Pending and Threatened Litigation | Note 12. Pending and Threatened Litigation CASE SETTLED Edson R. Arneault, Kathleen Devlin and James Devlin, J. Steven Emerson, Emerson Partners, J. Steven Emerson Roth IRA, Steven Rothstein, and Barry Stark and Irene Stark v. Diamondhead Casino Corporation (In the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (C.A. No. 1:16-cv-00989-LPS) On October 25, 2016, the above-named Debenture holders filed a Complaint against Diamondhead Casino Corporation (the Company) in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware for monies due and owing pursuant to certain Collateralized Convertible Senior Debentures issued on March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2014. The plaintiffs were seeking $1.4 million, plus interest from January 1, 2015, together with costs and fees. The Company was served with the Complaint on October 31, 2016. On November 21, 2016, the Company filed a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction due to failure to plead diversity. On February 21, 2017, the plaintiffs filed a motion for leave to amend their complaint based upon declarations of citizenship filed with the court. On September 26, 2017, the motion for leave to amend was granted and the Company’s motion to dismiss was granted in part and denied in part. The Court also granted plaintiffs leave to file a Second Amended Complaint which was filed on October 2, 2017. On October 16, 2017, the Company filed Defendant’s Answer and Affirmative Defenses and Counterclaim. On November 2, 2017, the Plaintiffs filed an Answer to the Counterclaim. The parties exchanged discovery in the case. On September 27, 2018, the Plaintiffs’ filed a motion for summary judgment. On October 18, 2018, the Company filed its opposition to the motion for summary judgment. On November 8, 2018, the Plaintiff’s filed their reply to the Company’s opposition. On January 2, 2019, the Court canceled the trial previously scheduled for March 22, 2019. On April 2, 2019, the Court heard argument on the Plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment. On June 4, 2019, the Court denied Plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment. On June 14, 2019, the Plaintiffs filed a motion for leave to file a third amended complaint. On June 26, 2019, the Company filed an opposition to the motion. On July 1, 2019, the plaintiffs filed their reply. On July 24, 2019, the Court denied the motion for leave to amend without prejudice. On June 7, 2019, the Court scheduled a mediation conference for July 11, 2019. At the mediation conference the parties reached a settlement. On December 12, 2019, the parties entered into a written Settlement Agreement. The Settlement Agreement, in addition to other terms and conditions provides, in pertinent part, as follows: i) in the event Mississippi Gaming Corporation (“MGC”) entered into a contract for the sale of the Diamondhead Property on or before December 31, 2019, the Plaintiffs would be paid the principal due under the debentures and interest stated in the debentures of four percent (4%) per annum through the payment date; ii) in the event MGC entered into a contract for the sale of the Property on or before June 30, 2020, the Plaintiffs would be paid the principal due under the debentures, interest of four percent (4%) per annum through December 31, 2019 and, beginning January 1, 2020, interest of five percent (5%) per annum through the payment date; iii) in the event MGC has not entered into a contract for the sale of the Property on or before June 30, 2020, but has done so on or before December 31, 2021, the Plaintiffs would be paid the principal due under the debentures, interest of four percent (4% ) per annum through December 31, 2019 and, beginning January 1, 2020, interest of six percent (6%) per annum through the payment date; and iv) if MGC has not entered into a contract for the sale of the Property on or before December 31, 2021, the Plaintiffs will be entitled to a Judgment for the principal due under the debentures, interest of four percent (4%) per annum through December 31, 2019 and, beginning January 1, 2020, interest of six percent (6%) per annum through the date of Judgment. Following entry of Judgment, interest will accrue at the then post-judgment rate of interest charged pursuant to the laws of the State of Delaware. There is a provision for the payment of reasonable attorneys fees to counsel for Plaintiffs in the event MGC has not entered into a contract for the sale of the Property on or before December 31, 2019. If the parties cannot agree on the amount that constitutes reasonable attorneys fees, the parties will submit the matter to the Court for determination, but in no event will such fees exceed $160,000 unless there is a default in the Settlement Agreement. On January 13, 2020, the parties filed a Stipulation of Voluntary Dismissal with Prejudice in the case. The principal and interest pertaining to the settlement above has been accrued through March 31, 2020. CASE SETTLED John Hawley, as servicing agent for Argonaut 2000 Partners, L.P. v. Diamondhead Casino Corporation On February 28, 2019, the above-named Debenture holder filed a Complaint against the Company in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware for monies due and owing pursuant to certain Collateralized Convertible Senior Debentures issued on March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2014. The plaintiff was seeking $100,000, plus interest from January 1, 2015, together with costs and fees. The Company was served with the Complaint on March 8, 2019. On March 28, 2019, the Company filed its Answer, Affirmative Defenses and Counterclaim and Affidavit of Defense. The plaintiff in this case is represented by the same law firms that represent plaintiffs in the above-referenced case. Thus, at the mediation conference held on July 11, 2019 in the above case, the parties agreed that the same settlement agreement reached in that case would apply to the plaintiff in this case as well. A Stipulation of Dismissal With Prejudice was filed in the case on January 13, 2020. The principal and interest pertaining to the settlement above has been accrued through March 31, 2020. CASE SETTLED Sussman v. Diamondhead Casino Corporation In November 2016, the Company filed a Foreign Judgment with the Circuit Court of Montgomery County, Maryland to collect a judgment that had been entered against Plaintiff and other Petitioners who had filed a Chapter 7 Involuntary Bankruptcy Petition against the Company in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. The Bankruptcy Court found that the Petition had been filed in bad faith and for improper purposes and awarded the Company attorney’s fees. In February 2017, the Plaintiff filed a Motion to Reopen and Vacate the Foreign Judgment. The Circuit Court entered judgment in favor of the Company and ordered the Plaintiff to post a cash bond with the Court in the amount of $36,000. The Plaintiff appealed the lower court’s decision to the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland which affirmed the decision. The Plaintiff then filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari in the Court of Appeals of Maryland which denied the Petition. In March 2019, the Company collected the $36,000. CASE DECIDED Arnold J. Sussman, Robert Skaff and David J. Towner v. Diamondhead Casino Corporation On November 9, 2018, Sussman filed suit against the Company for breach of a Promissory Note issued November 10, 2010, in the principal amount of $50,000, with interest payable at 9% per annum, with a maturity date of November 10, 2012. Plaintiff sought payment of principal of $50,000 and interest due from June 30, 2012 to present. On November 28, 2018, Skaff and Towner also filed suit against the Company in the same court for breach of Promissory Notes (Case No. N18C-11-232 ALR). Skaff filed suit i) for breach of a note issued on November 29, 2010 in the principal amount of $37,500 with interest payable at 9% per annum, with a maturity date of November 29, 2012 and ii) for breach of a note issued on June 21, 2011, in the principal amount of $25,000 with interest payable at 9% per annum, with a maturity date of June 21, 2013. Towner filed suit for breach of a note issued on November 29, 2010, in the principal amount of $25,000 with interest payable at 9% per annum, with a maturity date of November 29, 2012. The cases were consolidated for hearing and trial. On February 15, 2019, the Plaintiffs filed their Consolidated Complaint. On March 7, 2019, the Company filed its Answer and Affirmative Defenses and Affidavit of Defense. On or about April 1, 2020, the Plaintiffs filed a motion for summary judgment and a brief in support thereof. The Company filed a brief in opposition. On July 13, 2020, the Court heard oral argument on the motion. On November 13, 2020, the Court granted Plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment. On December 4, 2020, the Court entered a Final Order and Judgment in the case awarding judgment to Plaintiffs as follows: i) Sussman: $88,151.46; ii) Skaff: $109,978.93; and iii) Towner: $44,127.68. Post-judgment interest was awarded in accordance with the legal rate in Delaware (5% plus the federal discount rate). The principal and interest pertaining to the settlement above has been accrued through March 31, 2020. |