Manglona issues a third show cause order against Woodruff

U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona issued yesterday a third show cause order that directs lawyer Stephen C. Woodruff to explain why he should not be held on contempt for failing to comply with the court’s order.

Manglona ordered Woodruff to appear on March 11, 2015, at 1:30pm and explain why he should not be held in contempt and sanctioned for failing to comply with her August 2013 order.

The judge said Woodruff was required to submit a report on or before March 1, 2015, but no report has been submitted.

Accordingly, Manglona said, the court must again order Woodruff to show cause why he should not be held in civil contempt.

On Aug. 8, 2013, based on Woodruff’s disbarment in the CNMI courts and serious allegations of attorney misconduct, Manglona ordered him to “notify the court, in writing, of the progress of his disciplinary matter in the Commonwealth courts” within the last five business days of each month.

Two months later, the federal court asked Woodruff to explain why he has he refused to comply with that order. Hours before the show-cause hearing, Woodruff filed the notices required by the August 2013 order.

At the hearing, Manglona excused Woodruff’s failure to timely comply with the reporting requirements and discharged the show-cause order, but rejected his argument that the order was too onerous.

Manglona also cautioned Woodruff that he was required to file a written report with the court each month “even if there has been no activity in the case whatsoever.”

Woodruff complied with the August 2013 order through February 2014, but failed to file notices for March to September 2014. This prompted the court to issue a second order requiring Woodruff to explain himself.

Once again, Manglona said, hours before the show-cause hearing on Nov. 12, 2014, Woodruff filed a report for the October 2014 period.

Manglona said that Woodruff attempted to excuse his conduct with essentially the same arguments he raised at the first show-cause hearing.

This time, the judge held him in civil contempt and ordered him to pay a fine of $500. Woodruff paid the fine and submitted the required reports.

Last Feb. 9, the court discharged the second order to show cause.

“Unfortunately, Woodruff continues to defy this court,” Manglona said in her order yesterday.

On June 7, 2013, Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman ordered Woodruff’s disbarment for 44 violations of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Woodruff is appealing the matter.

On Oct. 2, 2013, Wiseman found Woodruff in contempt for not complying with the mandate of Rule 15 of the Commonwealth Disciplinary Rules and Procedures and of the disbarment order.

Woodruff was sentenced to five days in prison but it was suspended on the condition that he comply with the mandates. In December 2013, Wiseman ordered him to spend only three days in jail instead of five because he did submit something that partially complied with the court orders.