Interesting read ….
On September 3, 2014, the Company filed a lawsuit against Darrel Volentine, of California. Mr. Volentine was sued in two counts of libel per se under Florida law, as well as a count for injunction against the Defendant to exclude and prohibit internet postings. Such lawsuit was filed in the Circuit Court in Hillsborough County, Florida. Such suit is based upon internet postings on www.investorshub.com. On or about October 15, 2015, the Company and Volentine entered into a stipulation whereby Volentine admitted to his tortious conduct, however the stipulated damages agreed to were rejected by the Court, and the Company is proceeding to trial on damages against Volentine in a non-jury trial on December 1, 2015. The Defendant is the subject of a contempt of court motion which was heard on April 7, 2016, whereby the Court found a violation and modified the injunction against the Defendant, and imposed other matters of potential penalties against the Defendant. The Court also awarded attorney’s fees against the Defendant on behalf of Seafarer for such motion. The Defendant subsequently attempted to have such ruling, evidence and testimony attacked through a motion heard before the Court on October 24, 2016. The Court dismissed the Defendant’s motion after presentation of the Defendant’s case at the hearing. The Plaintiff has set the matter for entry of the attorney’s fees amount due from the Defendant for hearing in December 2016. As well the Plaintiff has set for hearing its motion for sanctions in the form of attorney’s fees for frivolous filing of the October 24th motion, which motion is also set for hearing in December 2016. The Plaintiff filed a renewed and amended motion for punitive damages in the case on September 11, 2016, which has not been set for hearing. The Defendant had also filed a motion for summary judgment on the matter of notice entitlement pre-suit, which motion is pending before the Court. The Plaintiff filed a motion for sanctions against the Defendant for the motion for summary judgment being frivolous under existing law, and such motion is pending ruling on the motion. On December 7, 2016, the Court held a hearing on the Defendant’s motion for sanctions, and essentially attempting to rehear the motion for contempt against the Defendant. The Court dismissed the Defendant’s motions, and renewed the ability of the Company to seek attorney’s fees on such matter, which hearing has not been set at present. On February 28, 2017, the Court entered an Order denying the Defendant’s motion for summary judgment. The Company has filed a motion for punitive damages in March 2021 to be added to the cause of action and to be heard by the Court. The counsel for Volentine filed a motion to withdraw which was granted on March 7, 2021, and Volentine was given 60 days to obtain new counsel or proceed without such. The Company is seeking to get such matter to trial as soon as possible. Volentine, as of the date of this publication, has not obtained new counsel.
