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Friday deadline to resolve attorney’s fees
U.S. District Court for the NMI designated judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood has given the CNMI government and Betty Johnson’s counsels—Hawaii-based Bronster Hoshibata and Calif.-based lawyer Timothy Lord—until Friday, April 25, to resolve the issue on attorney’s fees and costs.
If no resolution is reached by Friday, then Tydingco-Gatewood will decide on the lawyers’ pending applications for attorney’s fees and costs.
In her order last week, the judge disclosed that she held a teleconference with Gov. Eloy S. Inos, Attorney General Joey P. San Nicolas, assistant attorney general Teresita Sablan, attorney Margery Bronster, attorney Robert Hatch, and Lord on April 11, 2014.
Bronster and Hatch are both from Hoshibata Bronster law firm.
Tydingco-Gatewood said she inquired whether the parties were still willing to participate in settlement discussions with Hawaii chief bankruptcy judge Robert Faris on the pending applications for attorney’s fees.
All parties reportedly expressed a desire to continue talks with Faris. While she is pleased about this, Tydingco-Gatewood advised them that she will issue her decision if no resolution is reached by Friday.
Bronster Hoshibata is demanding $17.5 million. Lord’s initial demand was either $3.6 million or $5.9 million. The judge placed their petitions under advisement.
Johnson’s original counsel, Bruce Lee Jorgensen, initially requested at least $18.6 million, but he settled with the government for $800,000. Johnson’s local counsel, Stephen Woodruff, asked between $1 million and $2.9 million, but he settled with the government for $185,000.
Last March 3, Tydingco-Gatewood approved the CNMI government’s settlement with Woodruff, and placed under advisement the CNMI government’s settlement with Jorgensen.
