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Judge recuses self from Dynasty suit
U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona has recused herself from handling the lawsuit filed by about 500 foreign workers against the owners of the now-defunct Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino over the denial of their CNMI-only Transitional Worker (CW-1) petitions.
In an order of self-recusal on Wednesday, Manglona said the counsel for Hong Kong Entertainment (Overseas) Investment Ltd. and Mega Stars Overseas Limited recently became involved in a separate litigation involving her family trust.
“I must disqualify myself from the above proceedings in order to avoid any appearance of partiality,” Manglona said.
Attorney Daniel Guidotti is counsel for HKE and Mega Stars.
Manglona said U.S. District Court for the NMI Magistrate Judge Heather Kennedy is available to conduct all proceedings in this civil action.
Manglona said the judgment may then be appealed directly to the U.S. Court of Appeals like any other judgment.
Manglona said a magistrate judge may exercise case dispositive authority only if all parties voluntarily consent.
Attorney Samuel Mok, counsel for the foreign workers, and Guidotti, counsel for HKE and Mega Stars Overseas Limited, filed early this week a stipulation to move discovery cutoff and status conference in this case.
Mok and Guidotti disclosed in the stipulation that HKE and Mega Stars have ongoing discovery issues as they no longer have any employees working in the CNMI and that water and power to Tinian Dynasty Hotel have been cut off.
In their lawsuit, Eric Dona and co-plaintiffs alleged that the owners and management of Tinian Dynasty lied to them about their immigration legal status.
Mok alleged that the owners and management of Tinian Dynasty lied that they were legally authorized to work, notwithstanding the denial of their CW-1 petitions.
