Imperial Pacific International Holdings Ltd. president Cui Li Jie has asked the court to give her more time to find \u201ca responsible and competent lawyer\u201d to represent her in future court proceedings. <\/p>\n
Cui was formerly represented by lawyer Juan T. Lizama until Lizama resigned last May 29. Cui\u2019s translator, Howyo Chi, submitted a \u201crequest for extension of time to obtain legal representation\u201d to the U.S. District Court for the NMI yesterday, June 1.<\/p>\n
Cui has been involved in a lawsuit filed by seven construction workers who sought millions of dollars in damages, citing labor law violations and human trafficking among other things. According to a press release published by the court last May 26, a $5.91-million default judgment was ordered by the court in the lawsuit Tianming Wang, et. al vs. Gold Mantis Construction Decoration (CNMI) LLC, et. al. <\/p>\n
In a phone call with Lizama last night, he said he was \u201ccaught by surprise\u201d to hear that Cui\u2019s translator is acting like a representative for Cui, officially submitting documents to the district court. \u201cHe\u2019s a translator, not a lawyer,\u201d said Lizama. <\/p>\n
He said that Cui\u2019s claim that he resigned as her lawyer on May 29 is false, and remains Cui\u2019s lawyer in Tianming Wang, et. al vs. Gold Mantis Construction Decoration (CNMI) LLC, et. al and two other cases.<\/p>\n
\u201cClients are entitled to say whatever they want to say,\u201d said Lizama. He said that given the recent turn of events and Chi\u2019s filing on the behalf of Cui, he feels that he \u201cnow has no choice but to file a motion to withdraw [as Lijie\u2019s lawyer].\u201d<\/p>\n
In the June 1 filing, Cui told the court that many of her alleged failures to cooperate with legal proceedings in the past were \u201ccaused largely, if not all of them, by Mr. Lizama, who for some reason beyond my comprehension had failed to inform me of everything communicated to him by the opposite lawyers.\u201d Previously, there have been legal complications regarding a court order for Cui to surrender and preserve her phone data. <\/p>\n
Cui provided an example of Lizama\u2019s alleged incompetence, citing an instance where opposing counsel Aaron Halegua, who represented the seven former construction workers, passed over a request to Lizama for Cui to submit \u201cwritten answers to many questions\u201d by May 21, 2021, at 5pm. Lizama allegedly shared these documents with Cui on May 25. \u201cHow could I be able to comply with such request?\u201d asked Cui in the court filing.<\/p>\n
Cui further mentioned that a detailed explanation of her alleged past \u201cfailures\u201d will be provided as soon as she is able to find a \u201cresponsible and competent\u201d lawyer.<\/p>\n
Cui, through her translator, ends her request to the court by saying she has been \u201chonest and cooperative\u201d with the court thus far, and further asks the court to understand her situation: she does not speak English well, nor does she know the U.S. legal system that well. As a result, she had to \u201ctrust and rely hundred percent\u201d on Lizama for legal advice. Cui maintains that her and Chi have \u201ccooperated to the best we can with all instructions and requests from Mr. Lizama.\u201d<\/p>\n
As of press time Tuesday, Cui is still without a lawyer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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