Quichocho’s bench warrant quashed

U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona quashed the bench warrant against attorney Ramon K. Quichocho yesterday and directed the clerk of court to accept his $1,200 cash bail.

If within 24 hours of posting bail Quichocho agrees to release the bail amount to Ming Yang Corp. to satisfy the $1,200 sanction of legal fees, Manglona said the court will vacate the show-cause order and close the matter.

The judge said if Quichocho does not give such notice, the matter will be set for a show-cause hearing, at which the lawyer will be permitted to appear telephonically on condition that he secure a lawyer to appear in person.

Manglona issued the bench warrant against Quichocho on July 7 for failing to appear at a show cause hearing on that day. She imposed a $1,200 cash bail. The judge said she would address the issue of finding the lawyer in civil contempt once he is present before the court.

In his motion to quash the bench warrant, Quichocho said he tendered the $1,200 bail money to the clerk’s office on Thursday. He said he is off-island and would be out of the CNMI for about three months and unable to appear in person on the hearing date.

He said he has been off-island since June 10, 2014, for personal and medical reasons. He said he would be available via teleconference for the show-cause hearing.

Ming Yang Corp., through counsel Mark Scoggins, did not object to Quichocho’s motion. Scoggins indicated they would not oppose vacating the show-cause order and closing the matter so long as the money deposited as bail is released to cover its legal fees.

Manglona agreed with Scoggins.

Last June 30, Manglona ordered Quichocho to show cause why he should not be held in civil contempt for refusing to pay sanctions for $1,200 in attorney’s fees. The show cause hearing was set for July 7. Quichocho failed to appear at the hearing.

Scoggins stated that since the filing of Quichocho’s motion for reconsideration, the latter had claimed to be traveling.

Manglona issued the $1,200 sanction order against Quichocho on June 16 for his late submission of his opposition to Ming Yang Corp.’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit. Part of the sanction included paying Ming Yang Corp.’s legal fees in preparing for a motion.

Manglona ordered Quichocho to pay the fees no later than June 25, 2014. On June 24, however, Quichocho filed a motion to reconsider Manglona’s order. Manglona denied the motion and gave Quichocho until June 27 to pay. When Quichocho failed to pay the sanctions on June 27, Scoggins filed a petition for an order to show cause. Manglona granted the petition.

Quichocho served as counsel for William A. Tracy, who sued several businesses, including Ming Yang, for allegedly having facilities that are not accessible to persons with disabilities. Tracy was reportedly found dead last Feb.7. The case has since been dismissed.