Opinion
No. 11-11-13686 JR Adversary No. 11-1202 J
04-06-2012
In re: OTERO COUNTY HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION, INC. (d/b/a Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center, d/b/a Mountain View Catering), Debtor. DR. FRANK BRYANT, Plaintiff, v. JOHN G. FRANCHINI, New Mexico Superintendent of Insurance, Defendant.
David T Thuma Attorney for Frank Bryant Albuquerque, NM 87102-5309 Robert M. Doughty II Robert M. Doughty II, PC Attorney for Frank Bryant Alamogordo, NM 88311-1569 Michael W. Brennan Brennan & Sullivan PA Attorney for Superintendent Franchini Santa Fe, NM 87501 Paul M. Fish Attorney for Quorum Health Resources, LLC Albuquerque, NM 87103-2168 Bernard R Given, II Loeb & Loeb LLP Attorney for Tort Claimants Los Angeles, CA 90067-4120
ORDER DENYING MOTION TO STRIKE THE STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL
THIS MATTER is before the Court on the Motion of Quorum Health Resources, LLC to Strike the Stipulation of Dismissal ("Motion to Strike Stipulation of Dismissal"). See Docket No. 21. The issues raised in the Motion to Strike Stipulation of Dismissal are inter-related with the issues raised in the Motion of Quorum Health Resources, LLC to Intervene as Plaintiff Pursuant to Rule 7054 of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure ("Motion to Intervene"). See Docket No. 8. The Court held a final hearing on the Motion to Strike Stipulation of Dismissal and on the Motion to Intervene on April 2, 2012 and took the matters under advisement.
The Court has denied the Motion to Intervene for the reasons set forth in the Order Denying Motion of Quorum Health Resources, LLC to Intervene as Plaintiff Pursuant to Rule 7024 of the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure. See Docket No. 31. A pending motion to intervene does not automatically preclude the original parties to the lawsuit from agreeing to settle. The relevant inquiry is whether Quorum Health Resources, LLC's reasons for objecting to the Stipulation of Dismissal would be sufficient to constitute an interest requiring intervention. See Alternative Research and Development Foundation v. Veneman, 262 F.3d 406, 411 (D.C.Cir. 2001)(observing that the relevant inquiry was whether party's "concerns about the terms of the stipulated dismissal were sufficient to constitute an interest requiring intervention."). Quorum Health Resources, LLC's request to intervene has been denied. Consequently, its Motion to Strike Stipulation of Dismissal should also be denied.
See Eli Lilly and Co. v. Synthon Laboratories, Inc., 538 F.Supp.2d 944, 947 (E.D.Va. 2008)(observing that, generally, parties can voluntarily dismiss their case "even if a motion to intervene is pending and the potential intervenor objects[ ]" but suggesting that, in some instances, the court should invoke equitable principles to prevent the stipulating parties from prejudicing the potential intervenor's rights)(citation omitted).
WHEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Motion to Strike Stipulation of Dismissal is DENIED.
_________________
ROBERT H. JACOBVITZ
United States Bankruptcy Judge
Date entered on docket: April 6, 2012
COPY TO:
David T Thuma
Attorney for Frank Bryant
Albuquerque, NM 87102-5309
Robert M. Doughty II
Robert M. Doughty II, PC
Attorney for Frank Bryant
Alamogordo, NM 88311-1569
Michael W. Brennan
Brennan & Sullivan PA
Attorney for Superintendent Franchini
Santa Fe, NM 87501
Paul M. Fish
Attorney for Quorum Health Resources, LLC
Albuquerque, NM 87103-2168
Bernard R Given, II
Loeb & Loeb LLP
Attorney for Tort Claimants
Los Angeles, CA 90067-4120
Notice Recipients
+-----------------------------------------------------------+ ¦District/Off: 1084-1¦User: phennessy¦Date Created: 4/6/2012¦ +--------------------+---------------+----------------------¦ ¦Case: 11-01202-j ¦Form ID: pdfor1¦Total: 5 ¦ +-----------------------------------------------------------+
Recipients of Notice of Electronic Filing:
+-------------------------------------------------------+ ¦aty¦Bernard K Given, II¦bgiven@loeb.com ¦ ¦ +---+-------------------+----------------------+--------¦ ¦aty¦David T Thuma ¦dthuma@thumawalker.com¦ ¦ +---+-------------------+----------------------+--------¦ ¦aty¦Michael W. Brennan ¦mike@brennsull.com ¦ ¦ +----------------------------------------------+--------¦ ¦ ¦TOTAL: 3¦ +-------------------------------------------------------+
Recipients submitted to the BNC (Bankruptcy Noticing Center):
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ ¦ ¦Frank ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦pla¦Bryant ¦c/o Kobert M. Doughty II amogordo, NM¦Kobert M. Doughty ¦P.O. ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦88311-1569 ¦II, PC ¦Box ¦ ¦ ¦1569 Al ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ +---+---------+-------------------------------------+------------------+------¦ ¦ip ¦Paul Fish¦PO Box 2168 Albuquerque, ¦NM 87103-2168 ¦ ¦ +---+---------+--------------------------------------------------------+------¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦TOTAL:¦ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¦2 ¦ +-----------------------------------------------------------------------------+