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80 potential jurors for trial of Saipan Air suit
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona ordered yesterday the clerk of court or her deputy clerks to summon 80 prospective jurors from a jury pool to appear at the trial of Saipan Air’s Inc.’s lawsuit against two of three Swift Air executives.
The jury trial is set to start on Feb. 2, 2015, at 10am.
At a pretrial conference on Tuesday, Manglona ordered the parties in the lawsuit to notify the court no later than today, Friday, about their possible request for a follow-up settlement conference.
Manglona granted attorney Michael White’s request that the list of potential jurors be provided sooner than three days before the trial.
White and attorney Nathan Duggins are representing defendants Jeffrey Conry and Boris Van Lier. Attorney Steven Pixley is counsel for Saipan Air Inc.
Last month, Manglona ruled that Saipan Air’s fraud claim against Conry and Van Lier shall proceed, but not against Donald A. Stukes.
Manglona also granted summary judgment in favor of Conry, Van Lier, and Stukes in Saipan Air’s claims for violations of Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act and for unjust enrichment. This means that Saipan Air’s RICO and unjust enrichment claims in the lawsuit are dismissed.
The trial will be against Conry and Van Lier relating to the fraud claims.
Conry and Van Lier are currently employed by Arizona-based Swift Air, which emerged from bankruptcy in 2013.
Saipan Air filed the racketeering lawsuit against Conry, Van Lier, and Donald A. Stukes in July 2012.
Swift Air filed for bankruptcy protection in Arizona shortly after notifying Saipan Air that it would not deliver two 757 aircraft and one 737 aircraft for Saipan Air’s program. Saipan Air was unable to sue Swift Air directly because of the bankruptcy filing.
