through correspondence submitted on May 7, 2003. It formally filed its Brief in Support of Defendants Ho-Chunk Na,tion’s and Ho-Chunk Casino’s Motion to [389]*389Dismiss on May 14, 2003. This filing followed the plaintiffs Motion for Voluntary Dismissal in which he requested “the Court to dismiss the complaint and amended complaint of plaintiff without prejudice pursuant to Rule 56(A) of the [Ho-Chunk Nation] Rules of Civil Procedure.” Mot, for Voluntary Dismissal (May 12, 2003).

On May 20, 2003, the defendants, Ho-Chunk Nation (hereinafter HCN or Nation) and Ho-Chunk Casino, filed an objection in letterform to the plaintiffs Motion for Voluntary Dismissal, The defendant, Bally Gaming, submitted a similar correspondence on May 27, 2003. In response, the Court scheduled a Motion Hearing, and mailed Notice(s) of Hearing to the parties on June 2, 2003. The Court convened the Motion Hearing on July 8, 2003 at 1:30 p.m. CDT. The following parties appeared at the Hearing: Attorney William J. Grogan, plaintiffs counsel (by telephone); DO J Attorney Michael P. Murphy, defendants’ counsel; and Attorney Steven L. Nelson, defendant’s counsel.

APPLICABLE LAW

CONSTITUTION OF THE HO-CHUNK NATION

Article VII—Judiciary

Sec. 5. Jurisdiction of the Judiciary.

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Related

Kirkwood v. Ho-Chunk Nation Housing Department
5 Am. Tribal Law 151 (Ho-Chunk Nation Supreme Court, 2004)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
4 Am. Tribal Law 386, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/westphal-v-ho-chunk-nation-hochunkct-2003.