Previous Story
Investor seeks court order to sell Quichocho properties
Lawyer, uncle fail to make payment on $192K judgment despite 2 settlement deals
An investor has asked the federal court to take possession of real properties owned by disbarred lawyer Ramon K. Quichocho and his uncle, Joaquin Q. Atalig, and sell them to satisfy a $192,328 court judgment.
Sin Ho Nam, through counsel Stephen J. Nutting, asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI to issue a writ of execution and an order for the sale of real properties after Quichocho and Atalig failed to make a single payment on their settlement agreement.
Writ of execution refers to a court’s order to the sheriff or other similar official that allows the sheriff to collect money or take possession of property owned by a judgment debtor.
Nam had sued Quichocho and Atalig in 2010 for breaching a land lease agreement after they terminated a 55-year lease on a property located at Ladder Beach after less than two years, despite having already paid them $218,000.
The federal court awarded summary judgment on Nam’s claim, but the lawsuit was later dismissed after the parties entered into a settlement agreement.
In August 2012, Nam filed a new lawsuit against the defendants for allegedly deceiving him in settling his previous lawsuit by promising to pay him $228,000 within 160 days. Nam said the defendants paid him only $16,800.
The parties then reached a second settlement agreement and the matter was dismissed.
In Nam’s application for writ of execution filed yesterday, Nutting said the defendants failed to make a single payment on their second settlement.
Nutting asked the court to order the sale of three real properties that the defendants mortgaged to secure the payment of the sums due under the settlement agreement.
Last week, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho ordered Quichocho’s disbarment from the practice of law in CNMI courts for professional misconduct in representing his then-client, Jung Ja Kim.
Also last week, Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman ordered a public reprimand against Quichocho for professional misconduct in connection with another Bar complaint filed by a couple.
Last March 28, a federal jury reached a unanimous verdict, holding Quichocho and his wife, and his law firm liable to pay $2.4 million in damages to Jung Ja Kim, who filed a racketeering lawsuit against them.
