Free Motion to Dismiss Party - District Court of Arizona - Arizona

Morgan & Morgan, P. A.th 20 N. Orange Avenue, 16 Floor Orlando, FL 32801 Clay M. Townsend, Esquire Bar No.: 023414 Brandon S. Peters, Esquire Bar No.: 022641 Keith R. Mitnik, Esquire Bar No.: 436127 Attorneys for Plaintiffs UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF ARIZONA MEADOWLARK LEMON, a married man, Plaintiff, vs. HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS INTERNATIONAL, INC., an Arizona corporation; HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS INTERNATIONAL PLAINTIFFS' JOINT MOTION TO FOUNDATION, INC., an Arizona corporation; VOLUNTARILY DISMISS DEFENDANTS MANNIE L. JACKSON and CATHERINE GTFM OF ORLANDO, LLC AND FUBU THE JACKSON, husband and wife; FUBU THE COLLECTION, LLC WITHOUT PREJUDICE COLLECTION, LLC, a New York limited liability company doing business in Arizona; GTFM, LLC, a New York limited liability company doing business in Arizona; Defendants. FRED "CURLY" NEAL, LARRY "GATOR" RIVERS, DALLAS "BIG D" THORNTON, ROBERT "SHOWBOAT" HALL, MARQUES HAYNES and JAMES "TWIGGY" SANDERS, Plaintiffs, vs. HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS INTERNATIONAL, INC., an Arizona corporation; HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC., an Arizona corporation; MANNIE L. JACKSON and CATHERINE JACKSON, husband and wife; FUBU THE COLLECTION, LLC, a New York limited liability company, GTFM of Orlando, LLC; and GTFM, LLC, Case Nos.: CV 04 0299 PHX DGC and CV-04-1023 PHX DGC

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a New York limited liability company doing business in Arizona, Defendants. HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS INTERNATIONAL, INC., an Arizona corporation, Counter-claimant, vs. MEADOWLARK LEMON, a married man, Counter-defendant.

COME(S) NOW the PLAINTIFFS, FRED "CURLY" NEAL; LARRY "GATOR" RIVERS; DALLAS "BIG D" THORNTON; ROBERT "SHOWBOAT" HALL; MARQUES HAYNES; JAMES "TWIGGY" SANDERS, and

MEADOWLARK LEMON, by and through their undersigned counsel, hereby move this Court for an Order granting the Voluntary Dismissal of Defendants GTFM of Orlando, LLC and FUBU the Collection, LLC Without Prejudice pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. Rule 41(a)(2) and state: 1. Plaintiffs, in good faith, named FUBU the Collection, L.L.C. and GTFM of Orlando, L.L.C. as defendants when this action was filed. 2. FUBU Defendants did not oppose the transfer of this action to Arizona and consolidation with the LEMON claims. FUBU Defendant's subsequent motion for summary judgment was denied by this Court on September 20, 2004. 3. Subsequent discovery revealed that:

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a.

GTFM of Orlando, L.L.C. bought and distributed FUBU/Harlem Globetrotter garments from GTFM, L.L.C.

b.

GTFM of Orlando, L.L.C. is controlled by GTFM, L.L.C. and has offices at the same New York address.

c.

FUBU the Collection, L.L.C. is a party to an operating agreement with GTFM, L.L.C. and has functions other than as a mere member of GTFM, L.L.C.

d.

FUBU the Collection, L.L.C. owns 49% of GTFM, L.L.C.'s Class A Units.

e.

"FUBU the Collection" is an unregistered name or trade name in the United States used by various entities, and a registered name in the Philippines, where the Securities and Exchange Commission lists six (6) retail outlets in the country. In the Philippines, the trade name is used on bags, receipts, and signs (this information was not disclosed by the FUBU defendants, but recently discovered by the Plaintiffs).

f.

"FUBU the Collection" is referred to as a business, not a mere trade name, in the former website of the FUBU defendants.

4.

The FUBU Defendants moved this Court for Rule 11 Sanctions if GTFM of Orlando, LLC and FUBU the Collection, L.L.C. was not dismissed from this suit.

5.

Notwithstanding the above, Plaintiffs presented a proposed stipulation to all counsel to dismiss GTFM of Orlando, LLC and FUBU the Collection, L.L.C. Without Prejudice in accordance with Fed.R.Civ.P 41(a)(1).

6.

GTFM of Orlando, LLC and FUBU the Collection, L.L.C. have stipulated to the dismissal but insist on Dismissal With Prejudice.

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7.

Plaintiffs' proposed Dismissal is reasonable, has been stipulated to by counsel for Plaintiff MEADOWLARK LEMON who joins this motion, and conforms with Rule 41, which deems Dismissals not otherwise designated shall be without prejudice. MEMORANDUM OF LAW Motions for voluntary dismissal pursuant to Fed.Rules.Civ.Proc Rule 41(a)(2), 28

U.S.C.A. should be freely granted, absent some plain legal prejudice to the non-moving party. The mere prospect of a second lawsuit is not enough prejudice to a defendant to warrant denial of a motion to dismiss without prejudice. United States v. Dow Chemical Company 343 F.3d 325 (5th Cir. 2003). Voluntary dismissal without prejudice will be allowed if a defendant will not be prejudiced thereby. There is no prejudice to the FUBU Defendants. Plaintiffs have brought this motion soon after the close of discovery (September 30, 2005). Catazano v. Wing, 277 F.3d 99 (2d Cir. 2001). WHEREFORE, PLAINTIFFS, FRED "CURLY" NEAL; LARRY "GATOR" RIVERS; DALLAS "BIG D" THORNTON; ROBERT "SHOWBOAT" HALL; MARQUES HAYNES; JAMES "TWIGGY" SANDERS and MEADOWLARK LEMON respectfully request entry of an order for Plaintiffs' Voluntary Dismissal Without Prejudice of Defendant GTFM of Orlando, LLC and FUBU the Collection, L.L.C.

DATED this 12th

day of October 2005.

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By: __/S/ Clay M. Townsend_____________ CLAY M. TOWNSEND, ESQUIRE Florida Bar No.: 363375 KEITH MITNIK, ESQUIRE Florida Bar No.: 436127 BRANDON S. PETERS Florida Bar No.: 965685 Morgan & Morgan, PA 20 N. Orange Avenue, 16th Floor Orlando, FL 32802 Telephone (407) 420-1414 Facsimile (407) 425-8171 Attorneys for Plaintiffs Fred Neal, Larry Rivers, Robert Hall, Dallas Thornton, Marques Haynes and James Sanders

___/S/ Anders Rosenquist Jr.___________ Anders Rosenquist, Jr., Esquire Florence M. Bruemmer, Esquire ROSENQUIST & ASSOCIATES 80 E. Columbus Phoenix, AZ 85012 Attorney for Plaintiff Meadowlark Lemon

PLEASE TAKE FURTHER NOTICE that copies of the above-referenced documents have been served via first class mail upon the following attorneys: Joel L. Herz, Esquire LAW OFICES OF JOEL L. HERZ LaPolma Corporate Center 3573 E. Sunrise Dr., Suite 215 Tuscon, AZ 85718-3206 Attorney for Defendants GTFM, LLC, FUBU the Collection, LLC and GTFM Of Orlando, LLC Edward R. Garvey, Esq. and Christa Westerberg, Esquire GARVEY & STODDARD, S.C.

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634 W. Main St. #101 Madison, WI 53703 Attorneys for Defendants Harlem Globetrotters Int'l, Inc., Harlem Globetrotters Int'l Foundation and Mannie L. & Catherine Jackson Anders Rosenquist, Jr., Esquire Florence M. Bruemmer, Esquire ROSENQUIST & ASSOCIATES 80 E. Columbus Phoenix, AZ 85012 Attorney for Plaintiff Lemon Safia A. Anand, Esquire Ira S. Sacks, Esquire 499 Park Avenue New York, NY 10022 Attorneys for Defendants GRFM, LLC, FUBU the Collection, LLC and GTFM of Orlando, LLC

Certificate of Service Vanessa Braeley, declares as follows: 1. I hereby certify that on October __12th_, 2005, a true and correct copy of the Motion to Dismiss was electronically transmitted to the Clerk's Office using the CM/ECF System for filing and transmittal of a Notice of Electronic Filing to the following CM/ECF registrants: Safia Anand ­ [email protected] Florence M. Bruemmer ­ [email protected], [email protected] Joel Herz ­ [email protected], [email protected] Ira Sacks ­ [email protected] 2. I am and was at all times mentioned herein a citizen of the United States and a resident of Orange County, Florida, over 18 years of age and not a party to the within action or proceeding. My business address is 20 N. Orange Avenue, 16th Floor, Orlando, FL 32801, and I am employed as a legal assistant by Morgan & Morgan, P.A., Clay Townsend is an attorney admitted to practice in Florida and has been admitted pro hac vice in the District Court of Arizona, and directed that service be made. 3. I hereby certify that on October __12th__, 2005, a true and correct copy of Plaintiff's Motion to Dismiss, postage paid thereon, was sent via U.S. Mail to the following parties, at the addresses listed, to-wit:

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Joel L. Herz LAW OFICES OF JOEL L. HERZ LaPolma Corporate Center 3573 E. Sunrise Dr., Suite 215 Tuscon, AZ 85718-3206 Attorney for Defendants FUBU the Collection, LLC and GTFM Or Orlando, LLC Anders Rosenquist, Jr. Florence M. Bruemmer ROSENQUIST & ASSOCIATES 80 E. Columbus Phoenix, AZ 85012 Attorney for Plaintiff Lemon Edward R. Garvey Christa Westerberg GARVEY & STODDARD, S.C. 634 W. Main Street, Ste. 101 Madison, WI 53703 Attorneys for Defendants Harlem Globetrotters Intl Inc. and Harlem Globetrotters Int'l Foundation Safia Anand, Esquire and Ira S. Sacks, Esquire Dreier, LLP 1350 Broadway 11th Floor New York, NY 10018 Attorneys for Defendants FUBU the Collection, LLC and GTFM of Orlando, LLC 3. I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States that the foregoing is true and correct. DATED: October __12th__, 2005 Signed: __/S/ Vanessa L. Braeley _______ Vanessa L. Braeley Legal Assistant to Clay Townsend MORGAN & MORGAN 20 N. Orange Avenue, 16th Floor Orlando, FL 32801 Attorneys for the Plaintiffs Curly Neal, Larry Rivers, Dallas Thornton, Marques Haynes, Robert Hall and James Sanders

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