Opposition Brief — Rand v. Anaconda-Ericsson, Inc.
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No. 86-598
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IN THE
Supreme Court of the WUqithP Seay ks
OCTOBER TERM, 1986
—_
MICHAEL M. RAND, JOHN COSTELLO, STEVEN J. COSTELLO, GREGORY T.
FRESE, EDWARD LAVIN, PETER A. MILANO, and VINCENT F. SERVELLO,
Petitioners,
— VY —
ANACONDA-ERICSSON INC., ERICSSON, INC., L M ERICSSON TELEPHONE
COMPANY, NORDIC AMERICAN BANKING CORPORATION, CITIBANK, N.A.,
PRICE WATERHOUSE, SULLIVAN & CROMWELL, RICHARD HOWE,
RICHARD G. LYON, L. STANTON TOWNE, TELECOM EQUIPMENT CORP,
and STEPHEN R. COHEN, Respondents.
ON PETITION FOR AWRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
BRIEF IN OPPOSITION
ROBINSON BURRELL LACY
125 Broad Street
New York, New York 10004
(212) 558-4000
Counsel of Record for
Respondents Anaconda-Ericsson
Inc., Ericsson, Inc., L M
Ericsson Telephone Company,
Sullivan & Cromwell, Richard
Robert M. Osgood Howe, Richard G. Lyon, and
Christopher Allegaert L. Stanton Towne
SULLIVAN & CROMWELI
Of Counsel
[Counsel for Respondents Continued on Inside of Front Cover]
RICHARD GRANT LYON, ESQ.
Ericsson, Inc.
730 International Parkway
Richardson, Texas 7508]
(214) 997-0743
Pro Se and as Attorney for
Respondents Anaconda-Ericsson
Inc., Ericsson, Inc., and L M
Ericsson Telephone Company
WHITE & CASE
1155 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036
(212) 819-8200
Attorneys for Respondent Nordic
American Banking Corporation
SHEARMAN & STERLING
53 Wall Street
New York, New York 10005
(212) 837-6000
Attorneys for Respondent
Citibank, N.A.
November 6, 1986
HOWARD, DARBY & LEVIN
10 East 53rd Street
New York, New York 10022
(212) 751-8000
Attorneys for Respondent
Price Waterhouse
PAUL S. MCDONOUGH, ESQ.
Telecom Plus International Inc.
48-40 34th Street
Long Island City, New York 11101
(718) 392-7700
Attorney for Respondents
Telecom Equipment Corporation
and Stephen R. Cohen
neem
TABLE OF CONTENTS
te ee ee ee ee oe oe ae ee ie ee or oe oe a ss
eae vee ee eS ee ee ee ne ee
BREUER EPA ter See eee ee
I. THE SANCTIONS PURSUANT TO RULE 1!1..
Il. THE INJUNCTION AGAINST FURTHER
I cub at SS REEL AS oN oO eo SS ONw 64 4
lil. THE CLAIMS ASSERTED IN THE COM-
Ea Ses are ees oe
ee gE Pe
ee EN ic whack ca cnnseanensins see
ee IE I 5 a nc ckceveeaseucuness
D. The Williams Act Claim
e@e Bee Ce vVdcanaee Cage ®t
etc lee chav ab heeahctoedcnsanenens
APPENDICES
ees ee 8.0 6 6 6.6 6.2 Oe 6.8 2h 2 oO .0-4 3 © BO O'6 +6 SO
A. Opinion of District Court on Motion to Re-
argue, Dated December 2, 1985 ............
B. Designation of Corporate Relationships .....
NN AN
co C&O
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
PAGE
Cases
Anaconda-Ericsson, Inc. v. Hessen (In re Teltronics
Services, Inc.), 29 Bankr. 139 (Bankr. E.D.N.Y. 1983) 2, 6
Associated General Contractors v. California Council of
Carpenters, 459 U.S. 519 (1983)... 0... 6-2 e ee eee eee 8
Clinton v. United States, 297 F.2d 899 (9th Cir. 1961),
cert. denied, 369 U.S. 856 (1962). ....--++2-eeeeeee 5
Davis v. United States Gypsum Co., 451 F.2d 659
‘ot | er eee ere rt ee ere 6
Gordon v. United States Department of Justice, 558 F.2d
Pi oe eg) errr ee Te ee ee 4
Hanson Trust PLC v. SCM Corp., 774 F.2d 47
eo fee, .) eer rr or Terr tere ree 8
Ingenito v. Bermec Corp., 376 F. Supp. 1154
‘ES a ee ree eee ttt ee cr 6
Landy v. F.D.I.C., 486 F.2d 139 (3d Cir. 1973),
cert. denied, 416 U.S. 960 (1974). ........-- eee eees 6
Loeb v. Eastman Kodak Co., 183 F. 704 (3d Cir. 1910) 8
Meredith v. John Deere Plow Co., 261 F.2d 121
(8th Cir. 1958), cert. denied, 359 U.S. 909 (1959).... 5
In re Potter Instrument Co., 593 F.2d 470 (2d Cir. 1979) 7
Roadway Express, Inc. v. Piper, 447 U.S. 752 (1980)... 5
Saxon -Industries, Inc. v. NKFW Partners, 488 A.2d
RO CE, TOGO). vos coo nea cu bcsaenveesdscseeeses< 7
SEC v. American Trailer Rentals Co., 379 U.S. 594
i bs ip Vike acne ee Re REeeS ae ONAN SENET Seat ae 7
ili
PAGE
Sedima, S.PR.L. v. Imrex Co., 105 S. Ct. 3275 (1985) 7,8
Shuffman v. Hartford Textile Corp. (In re Hartford
Textile Corp.), 681 F.2d 895 (2d Cir. 1982),
cart. Gana, 4359 UB. Tae Cs 60k dors sc bik euee 4,5
Sperry Rand Corp. v. Rothlein, 288 F.2d 245
CAR Ce DI Bo ks eG es eee 5
In re Teltronics Services, Inc., No. 79 B 2725 (CHG),
slip op. (Bankr. E.D.N.Y. April 30, 1980) .......... 7
Teltronics Services, Inc. v. L M Ericsson Telecommuni-
cations, Inc., 486 F. Supp. 836 (S.D.N.Y.), on reargu-
ment, 491 F. Supp. 538 (S.D.N.Y. 1980), aff’d, 642
F.2d 31 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 452 U.S. 960 (1981) .. 2
Teltronics Services, Inc. v. L M Ericsson Telephone Co.,
No. 79 Civ. 1233, slip op. (S.D.N.Y. May 9, 1979)... 2
Teltronics Services, Inc. and Edward M. Beagan v.
Anaconda-Ericsson, Inc., 587 F. Supp. 724 (E.D.N.Y.
1984), aff’d, 762 F.2d 185 (2d Cir. 1985) ........... 2
Ward v. Pennsylvania New York Central Transportation
GCo., 456: Fak WO Cb Ca POT oi ooikk ko cknannks 4,3
Warren v. Manufacturers National Bank, 759 F.2d 542
ee ee re erm e ean. Oey i es 7
Statutes and Rules
EES FE Ohi FRE ooh 5 6550 oo eee 6,7
Bankruptcy Code ch. 11,
SE Gas oS goo cos wea eae tiara 7
PO. Tis Sols. We B0 cake v cb oe Senda hie vane ee 3; a3
Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 10b-5,
Peek! ee FL 6
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934,
HE ele Foe & Pe ere era eer y
PAGE
Sup. Ct. R. 21. 1(k)ii) 2... ccc ce cece een cee eenes 4
Sup. Ct. R. 21.8 ..cccvcccscccvvcvccesccvesessoscce 4
Williams Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 78k(d)-(e), -((d)-(f)........ 8
CITATIONS TO OPINIONS BELOW
The decisions of the District Court and the Court of Appeals
are reported at 623 F. Supp. 176 (E.D.N.Y.), on motion for
reargument, 623 F. Supp. 185 (E.D.N.Y. 1985), aff’d, 794 F.2d
843 (2d Cir. 1986). The opinion of the District Court on
reargument is annexed as Appendix A.
IN THE
Supreme Court of the United States
OCTOBER TERM, 1986
>
No. 86-598
MICHAEL M. RAND, JOHN COSTELLO, STEVEN J. COSTELLO,
GREGORY T. FRESE, EDWARD LAVIN, PETER A. MILANO, and
VINCENT F. SERVELLO,
Petitioners,
Vv.
ANACONDA-ERICSSON INC., ERICSSON, INC., L M ERICSSON
TELEPHONE COMPANY, NORDIC AMERICAN BANKING COR-
PORATION, CITIBANK, N.A., PRICE WATERHOUSE, SULLIVAN
& CROMWELL, RICHARD HOWE, RICHARD G. LYON, L.
STANTON TOWNE, TELECOM EQUIPMENT CORP, and
STEPHEN R. COHEN,
Respondents.
ON PETITION FOR AWRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THI
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT
a o
BRIEF IN OPPOSITION
STATEMENT
In its unanimous opinion affirming the District Court’s
grant of summary judgment for defendants and entry of an
injunction prohibiting plaintiffs or their counsel from further
litigation regarding Teltronics Services, Inc., the Court of
Appeals noted, “Plaintiffs and their attorneys seem to believe
that if at first you don’t prevail, sue, sue again” (Pet. 39a).
This petition is the latest confirmation of that observation. The
2
claims which petitioners are again attempting to assert have
been litigated repeatedly and repeatedly found to be devoid of
merit over the past seven years. See, in addition to the opinions
in this action, Te/tronics Services, Inc. and Edward M. Beagan
v. Anaconda-Ericsson, Inc., 587 F. Supp. 724 (E.D.N.Y. 1984),
aff'd, 762 F.2d 185 (2d Cir. 1985); Anaconda-Ericsson, Inc. v.
Hessen (In re Teltronics Services, Inc.), 29 Bankr. 139 (Bankr.
E.D.N.Y. 1983); Teltronics Services, Inc. v. L M Ericsson
Telecommunications, Inc., 486 F. Supp. 836 (S.D.N.Y.), on
reargument, 491 F. Supp. 538 (S.D.N.Y. 1980), aff'd, 642 F.2d
31 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 452 U.S. 960 (1981); Teltronics
Services, Inc. v. L.M. Ericsson Telephone Co., No. 79 Civ.
1233, slip op. (S.D.N.Y. May 9, 1979).
Before instituting this action, but after claims based on the
same course of conduct had been dismissed in three prior
actions, petitioners’ attorneys brought an action alleging sub-
stantially identical claims on behalf of both Teltronics and
Edward M. Beagan, the founder, former president and largest
stockholder of Teltronics. The District Court, unanimously
affirmed by the Court of Appeals, entered an injunction
against Beagan anc’ petitioners’ attorneys prohibiting further
prosecution by them of claims belonging to Teltronics. See
Teltronics Services, Inc. and Edward M. Beagan v. Anaconda-
Ericsson, Inc., 587 F. Supp. 724 (E.D.N.Y. 1984), aff’d, 762
F.2d 185 (2d Cir. 1985). In this case, petitioners’ attorneys
attempted to prosecute the same claims against many of the
same defendants on behalf of other Teltronics shareholders. As
Judge Neaher noted in denying their motion io reargue,
“Plaintiffs’ attorneys have offered no reason why other share-
holders (plaintiffs herein) should be treated differently with
respect to the same claims” (infra p. -13a).
Petitioners misinform this Court about the facts and the
record below. For instance, they fail to mention or to provide
this Court with the District Court’s opinion denying plaintiffs’
and plaintiffs’ attorneys’ motion to reargue,' which completely
A copy of Judge Neaher'’s opinion on reargument, dated December
2, 1985, is annexed as Appendix A
belies their contention that they were denied their due process
rights. Petitioners assert that the District Court entered an
injunction against them sua sponte, without notice or an
opportunity to be heard (Pet. 12). In fact, the injunction was
granted pursuant to a motion filed by defendants in November
1983 (Pet. 18a, 30a). Petitioners had over 19 months to
respond to defendants’ motion—during which time they failed
to explain to the court why the injunction should not issue—
and a further opportunity to contest the injunction during a
conference before the District Court on September 24, 1985
(infra p. 13a). Judge Neaher noted, “Despite these opportuni-
ties to explain themselves, [petitioners’ attorneys] have offered
nothing to justify their conduct, which wholly disregards the
results of the prior proceedings.” Jd. The Court of Appeals, in
affirming the injunction, stated, “The record clearly justifies
such relief” (Pet. 39a).
An equally egregious distortion of the record below is
petitioners’ implication that the Court of Appeals affirmed an
award of sanctions under Rule 11 against their attorneys. See
Petition at i, Question 5. The Court of Appeals never ruled on
the sanctions issue. As the court explained (Pet. 39a):
“The imposition of costs and attorney’s fees under Rule
11, Fed. R. Civ. P., is not before us at this time, although
appellants chose to brief the issue. When appellees moved
to adjourn the briefing and argument of this appeal until
the amount of such costs and fees was finally determined
by the district court, appellants opposed on the ground
that an appeal from such a determination might not be
taken. Because we denied appellees’ motion, the Rule 11
issue is clearly not before us.”
A subsequent appeal by petitioners’ attorneys from the award
of sanctions was dismissed by the Court of Appeals for lack of
jurisdiction, due to petitioners’ failure to file a timely notice of
appeal, on September 2, 1986.
Petitioners’ failure to provide this Court with the opinion of
the District Court on reargument and their mischaracterization
4
of the record are in themselves sufficient reasons for denying
the Petition. See Sup. Ct. R. 21.1(k)(ii), 21.5.
SUMMARY OF ARGUMENT
Many of the questions that petitioners suggest for the
Court’s consideration are not presented by the decision of the
Court of Appeals with respect to which they seek certiorari.
The Court of Appeals’ opinion is in accord with the decisions
of this Court and the other courts that have addressed the same
issues and does not raise any point meriting review by this
Court.
ARGUMENT
I.
THE SANCTIONS PURSUANT, TO RULE 11
The judgment as to which petitioners seek certiorari does not
present any issue relating to Rule 11. The Court of Appeals did
not rule upon the District Court’s award of sanctions against
petitioners’ attorneys pursuant to Rule 11. As the Court of
Appeals stated, “The Rule 11 issue is clearly not before us”
(Pet. 39a).
II.
THE INJUNCTION AGAINST FURTHER LITIGATION
The Courts of Appeals have consistently recognized “[t]he
equity power of a court to give injunctive relief against vexa-
tious litigation” and repeatedly endorsed the use of injunctive
power in circumstances similar to this case. See Shuffman v.
Hartford Textile Corp. (In re Hartford Textile Corp.), 681 F.2d
895, 897 (2d Cir. 1982), cert. denied, 459 U.S. 1206 (1983);
Gordon v. United States Department of Justice, 558 F.2d 618
(Ist Cir. 1977); Ward v. Pennsylvania New York Central
5
Transportation Co., 456 F.2d 1046, 1048 (2d Cir. 1972); Clin-
ton v. United States, 297 F.2d 899, 901-02 (9th Cir. 1961), cert.
denied, 369 U.S. 856 (1962); Sperry Rand Corp. v. Rothlein,
288 F.2d 245 (2d Cir. 1961); Meredith v. John Deere Plow Co.,
261 F.2d 121, 124 (8th Cir. 1958), cert. denied, 359 U.S. 909
(1959). A federal court may enjoin further litigation in any
court in the United States when the claimant’s proclivity for
vexatious litigation has been established by his attempt to
relitigate claims that have been repeatedly shown to be merit-
less. Shuffman vy. Hartford Textile Corp. (In re Hartford
Textile Corp.), supra, 681 F.2d at 897; Ward v. Pennsylvania
New York Central Transportation Corp., supra, 456 F.2d at
1048; Sperry Rand Corp. v. Rothlein, supra, 288 F.2d at
248-49.
The assertion that the injunction violated the due process
protections required by Roadway Express, Inc. v. Piper, 447
U.S. 752 (1980), is patently without merit. As noted above,
petitioners’ attorneys received notice of defendants’ motion
seeking injunctive relief and numerous opportunities to be
heard both before the motion was granted and in connection
with petitioners’ request for reconsideration. Petitioners have
not suggested any plausible ground why the injunction barring
them from continuing to harass respondents merits this
Court’s review.
III.
THE CLAIMS ASSERTED IN THE COMPLAINT
In part II of the petition, petitioners argue that their claims
“were warranted by existing law or a good faith argument for
the extension, modification or reversal of existing law” (Pet.
16) (emphasis in the original). This quotation from Rule 11 of
the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure indicates that part II of
the petition is intended to argue that the sanctions imposed on
petitioners’ counsel were not merited. That issue is not pre-
sented by the decision of which review is sought.
6
It is conceivable that petitioners also intend to argue that the
dismissal of the complaint raises issues that should be reviewed
by this Court. Certiorari is hardly merited, however, by the
lower courts’ failure to modify or reverse existing law to
accommodate petitioners’ claims, as discussed below.
A. The Rule 10b-5 Claim
The references in the petition to individuals who sold
Teltronics stock (Pet. 2, 18) are misleading. Plaintiffs them-
selves have never sold their shares (Pet. 2, 20-21). They assert
standing under Rule 10b-5 on the ground that an alleged
misrepresentation that Teltronics had defaulted in Ericsson’s
press release issued on March 5, 1979 (Pet. 6) was the cause of
Teltronics’ bankruptcy proceedings in September 1979 (Pet.
17, 32a).
The District Court dismissed the Rule 10b-5 claim on the
ground that the press release was not a proximate cause of the
bankruptcy proceedings (Pet. 16a). The Court of Appeals
agreed (Pet. 33a), but affirmed primarily on the basis that the
commencement of bankruptcy proceedings did not constitute a
“forced sale” of petitioners’ stock (Pet. 34a). The holding that
the commencement of insolvency proceedings does not consti-
tute a forced sale of securities for purposes of Rule 10b-S is in
accord with the decisions of the other courts that have consid-
ered the question, see Landy v. F.D.I.C., 486 F.2d 139, 159 (3d
Cir. 1973), cert. denied, 416 U.S. 960 (1974); Ingenito v.
Bermec Corp., 376 F. Supp. 1154, 1177 (S.D.N.Y. 1974); see
also Davis v. United States Gypsum Co., 451 F.2d 659, 660 (3d
Cir. 1971), and petitioners do not identify any decision to the
contrary.
When bankruptcy proceedings were commenced against
Teltronics in September 1979, it invoked the protection of
Chapter XI of the Bankruptcy Act.’ Significant alterations of
2 See Anaconda-Ericsson, Inc. v. Hessen (In re Teltronics Services,
Inc.), 29 Bankr. 139, 144 (Bankr. E.D.N.Y. 1983). The proceedings
were converted to a straight bankruptcy on April 30, 1980, id., based
the rights of public investors were not permitted in proceedings
under Chapter XI. See SEC v. American Trailer Rentals Co..,
379 U.S. 594, 614-15 (1965). The management elected by
Teltronics’ stockholders, including petitioners, remained in
possession and the stockholders generally retained their right
to elect new directors, see, e.g., In re Potter Instrument Co..,
593 F.2d 470, 475 (2d Cir. 1979); cf. Saxon Industries, Inc. v.
NKFW Partners, 488 A.2d 1298, 1300-0! (Del. 1985) (under
Chapter 11 of Bankruptcy Code). There is therefore no plausi-
ble basis for asserting that the commencement of Teltronics’
bankruptcy proceeding could constitute a “forced sale” of
petitioners’ shares.
The separate determination that the alleged misrepresenta-
tion was not a proximate cause of the bankruptcy proceedings
commenced six months later does not present any issue of
general interest meriting this Court’s review.
B. The RICO Claim
The Court of Appeals dismissed petitioners’ RICO claim on
the ground that it belonged to Teltronics and could therefore
be asserted only by the corporation, and not the shareholders.
As petitioners acknowledge (Pet. 22), the Court of Appeals
followed the only other decision addressing the same question
that is identified in the petition. Warren v. Manufacturers
National Bank, 759 F.2d 542, 544 (6th Cir. 1985). The holding
that stockholders lack standing to assert claims on their own
behalf based on injuries to the corporation also is in accord
with well settled principles of corporation law.
The Court of Appeals’ decision is not in any way inconsis-
tent with Sedima, S.°R.L. v. Imrex Co., 105 S. Ct. 3275
(1985). In Sedima, the Court held that a RICO plaintiff need
not allege either a distinct “racketeering injury” or prior
convictions of the predicate felonies. The issue addressed in
on the Bankruptcy Court’s findings of misconduct by Teltronics’
management, see Jn re Teltronics Services, Inc., No. 79 B 2725 (CHG),
slip op. at 82-86 (Bankr. E.D.N.Y. April 30, 1980).
8
Sedima relating to the type of injury that must be alleged to
assert a claim under RICO is unrelated to the question of
whether stockholders may assert claims based on injuries to the
corporation. See Warren v. Manufacturers National Bank, 759
F.2d 542, 545 (6th Cir. 1985).
C. The Antitrust Claim
The Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of petitioners’
antitrust claim on the basis of the principles established in this
Court’s most recent opinion on standing to assert such claims,
Associated General Contractors v. California Council of Car-
penters, 459 U.S. 519 (1983). In particular, the Court of
Appeals noted this Court’s approval of Loeb v. Eastman
Kodak Co., 183 F. 704 (3d Cir. 1910), which dismissed an
antitrust claim for lack of standing based on circumstances
that are indistinguishable from this action. In Loeb, as in the
present case, the plaintiff claimed to have been injured because
the alleged violation of the antitrust laws drove a company of
which he was a stockholder into bankruptcy and thereby
reduced the value of his shares. 183 F. at 706-07. The Court of
Appeals’ dismissal of petitioners’ antitrust claim was clearly in
accordance with the decisions of this Court.
D. The Williams Act Claim
The only authority cited by petitioners to support their
contention that the Court of Appeals erred in holding that the
transaction on which petitioners rely did not constitute a |
“tender offer” subject to the Williams Act is an earlier decision
of the same court, Hanson Trust PLC v. SCM Corp., 774 F.2d
47 (2d Cir. 1985) (Pet. 25). In Hanson Trust, the Court of
Appeals held that the principal criterion for determining
whether a transaction constitutes a “tender offer” is whether it
creates “a substantial risk that solicitees will lack information
needed to make a carefully considered appraisal of the pro-
posal,” id. at 57.
9
As petitioners acknowledge, the proposal by Ericsson that
they assert was a tender offer was expressly conditioned on
approval by Teltronics’ stockholders following distribution of
proxy material that had been submitted to the Securities and
Exchange Commission (Pet. 24). Compliance with the disclo-
sure requirements applicable to proxy material under section
14 of the Securities Exchange Act, 15 U.S.C. § 78/, would have
ensured that the stockholders had ample information concern-
ing the proposed transaction and opportunity to consider it.
The assertion that such a transaction constitutes a tender offer
is fatuous.
Conclusion
For the foregoing reasons, the petition should be denied.
Respectfully submitted,
ROBINSON BURRELL LACY
125 Broad Street
New York, New York 10004
(212) 558-4000
Counsel of Record for Respondents
Anaconda-Ericsson Inc., Ae
Ericsson, Inc., L M Ericsson
Telephone Company, Sullivan &
Cromwell, Richard Howe,
Richard G. Lyon, and
L. Stanton Towne
Robert M. Osgood
Christopher Allegaert
SULLIVAN & CROMWELL
Of Counsel
Allan L. Gropper
Robert J. Morrow
Of Counsel
Philip K. Howard
Of Counsel
10
RICHARD GRANT LYON, Esq.
Ericsson, Inc.
730 International Parkway
Richardson, Texas 75081
(214) 997-0743
Pro Se and as Attorney for
Respondents Anaconda-Ericsson
Inc., Ericsson, Inc., and L M
Ericsson Telephone Company
WHITE & CASE
1155 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10036
(212) 819-8200
Attorneys for Respondent
Nordic American Banking
Corporation
HOWARD, DARBY & LEVIN
10 East 53rd Street
New York, New York 10022
(212) 751-8000
Attorneys for Respondent
Price Waterhouse
William B. Pennell
James P. Tallon
Of Counsel
November 6, 1986
1]
SHEARMAN & STERLING
53 Wall Street
New York, New York 10005
(212) 837-6000
Attorneys for Respondent
Citibank, N.A.
PAUL S. MCDONOUGH, ESQ.
Telecom Plus International Inc.
48-40 34th Street
Long Island City, New York 11101
(718) 392-7700
Attorney for Respondents
Telecom Equipment Corporation
and Stephen R. Cohen
la
APPENDIX A
Opinion on Motion to Reargue
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
83 CV 4268 (ERN)
a
MICHAEL M. RAND, JOHN COSTELLO, STEVEN J. COSTELLO,
GREGORY T. FRESE, EDWARD LAVIN, PETER A. MILANO, and
VINCENT G. SERVELLO,
Plaintiffs,
—against—
ANACONDA-ERICSSON, INC., ERICSSON, INC., L.M. ERICSSON
TELEPHONE CO., NORDIC AMERICAN BANK, CITIBANK,
N.A., PRICE-WATERHOUSE & CO., SULLIVAN & CROMWELL,
RICHARD HOWE, RICHARD G. LYON, L. STANTON TOWNE,
TELECOM EQUIPMENT CORP, and STEPHEN R. COHEN,
Defendants.
as
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
APPEARANCES:
CARL E. PERSON & WALTER C. REID, ESQS.
New York, New York
Attorneys for Plaintiffs
2a
SULLIVAN & CROMWELL
New York, New York
Attorneys for Defendants Anaconda-Ericsson, Inc.,
Ericsson, Inc., L.M. Ericsson Telephone Co.
Sullivan & Cromwell, Richard R. Howe, Richard G.
Lyon, and L. Stanton Towne
By ROBERT M. OSGOOD, ESQ.
ROBINSON B. LACY, ESQ.
MARIA FOSCARINIS, ESQ.
RICHARD G. LYON, ESQ.
Greenwich, Connecticut
Pro Se and as Attorney for Defendants
Anaconda-Ericsson, Inc., Ericsson, Inc., and
L.M. Ericsson Telephone Company
WHITE & CASE
New York, New York
Attorneys for Defendant Nordic American Bank
By ALLAN L. GROPPER, ESQ.
HOWARD, DARBY & LEVIN
New York, New York
Attorneys for Defendant Price Waterhouse
By PHILIP K. HOWARD, ESQ.
SHEARMAN & STERLING
New York, New York
Attorneys for Defendant Citibank, N.A.
By WILLIAM B. PENNELL, ESQ.
PAUL S. MCDONOUGH, ESQ.
Long Island City, New York
Attorney for Defendants Telecom Equipment Corp. and
Stephen R. Cohen
3a
NEAHER, District Judge
The case is again before the Court, this time upon plaintiffs’
motion to reargue the Court’s decision and order of August 30,
1985, which granted defendants’ motion for summary judg-
ment and awarded attorneys fees against plaintiffs’ attorneys.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys contest the Court’s dismissal of their
clients’ claims. They also challenge the assessment of fees
against them personally. Specifically, they ask for a specifica-
tion of the charges of bad faith/misconduct which support the
award of fees and for an opportunity to be heard on this
matter at an evidentiary hearing. The Court will first address
their contentions concerning asserted errors in dismissing
plaintiffs’ claims.
Typical of the manner in which plaintiffs’ attorneys have
pursued this case, in the memorandum of law in support of
this motion at 5 they state,
“Although this Court in its opinion (Op. pg. 17) ap-
parently agrees with plaintiffs’ argument that the condi-
tions necessary for a “forced sale” exist in this case, it
nonetheless argues—for the first time—not that the Erics-
son press releases were not ‘in connection with’ the forced
sale of plaintiffs’ stock (which was the Court’s holding ii
the Beagan case) but that the issuance of the press releases
and defendants’ subsequent attempts to perpetuate the
collapse of plaintiffs’ stock were not causally related to
the forced sale of that stock. The concepts of ‘proximate
causation’ and the ‘in connection with’ requirement are
distinct and this Court is unclear in its opinion as to
whether it has abandoned its earlier reliance on the ‘in
connection with’ requirement which it used to dismiss
plaintiffs’ Rule 10b-5 claim in the Beagan case.”
On the contrary, proximate causation is an integral aspect of
the “in connection with” requirement.
“The precise meaning of ‘in connection with’ is pro-
vided neither by section 10(b) [of the Securities and
4a
Exchange Act of 1934] nor rule 10b-5. The case law
reveals that in order for this element to be satisfied there
must be some causal relationship between the alleged
deception and some consequent purchase or sale. Courts
have spoken of this connection in terms of reliance and
causation.”
Liberty National Insurance Holding Co. v. Charter Co., 734
F.2d 545, 555 (11th Cir. 1984) (citations omitted); see Angelas-
tro v. Prudential-Bache Securities Inc., 764 F.2d 939, 943 (3d
Cir. 1985). In recognition of this requirement, speaking of the
plaintiffs’ claims in Bennett v. United States Trust Co., 770
F.2d 308 (2d Cir. 1985), the Court of Appeals stated,
“They fail to establish the necessary loss causation; there
is simply no direct or proximate relationship between the
loss and the misrepresentation. See Bloor v. Carro, Span-
bock, Rodman & Fass, 754 F.2d 57, 61-62 (2d Cir. 1985).”
Id. at 314.
In this case the misrepresentation is alleged to be omissions
in a press release issued in March 1979. Its relationship to
plaintiffs’ subsequent “loss”, which occurred after Teltronics
was ordered liquidated in April 1980, is remote. By analogy,
the relationship between the press release and the asserted
“forced sale” created through Teltronics’ liquidation is simi-
larly remote.
Also contrary to plaintiffs’ argument in their memorandum
of law, the Court did not conclude that the conditions for a
forced sale existed in this case. Unlike the short form merger
which occurred in Vine v. Beneficial Finance Corp., 374 F.2d
627 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 389 U.S. 970 (1967), where the
Court found a forced sale, after the misrepresentation alleged
to have occurred here, plaintiffs had neither the right to
judicial appraisal of their stock nor the option of selling it
pursuant to a preexisting offer, nor any equivalent rights.
Furthermore, the liquidation of Teltronics did not convert
plaintiffs’ stock into a claim for cash. As the Court noted in
Vine,
Sa
“We do not have here a stockholder who refused to accept
a fraudulent offer to purchase his stock but remains a
stockholder in an existing corporation; whether to label
this hypothetical person a ‘seller’ under the Rule is a
much different question. Due to defendant’s acts, Crown
has now disappeared and plaintiff’s stock has, in effect,
been involuntarily converted into a claim for cash.”
Id. at 634. Here, by contrast, plaintiffs could only exchange
their stock for money from the Bankruptcy Court in the event
money were available from the Teltronics estate for this pur-
pose. In its prior order the Court merely refused to rule, as
defendants had requested, that the liquidation of a corporation
in bankruptcy can never result in a forced sale.' Further
exposition of the concept would be a meaningless academic
exercise, injecting dicta into a decision derived from the cir-
cumstances of this case. To summarize and reiterate: the Court
finds that plaintiffs have not met the “in connection with”
In the Beagan action, the Court observed that,
“The fraudulent scheme alleged in the complaint consists of a plot to
plunge Teltronics into bankruptcy. [Complaint] € 120. Assuming the
success of the plot as alleged in the complaint, the separation of
Beagan or any other Teltronics’ shareholder from their shares was
hardly integral to bankrupting the corporation. Moreover the asserted
misrepresentation contained in a press release, was that Teltronics had
defaulted on loans froia Nordic and Citibank. Although the default
may have been excused, or Teltronics may have had a defense to a suit
by the banks [or their successurs in interest to the debt instruments], it
nevertheless defaulted when it failed to make the interest payment on
time. Beagan also cites an omission in that the press release failed to
state that Teltronics had adequate assets to pay the loans. The avail-
ability of money would not preclude a default, and in these circum-
stances, the asserted solvency of Teltronics is irrelevant to the fraud
alleged to have precipitated its rapid demise. That fraud was defen-
dants’ alleged promise to make the interest payments if Teltronics did
not do so. Teltronics’ possible State law claim for commonlaw fraud
arising from this deceit has been settled. The attenuation between this
misrepresentation and the securities involved in any subsequent sale,
forced or otherwise, is apparent from the pleaded facts.”
587 F. Supp. at 731-32. The instant complaint alleges the same facts and
merits the same response.
6a
requirement of § 10(b) or Rule 10b-5 and plaintiffs have not
presented facts which establish a forced sale of their stock.
Having failed to persuade the Court of the viability of their
securities fraud claims, plaintiffs’ reargument concerning the’
RICO claim fails. As the Court concluded earlier, plaintiffs
present only one RICO predicate act. Moreover, as previously
noted, any injuries to plaintiffs’ shares in Teltronics resulted
from activities (alleged fraud and antitrust violations) directed
at Teltronics. But for plaintiffs’ ownership of those shares in
that corporation and that corporation’s business relationships
with Ericsson, plaintiffs would have no loss. As recently
pointed out by Judge Edelstein, RICO is not available to
shareholders to redress injuries done to their corporation.
Nordberg v. Lord, Day & Lord, ___ F. Supp. ;
39/85 Star. Dec. 12, 28-31 (S.D. N.Y. Y. 1985) (cases cited and
discussed therein).*
Concerning plaintiffs’ claim pursuant to § 14(e) of the Wil-
liams Act, the Court stands by its prior ruling that the motion
papers disclose no tender offer.
“Although the Williams Act does not define the term
‘tender offer’, the characteristics of a typical offer are
well-recognized. They are described in the House Report
of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce,
which held hearings on the proposed Act.
The offer normally consists of a bid by an individual or
group to buy shares of a company—usually at a price
2 For reasons which escape the Court (and defy logic), plaintiffs
persist in attempting to persuade the Court that Wilson v. Garcia, 105 S.Ct.
1938, undercuts the Court’s earlier analysis, 587 F. Supp. at 733, and
presumably the analysis of Durante Brothers, etc. v. Flushing Nat. Bank, 755
F.2d 239, 248-49 (2d Cir.), cert. denied, 105 S.Ct. 3530 (1985), concerning the
appropriate New York statute of limitations for a civil RICO suit. The RICO
claim in this case was dismissed upon deficiencies in the merits and not upon
any defense of the statute of limitations.
3 As Teltronics has settled all of its claims against Ericsson as part of a
bankruptcy, there is no possibility of a shareholders’ derivative RICO suit.
7a
above the current market price. Those accepting the offer
are said to tender their stock for purchase. The person
making the offer obligates himself to purchase all or a
specified portion of the tendered shares if certain condi-
tions are met.
H.R.Rep.No. 1711, 90th Congress, 2d Sess., reprinted in
[1968] U.S. Code Cong. & Admin. News, pp. 2811, 2811.
“This definition of a conventional tender offer has
received general recognition in the courts.”
Kennecott Copper Corp. v. Curtiss-Wright Corp., 584 F.2d
1195, 1206 (2d Cir. 1978). The alleged tender offers from Tsai
and Loral Corp. never actually materialized, thus the parties
never executed contingent provisions in which Ericsson would
have acted as a “White Knight” to prevent the takeover of
Teltronics. Ericsson’s own negotiations to purchase stock from
plaintiffs and Teltronics chief stockholder, Beagan, never con-
templated a public solicitation of shares.
In construing § 14(d) of the Williams Act, the disclosure
provisions, the Court of Appeals recently stated,
“The borderline between public solicitations and privately
negotiated stock purchases is not bright and it is fre-
quently difficult to determine whether transactions falling
close to the line or in a type of a ‘no man’s land’ are
‘tender offers’ or private deals. . . . [SJince the purpose
of § 14(d) is to protect the ill-informed solicitee, the
question of whether a solicitation constitutes a ‘tender
offer’ within the meaning of § 14(d) turns on whether
viewing the transaction in the light of the totality of
circumstances, there appears to be a likelihood that unless
the preacquisition filing strictures of that statute are
followed there will be a substantial risk that solicitees will
lack information needed to make a carefully considered
appraisal of the proposal put before them.”
Hanson Trust PLC v. SCM Corp., 774 F.2d 47, 56, 57 (2d Cir.
1985). Through five private sales and one open market pur-
8a
chase, Hanson had accumulated 25% of SCM’s stock. After
stating the above test, the Court advanced seven reasons or
factors which illustrated why those transfers were not consid-
ered a tender offer.
Six of those factors parallel the instant case as follows: (1)
the number of proposed sellers consisted of Edward Beagan
and the Teltronics Board of Directors, which collectively held a
substantial portion of the corporation’s stock; (2) the proposed
offerees knew or should have known about Teltronics financial
condition and the security interest which Ericsson held in the
equipment leases; (3) any pressure to sell indirectly originated
from Ericsson’s allegedly illegal activities against Teltronics in
the marketplace; (4) there was no active or widespread advance
publicity or public solicitation, which is one of the earmarks of
a conventional tender offer; (5) the proposed purchase price
was never a premium; and (6) Ericsson never proposed a
purchase of outstanding shares. See Beaumont v. American
Can Co., ___ F. Supp. F , 45/85 Star. Dec. 220,
255-58 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 6, 1985).
In their memorandum of law at 6, plaintiffs state,
“
‘. . . [T]he Court’s ruling is contrary to the evidence in
the record which clearly indicates that Ericsson has sought
to acquire the stock of many of Teltronics’ shareholders
and had taken ‘substantial steps’, including the prepara-
tion of a letter by its attorneys, Sullivan & Cromwell,
toward that end.”
They do not identify the exhibit which contains this evidence
and the Court cannot locate any such letter in the two volumes
of documentary exhibits which accompany plaintiffs’ original
motion papers. From the context, however, the Court compre-
hends that this letter refers to an offer to buy made by Ericsson
after the price of Teltronics stock had fallen. Nevertheless,
prior to the default, the evidence discloses that Ericsson’s
proposal to acquire an equity interest in Teltronics never
contemplated a tender offer. Plaintiff’s Exh. F, Affidavit of
Edward Beagan, 44 32-34, appendix at 499-500; plaintiff’s
Exh. Y. As Beagan further explains, negotiations consisting of
9a
‘proposal and counterproposal continued, but no agreement
was reached. Beagan Affidavit at ¢ 40, appendix at 502.
Perhaps the most vexatious and ill-founded claim repeatedly
advanced by plaintiffs is that they have standing to sue Erics-
son for alleged violations of the antitrust laws. Not unsurpri-
singly, they accuse the Court of having determined the facts in
the context of summary judgment. They characterized the
Court’s fii.ding that Ericsson’s alleged activities were directed
at Teltronics as “mistaken” because they contend that as
shareholders the injury was direct and personal to themselves.
Their reliance on Blue Shield of Virginia v. McCready, 457
U.S. 465 (1982) is misplaced. As this Court noted in Beagan’s
action, 587 F. Supp. 729-30, the rules for antitrust standing are
stated in the later case of Associated General Contractors of
California v. California Council of Carpenters, 459 U.S. 897
(1983). Rather than undercutting established. antitrust law,
these rules reinforce the principle that shareholders are not the
victims of activities, allegedly violative of the antitrust laws,
which are directed at their corporation. Plaintiffs have not
identified any activity which was violative of the antitrust laws
and directed solely at them.
In a broad sweeping claim, plaintiffs also assert that Erics-
son aimed its activities at plaintiffs to collapse the price of their
stock. The facts and circumstances do not support such a
conclusion. The price of the stock collapsed only after the
default. Moreover, plaintiffs’ entire theory of a conspiracy to
depress the price of Teltronics stock ignores the undisputed
facts. Beagan, undoubtedly with consent of Teltronics board
members, several of whom are plaintiffs in this suit, gave
Ericsson a secured interest in Teltronics assets, the ability to
influence the acceleration of a substantial portion of the
corporation’s debts, and most importantly, the opportunity to
profit from an acceleration of that debt. Once Citibank and
Nordic American Bank had assigned their rights as holders of
Teltronics loans, Teltronics owed the money directly to Erics-
son. This situation gave Ericsson the significant interest it had
desired in Teltronics, whether Teltronics stock traded for $9 a
10a
share or $.09 a share. Undeniably, Ericsson had attained the
functional equivalent of an equity position in Teltronics
without ever purchasing a single share; consequently, the Court
still fails to understand how depressing the price of Teltronics
stock was necessary to the success of the alleged takeover
scheme.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys’ response to the award of fees against
them aiso misperceives the record. They accuse the Court of
applying the equivalent of res judicata to bar their clients’
claims on the basis of prior litigation. Nothing of the sort
occurred. The instant plaintiffs raised the same claims raised
by Edward Beagan and neither they nor their attorneys should
be surprised that this Court dismissed their claims, in part, in
reliance upon its prior exhaustive treatment of these matters.
These claims were as meritless when raised by shareholder
Beagan as they are when raised by any other Teltronics share-
holder.
Additionally, nothing in this Court’s decision suggests or
permits the inference that plaintiffs’ attorneys solicited
Teltronics shareholders to sue Ericsson after this Court dis-
missed Beagan’s lawsuit. The need or desirability for the
multiplicity of actions filed by plaintiffs’ attorneys has been
attributed by them to unidentified “procedural reasons”. Its
effect has been to harass Ericsson which prevailed in a tria! of
many of these same issues in the Bankruptcy Court.
“Under the law in this Circuit, to award fees under the
bad faith exception a court must find clear evidence that
the losing party’s claims were ‘entirely without color and
made for reasons of harassment or delay or for other
improper purposes.’ The test is conjunctive and neither
meritlessness alone nor improper purpose alone will suf-
fice. Under this test, a claim is ‘entirely without color’
when it lacks any legal or factual basis. While there is no
precise definition of ‘improper purpose’ it may be evi-
denced by conduct occurring either before or during
trial.”
lla
Sierra Club v. U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers, ____ F.2d ___
____ (2d Cir. October 28, 1985) (citations and footnote omit-
ted).
This standard aptly characterizes plaintiffs’ attorneys’ oppo-
sition to Ericsson’s motion for summary judgment in this
action. Rather than opposing that motion, they should have
agreed to the entry of judgment without prejudice to their
rights to an appeal; thus saving defendants the costs and fees
of preparing additional papers. The Court’s sanction is limited
and discretely applies only after the Court of Sina’ rendered
its decision published at 762 F.2d 185.
In considering the effect and sweep of the Court of Appeals’
opinion, plaintiffs’ attorneys refer to that appeal and the
preceding district court litigation as the “Beagan” action or
suit. In so doing, they conveniently ignore the remainder of the
Court of Appeals’ decision and its clear implications for the
instant suit. For the reasons stated by this Court, the Court of
Appeals affirmed this Court’s and the Bankruptcy Court’s
approval of a settlement by Teltronics’ bankruptcy trustee of
Teltronics’ claims against Ericsson. 762 F.2d at 189. Also for
‘the reasons stated by this Court, the Court of Appeals ruled
that Edward Beagan, and obviously his attorneys, had no
authority to pursue claims settled by Teltronics’ bankruptcy
trustee. 762 F.2d at 189-90. Undoubtedly, this Court could not
and would not enjoin Beagan from pursuing his own claims,
but it did enjoin him from pursuing Teltronics’ claims. Never-
theless, his attorneys, here plaintiffs’ attorneys, appealed this
Court’s dismissal of Teltronics without seeking a stay of that
injunction.* Relying on the same claims and the same allega-
tions, they opposed the instant motion for summary judgment
with nothing more than protestations that Ericsson’s activities
created liability to Teltronics’ shareholders, the plaintiffs
herein. The Court had already ruled to the contrary, and the
4 Contrary to plaintiffs’ attorneys’ assertions, this Court never en-
couraged them to take an appeal on behalf of Teltronics.
12a
subsequent motion papers and later case authorities have
reinforced the correctness of the prior rulings.°
Significantly, too, plaintiffs’ attorneys’ manner of opposing
the motion also evidences bad faith. They have not explained
how or why the problems of an entity referred to as Datasaab,
allegedly an Ericsson subsidiary, concerning illegal exports of
technology to the Soviet Union relate to Teltronics or the
plaintiffs. The documents submitted appear to be intended to
disparage Ericsson as a predatory entity allegedly associated
with another entity involved in espionage and to convince the
Court that individuals allegedly having some connection to
Ericsson were less than forthright to a Federal Judge in the
District of Columbia. Mudslinging of this genre is inappro-
priate under Fed. R. Civ. P. 56 and cannot be tolerated. Such a
tactic insults the intelligence of the Court because it suggests
that irrelevant and prejudicial matters may influence the
Court’s decisionmaking.°
Also contrary to their complaints, plaintiffs’ attorneys have
not been denied procedural due process. Ericsson has re-
peatedly reiterated its motion for sanctions against plaintiffs’
attorneys since the first motion in the Beagan action. See Wang
v. Gordon, 715 F.2d 1187, 1190-91 (7th Cir. 1983). In the
instant case, plaintiffs’ attorneys accused Ericsson and its
attorneys of bad faith conduct and called for sanctions against
5 The prior proceedings concerning Teltronics in this Court and the
Court of Appeals put plaintiffs’ attorneys on notice that this action was so
completely without hope of succeeding that pursuing the matter in this
Court, beyond placing the case in an appellate posture, was vexatious to the
defendants and indicative of bad faith. See Glick v. Koenig, 766 F.2d 265,
270 (7th Cir. 1985).
6 Plaintiffs’ attorneys submitted their opposition papers (dated July 1,
1985) on July 5, 1985. Apparently, the references to Datasaab were intended
to satisfy the RICO requirement of prior criminal convictions, as set out in
Sedima §.P-R.L. v. Imrex, Inc., 741 F.2d 482 (2d Cir. 1984). Although this
requirement was rejected by the Supreme Court in that case on July 1, 1985,
105 S.Ct. 3275, in their subsequent papers, plaintiffs’ attorneys have not
withdrawn their references to exhibits related to Datasaab. The record
discloses that Datasaab’s activities have no legal or factual impact upon
Ericsson’s relationship(s) with Teltronics or these plaintiffs.
13a
them. The Court’s finding of bad faith rests upon the undispu-
ted activities of plaintiffs’ attorneys as evidenced by the events
of record. They have had ample opportunity to address the
Court in person and on paper.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys appeared at a conference held on the
record on September 24, 1985. At that time, they offered no
explanation, other than zealous representation of their clients,
of why they had opposed Ericsson’s motion for summary
judgment in light of this Court’s prior rulings and the Court of
Appeals’ decision. Concerning the imposition of sanctions,
their memorandum of law submitted in support of the motion
to reargue is no more enlightening except to assert that the
Court has denied them due process of law in imposing sanc-
tions. Despite these opportunities to explain themselves, they
have offered nothing to justify their conduct, which wholly
disregards the results of the prior proceedings.
This Court dismissed all of the claims of shareholder Beagan
on the merits. Plaintiffs’ attorneys have offered no reason why
other shareholders (plaintiffs herein) should be treated dif-
ferently with respect to the same claims.’ See Wang v. Gordon,
supra; compare United States ex rel. United States-Namibia,
etc., v. Africa Fund, 588 F. Supp. 1350, 1352 (S.D.N.Y. 1984);
North American Foreign Trading Corp. v. Zale Corp., 83
F.R.D. 293, 298 (S.D.N.Y. 1979). They obstinately disagree
with that dismissal and the reasons the Court advanced in
support of it, insisting, in essence, that the Court does not
understand the nature of the case or the law or asserted
liabilities involved. Their remedy lies in an appeal and not in
blind pursuit of some hope that the Court will depart from its
prior rulings when confronting the same arguments previously
rejected and the same authorities previously found either
irrelevant or unpersuasive. See Jn re TCI Ltd., 769 F.2d 441,
445 (7th Cir. 1985) (“[D]Jogged pursuit of a colorable claim
becomes actionable bad faith once the attorney learns (or
should have learned) that the claim is bound to fail.”).
7 Not only are the claims the same as were raised in the Beagan action,
but many of the affidavits and documents submitted by plaintiffs’ attorneys
are the same, viz, Plaintiffs’ Exhs. D, E, F, H, and K (including Exhs. N and
O to Exh. K).
l4a
In sum, plaintiffs’ attorneys have received the notice and
opportunity to be heard required prior to the imposition of
sanctions, see Smiga v. Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc., 766 F.2d
698, 708-09 (2d Cir. 1985); Hasty v. Paccar, Inc., 583 F. Supp.
1577, 1580 (E.D. Mo. 1984); see also Eash v. Riggins Trucking,
Inc., 757 F.2d 557, 571 (3d Cir. 1985) (en banc), and they have
not shown that the sanction is unlawful, clearly erroneous
based upon the record, or an abuse of the Court’s discretion.
See Sierra Club, supra; United States v. Nesglo, Inc., 744 F.2d
887, 891 (1st Cir. 1984); see also Tedeschi v. Smith Barney, etc.,
579 F. Supp. 657 (S.D.N.Y. 1984), aff’d, 757 F.2d 465 (2d Cir.
1985) (per curiam); Nemeroff v. Abelson, 94 F.R.D. 136
(S.D.N.Y. 1982), aff’d, 704 F.2d 652 (2d Cir. 1983).
Although not raised in their memorandum of law submitted
in support of the instant motion, plaintiffs’ attorneys, at the
aforementioned conference, expressed confusion concerning
the breadth of the injunction contained in the order and
decision of August 30, 1985. The purpose of that injunction is
to prohibit them from commencing any new lawsuits concern-
ing Teltronics, (which the Court considers unlikely) and to
prohibit them from further pursuing an action entitled,
“Teltronics Services, Inc. and Edward M. Beagan against
Telecom Equipment Corp. and Stephen R. Cohen, 83 CV
3740,” which they filed in this Court. The injunction does not
extend to filing an appeal in this matter and cannot be so
misinterpreted.
On the basis of the foregoing, the motion to reconsider is in
all respects denied. Accordingly, defendants have 20 days from
the date of this order to submit their petition for fees in accord
with this Court’s order of August 30, 1985. Plaintiffs’ attor-
neys will have 10 days thereafter to submit a response, if any.
SO ORDERED.
/s/ EDWARD R. NEAHER
U.S.D.J.
Dated: Brooklyn, New York
December 2, 1985
lSa
APPENDIX B
Designation of Corporate Relationships
Pursuant to Rule 28.1 of this Court, respondents submit this
designation of corporate relationships.
1. Anaconda-Ericsson Inc. has been renamed Ericsson, Inc.
It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ericsson North America
Inc., which in turn is a wholly-owned subsidiary of L M
Ericsson Telephone Company, a Swedish corporation whose
shares are publicly held. L M Ericsson Telephone Company
has subsidiaries throughout the world, but none of their shares
are publicly traded in the United States.
2. Since the commencement of this action, the corporate
name of respondent Nordic American Banking Corporation
has been changed to DnC America Banking Corporation. DnC
America Banking Corporation is wholly owned by Den norske
Creditbank, a Norwegian corporation.
3. The parent company of Citibank, N.A. is Citicorp. The
following is a list of subsidiaries and affiliates which are not
wholly owned.
Agence Expression S.A.R.L.
Agence Touristique de Guyenne et Gascogne S.A.
AMBAC, Inc.
AP-Dow Jones/Quotron Co.
Arrendadora INCI, S.A. de C.V.
Auximar Voyages S.A.
Banco Centro Sud S.P.A.
Banco de Honduras S.A.
Banco Internacional de Colombia (Nassau) Ltd.
Banco Internacional de Colombia, S.A.
Bay Forest Lot 20
Boerum Court Associates
Brandts Clark Marine Ltd.
l6a
Brickell Biscayne Associates
BT Publications, Inc.
Burloak Financial Services Inc.
Cardholder Services Limited
Central Capital Market Sources, Inc.
Central Holdings Corp.
Channel Collections Ltd.
Channel Islands Transatlantic Investment Company in Health
Care Equities
Channel Islands Transatlantic Investment Funds Limited
Citi-Reserve, Societe D’Investissement A Capital Variable
Citibank (Zaire) S.A.R.L.
Citibank Budapest RT
Citibank Espana S.A.
Citibank Financial Consultants Limited
Citibank-Maghreb
Citibelsa-Assurantiemaatschappij Financia Compagnie
D’ Assurances Finan
Citico
Citicorp Construction Limited
Citicorp Data Distribution, Inc.
Citicorp Insurance Brokers (International) Limited
Citicorp Insurance Brokers Limited
Citicorp Insurance Holdings Limited
Citicorp Underwriting Agencies Limited
Citicorp Y Rio-Banco de Inversion, S.A.
Citifin Espana, S.A. de Financiacion
Citifinance Limited
Citilease Internacional, S.A.
Citilease Syndication No. | Corp.
Citytrust Banking Corporation
Citytrust Finance Corporation
Citytrust Realty Corporation
17a
Clarke Vickers (UK) Limited
Clarke Vickers Limited
Clarke Vickers Services Pty. Limited
Collateral Trust Corporation Limited
Commerce and Trade Bank Limited
Compagnie Bordelaise de Negotiations et de Gestion S.A.R.L.
Compagnie Franco-Americaine de Gestion Financiere
Compagnie Generale de Banque Citibank
Compania Exportadora Cityexport S.A.
D.C.F. Holdings S.A.
D.C.F. Services Limited
Datastruktur GMBH
Diners Assurances S.A.R.L.
Diners Club de France S.A.
Diners Club Limited, The
Diners Club Limited, The (Ireland)
Diners Selection S.A.R.L.
Diners Voyages S.A.
Diners World Travel Limited
DKM Consultants Limited
Dorchester on Rittenhouse Square Partners, The
Drury Lane Limited
Eagle II
Euclid Commercial Joint Venture
Euclid Golf Joint Venture
European Overseas Issuing Corporation S.A.
Famibank S.A.
Fil-Insure Brokers, Inc.
Financia Nederland N.V.
Financial Institutions Insurance Brokers Limited
Financial Reserve, Incorporated
Financiera Citicorp S.A.
18a
Finders Limited
First Citicorp Leasing, Inc.
First Hemphill
Fraser Vickers Research Pte. Limited
FRMC Corporation
Fuji National City Consulting, Ltd.
Garfield Restoration, The
GKB Gerwerbekreditbank AG
Global Electronic Markets Company
Goldsboro Joint Venture
Groupe D’Etudes Techniques et Commerciales S.A.R.L.
Harrison Credit Group, Inc.
HCG Services, Inc.
Inmobiliaria Jiennense, S.A.
International Bank Limited
Island Finance Corporation
Jj & E Davy
J & E Davy Holdings Limited
J.N. Travers & Co. Limited
Kemp-Gee Holdings (Jersey) Limited
Kemp-Gee Nominees Limited
Kingsbrooke Co.
KKB Bank KGAA
KKB Lebensversicherung AG
Kredit-Und-Versicherungsvermittlungsgesellschaft MBH
Lake Terrace Associates
Leonine Administration Limited
Lexington Commons, The
Lexington Village, The
Maghreb Finance S.A.
Mandata GMBH Fur Rechtsbesorgung UND Inkasso
Marine Partners
19a
Memo Services S.A.R.L.
Meridian Partnership Ltd.
Mission Park Corporation
Nigeria International Bank, Limited
Oak Forest Company
Olive Trees Venture
One Sansome Street Associates Inc.
Organization d’Information et de Securite pour
le Credit S.A.R.L.
Orient Pacific Capital Investment Corporation
P.N. Kemp-Gee Service Company
P.T. Citicorp Leasing Indonesia
PT. Diners Jaya Indonesia International
Paddle Creek Enterprises, Inc.
Park West Construction Company
Partridge Hill Company
Quotnet (France) S.A.R.L.
Quotnet (Hong Kong) Limited
Quotnet (U.K.) Limited
Quotnet A.G.
Quotnet G.M.B.H.
Quotnet Services (Singapore) Pte. Limited
Quotnet Services Limited
Revue Signature S.A.R.L.
Rob Roy Country Club Village
Saudi American Bank
Schuyler Associates
SCI Sainte Madeleine I
SCI Sainte Madeleine II
Scrimgeour Kemp-Gee Management (Jersey) Limited
Scrimgeour Vickers & Co.
Scrimgeour Vickers Financial Futures Limited
20a
Scrimgeour Vickers Financial Services Limited
Scrimgeour Vickers Insurance Brokers Limited
Scrimgeour Vickers Research Services Limited
Seccombe Marshall & Campion P.L.C.
Sita World Travel (London) Limited
SKG Management Limited
Sobelfac S.A.
Southern Syndicate, Inc.
Spar-Und Kreditbank Registrierte Genossenschaft MBH
Sperry New Holland Credit Corporation
Taiwan First Investment & Trust Co., Ltd.
Tiers of Laurel Lakes Limited Partnership, The
United Bank of Trinidad and Tobago Limited, The
Waka Vermogensverwaltungs GMBH
Woodglen Venture
200 West Holdings Corp.
808 Broadway Associates
4. Telecom Equipment Corp. has been renamed Telecom
Plus International Inc. Tel-Plus Communications, Inc. is the
only subsidiary of Telecom Plus International Inc. that is not
wholly-owned. Siemens Aktiengesellschaft is a joint stock-
holder with Telecom Plus International Inc. in Tel-Plus Com-
munications, Inc.
This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.