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ANDREW H.
WILSON, ESQ., SBN 63209 Attorneys for Plaintiff, SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE COUNTY OF MARIN
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INTRODUCTION
commission of the 201 breaches of contract asserted therein and asserting forty four affirmative defenses. They are identical to the forty three affirmative defenses which he raised in defending the prior action ("Prior Action") which Plaintiff brought to recover for breach of the very agreement at issue here, save for the addition of a defense based on the Thirteenth Amendment. In the Prior Action, this Court adjudicated those defenses against Armstrong, entered a permanent injunction, a final judgment and an order holding Armstrong in contempt for violation of the injunction. Armstrong's subsequent appeal was dismissed. Accordingly, Plaintiff hereby moves for an order precluding the introduction of any evidence on those affirmative defenses on the ground that Armstrong those defenses were either raised and adjudicated against Armstrong |
1 PLAINTIFF CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL'S MOTION IN LIMINE
TO EXCLUDE EVIDENCE OF
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in the Prior Action or are based on facts which were alleged by Armstrong in that action and could have been raised by Armstrong in the Prior Action. Thus, Armstrong is collaterally estopped from relitigating them as defenses to this action. ARGUMENT
Alleged and At Issue in the Prior Action and the Affirmative Defenses Raised There Are Virtually Identical to those Raised Here.
Mr. Armstrong also asserts here. Compare Plaintiff's Exhibits 3 and 11. The Answer in this action, Exhibit 11, repeats what Armstrong has repeatedly alleged since the Prior Action was filed: The Agreement was signed under duress; Armstrong's counsel was pressured, and in turn pressured Armstrong, into signing the Agreement by telling Armstrong that it was unenforceable; The Agreement was procured by fraud; The Agreement is illegal because it infringes on Armstrong's First Amendment rights; The Agreement violates Armstrong's right to freedom of religion, because his religion, the Church of Wogs, exists to fight Scientology.
adjudicated against Armstrong in the Prior Action. There, Judge Thomas granted the Church's motion for summary judgment, ruling that the Agreement was not entered into under duress, not induced by fraud, did not fail for lack of mutuality, did not infringe on First Amendment rights, and that the liquidated damages provision was valid. Plaintiff's Exhibit 6, pg. 2, ln. 19 - pg. 4, ln. 12. The Order of Permanent Injunction entered October 17, 1995 by Judge Thomas provided that the Agreement had been freely and voluntarily entered into, Plaintiff's Exhibit 7, and Judgment was entered on May 2. Plaintiff's Exhibit 8. The Order of Contempt issued by Judge Smith in 2001 references the judgment, provides that the Agreement was valid when entered into and remains enforceable and then holds Armstrong in contempt for the 131 breaches upon which Plaintiff seeks to recover here. Plaintiff's Exhibit 11, ¶ 2 at pg. 2, ln. 16.
Amendment's abolition of slavery, which is based upon the same facts as the other |
2 PLAINTIFF CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL'S MOTION IN LIMINE
TO EXCLUDE EVIDENCE OF
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affirmative defenses.
Which Were or Could Have Been Raised in the Prior Action.
of Plaintiff's claim, See, Plaintiff's Issue Conference Statement, Section 2 at pg. 3, Ln. 6-13 and cases cited therein, also apply to preclude introduction of evidence of affirmative defenses based on issues finally adjudicated in prior proceedings. Torrey Pines Bank v. Superior Court of San Diego County, 216 Cal. App. 3d 813, 821 (1989) [Dismissal with prejudice of action bars assertion of affirmative defenses based on identical facts.]. In Torrey Pines, the prior action ended with a dismissal with prejudice, which the Court held sufficient. Here, the prior action ended in a final judgment on the merits after entry of orders granting summary judgment and imposing a permanent injunction. Armstrong's appeal was dismissed.
Court stated the applicable rule as follows:
15 Cal 2d at 133.
identical to those alleged in the Prior Action, or are based on the same facts as those which |
3 PLAINTIFF CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL'S MOTION IN LIMINE
TO EXCLUDE EVIDENCE OF
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Armstrong alleged in support of his affirmative defenses in the Prior Action. In fact, whether a particular affirmative defense was actually raised in the Prior Action is of no consequence. When an issue has been litigated, all inquiry respecting the same matter is foreclosed, not only as to matters heard but also to matters that could have been heard in support of or in opposition thereto. Gates v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County, 178 Cal. App. 3d 301, 308 (1986) ["...if the second action involves a right, title or issue as to which the judgment in the first action is a conclusive adjudication, the estoppel so far as that right, title or issue is concerned must likewise extend to every matter which was or might have been urged to sustain or defeat the determination actually made."] CONCLUSION
the Prior Action and/or are based upon facts identical to which Armstrong raised in the Prior Action. Either way, he should be precluded from introducing evidence on them.
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4 PLAINTIFF CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL'S MOTION IN LIMINE
TO EXCLUDE EVIDENCE OF
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PROOF OF SERVICE I, the undersigned, declare: I am employed
in the County of Marin, State of California. I am over the age of 18 and not a
party On April 2, 2004 I served the foregoing document(s) described as follows: PLAINTIFF CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL'S MOTION IN LIMINE on the interested parties in this action by placing true copies thereof enclosed
in sealed envelopes addressed BY U.S. MAIL: XX BY FEDERAL EXPRESS OR OVERNIGHT COURIER BY HAND DELIVERY Gerald Armstrong
XX (State) I declare
under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the above
is
(Federal) I declare that I am employed in the office of a member of the bar of
this Court at whose
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5 PLAINTIFF CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL'S MOTION IN LIMINE
TO EXCLUDE EVIDENCE OF
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