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Lord remains open for settlement but CNMI unwilling
Betty Johnson’s California-based counsel, Timothy Lord, has informed the federal court that he remains ready to negotiate with the CNMI government in connection with his petition for attorney’s fees and costs, but that the CNMI, as of last Sunday, appears unwilling to engage in further negotiation.
Lord notified the U.S. District Court for the NMI on Sunday that assistant attorney general Teresita Sablan, counsel for the CNMI, has informed Hawaii chief bankruptcy judge Robert Faris that the Commonwealth refuses to make another offer beyond the only offer ever made to him to settle the matter.
Lord said the amount offered is, however, effectively reduced since he incurred travel expenses after that offer to attend the evidentiary hearing on Saipan.
Lord did not disclose in his notice how much the CNMI offered him to settle his petition.
U.S. District Court for the NMI designated judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood has given the CNMI government and Johnson’s counsels Lord and Hawaii-based Bronster Hoshibata until Friday, April 25, to resolve the issue on attorney’s fees and costs.
Tydingco-Gatewood said she will decide on the matter herself if no resolution is reached by then.
Lord’s initial demand was either $3.6 million or $5.9 million. Bronster Hoshibata is demanding $17.5 million. The judge placed their petitions under advisement.
