Wilkinson v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

District Court, W.D. North Carolina·Decided March 26, 2021·No. 3:19-cv-00580·Unknown

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE DIVISION 3:19-cv-00580-RJC

ANDREW ELLIOTT WILKINSON, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) ) ORDER WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., WELLS ) FARGO CLEARING SERVICES, LLC, d/b/a ) Wells Fargo Advisors and/or First Clearing, ) ANGIE OSTENDARP, MIKE QUIMBY, ) FINRA, and PLACE AND HANLEY, LLC, ) ) Defendants. )

THIS MATTER comes before the Court on Wells Fargo Defendants’ Motion for a Prefiling Injunction, (Doc. No. 58); Wells Fargo Defendants’ Memorandum in Support, (Doc. No. 59); Plaintiff’s Response to Defendant’s Motion for a Prefiling Injunction, (Doc. No. 64); Wells Fargo Defendant’s Reply to Plaintiff’s Response, (Doc. No. 66); and Plaintiff’s Motion for Extension of Time, (Doc. No. 76). The Court issued an Order that Plaintiff show cause as to why a prefiling injunction should not be issued against him within fourteen days, (Doc. No. 75), and Plaintiff did not respond within the required time period. This issue is therefore ripe for adjudication. I. BACKGROUND

This case is the second action filed by Plaintiff based on the same set of factual allegations. In January 2005, Plaintiff received an inheritance comprised of investments managed by Defendant Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC (“WFCS”).1 Plaintiff met with WFCS representatives, including Defendant Angie Ostendarp, a financial advisor who later worked with Plaintiff on his WFCS accounts and

investments. On August 12, 2013, WFCS sent a letter to Plaintiff terminating the customer account relationship. The letter was signed by Defendant Mike Quimby, a former WFCS representative. On July 22, 2015, Plaintiff initiated a proceeding before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) against WFCS asserting claims for fraud, unfair or deceptive acts or practices, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, RICO violations, and negligence. In the FINRA proceeding, Plaintiff sought to recover

damages from WFCS, Ostendarp, and Quimby, alleging that Plaintiff did not understand how his assets were being invested, did not receive copies of certain documents, became obligated on a loan without his consent, and WFCS did not properly manage his assets. After a July 2016 hearing, a FINRA arbitration panel ordered WFCS to pay Plaintiff $73,784.34 in damages plus attorney’s fees. On November 1, 2016, Plaintiff filed his complaint against Wells Fargo

Advisors, Ostendarp, Quimby, and Andy Tullis (the “First Federal Action” against “Wells Fargo Defendants”). See Wilkinson v. Wells Fargo Advisors et al., Case No. 3:16-cv-00755. Attached to Plaintiff’s complaint was the same set of allegations he submitted to FINRA. On February 15, 2017, the Court entered an order dismissing

1 Although Plaintiff named Wells Fargo Advisors and 1st Clearing LLC as defendants, Wells Fargo Advisors and First Clearing are trade names used by WFCS. Plaintiff’s complaint in the First Federal Action for failure to state a claim. On August 1, 2019, Plaintiff filed the instant complaint against Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., WFCS, Ostendarp, Quimby, FINRA, and Place and Hanley, LLC in the

Superior Court of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. (Doc. No. 1-1.) Certain Defendants removed the action to the United States District Court for the Western District of North Carolina based on diversity jurisdiction. The complaint is difficult to comprehend and does not identify specific claims, and to the extent that it can be understood, it appears Plaintiff makes the same allegations that he made in the FINRA proceeding and the First Federal Action, namely: (1) Plaintiff did not understand his investments or conversations with WFCS; (2) Plaintiff did not receive

copies of certain documents; (3) Plaintiff became obligated on four loans without his consent; and (4) WFCS mismanaged funds in his investment account. In the five-month period after the Wells Fargo Defendants filed their subsequent motion to dismiss, Plaintiff filed twelve different motions. (Docs. Nos. 19, 22, 23, 28, 31, 32, 36, 38, 39, 46, 51, 53.) This Court granted the Wells Fargo Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss because Plaintiff’s claims were barred by res judicata,

having been settled in a prior case. (Doc. No. 56.) Plaintiff then filed another series of motions. (Docs. Nos. 61, 67, 70, 71, 71; see also Docs. Nos. 51, 53.) These motions, too, are difficult to follow and often seek to relitigate claims that have already been dismissed or regurgitate arguments outlined in the Complaint. They are also primarily aimed at the already-dismissed Wells Fargo Defendants. In response to Plaintiff’s repeated filings throughout this case and in previous cases, the Wells Fargo Defendants have filed a Motion Seeking a Prefiling Injunction. (Docs. Nos. 58, 59.) The motion requests an injunction prohibiting Plaintiff, or anyone acting on his behalf, from filing any document or new action in any court relating to

the Wells Fargo Defendants and any claims related to the previously-dismissed federal action unless a) Plaintiff obtains prior authorization from this court, or b) Plaintiff obtains a signed certification from a licensed attorney that the proposed filing complies with Rule 11, is not based on the subject matter underlying this lawsuit, and does not violate the injunction. (Doc. No. 58.) Plaintiff filed a response to this motion that largely reiterated his prior claims, sought to compel production from Defendants, and accused Plaintiff’s motion of constituting “criminal capitalistic

communism.” (Doc. No. 64.) On March 10, 2021, this Court denied Plaintiffs’ motions and ordered that Plaintiff file a response within fourteen days showing why he should not be subject to a prefiling injunction. (Doc. No. 75.) The Court reserved ruling on Defendants’ Motion for Prefiling Injunction, (Doc. No. 58), until the Plaintiff filed a response or the fourteen days elapsed. The Court informed the Plaintiff that “failure to show

cause by fourteen (14) days of the date of this Order will subject Plaintiff to a prefiling injunction” with a detailed description of the potential injunction. (Doc. No. 75 at 10– 11.) Plaintiff did not file such a response within the fourteen allotted days. II. DISCUSSION The Wells Fargo Defendants seek “a prefiling injunction prohibiting Mr. Wilkinson, or anyone acting on his behalf, from filing any document or new action in any state or federal court relating to (1) the Moving Defendants (or any of their past, present, or future affiliates, subsidiaries, or trade names or any officers, directors, shareholders, employees, representatives, agents, or attorneys for such entities,

including but not limited to Ms. Ostendarp, Mr. Quimby, Demian Betz, undersigned counsel, Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLP, and Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.) (2) any of the claims, theories, allegations, or circumstances at issue in this action or Mr. Wilkinson’s previously dismissed federal court action Mr. Wilkinson has obtained prior authorization from this Court or, alternatively, a signed certification from a licensed attorney that the proposed filing does not violate the requested prefiling injunction order, complies with Rule 11, and is not based on the

claims, theories, or circumstances underlying this lawsuit or Mr. Wilkinson’s prior actions.” (Doc. No. 58 at 1–2.) When determining whether to issue a prefiling injunction, the Court must consider all relevant circumstances. Courts have noted four factors in particular to consider: “(1) the party’s history of litigation, in particular whether he has filed vexatious, harassing, or duplicative lawsuits; (2) whether the party had a good faith

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Wilkinson v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., (W.D.N.C. 2021).

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