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Bixler v. Scientology: Miscavige Reply For Motion To Quash
Bixler v. Scientology: Miscavige Reply For Motion To Quash
Bixler v. Scientology: Miscavige Reply For Motion To Quash
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SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
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COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES, CENTRAL DISTRICT
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CHRISSIE CARNELL BIXLER; CASE No. 19STCV29458
10 CEDRIC BIXLER-ZAVALA; JANE
ELKINS KALT WEINTRAUB REUBEN GARTSIDE LLP
DOE #1; MARIE BOBETTE RIALES; [Assigned for All Purposes to:
11 and JANE DOE #2, Hon. Steven J. Kleifield, Dept. 57]
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Los Angeles, California 90064
Plaintiffs, SPECIALLY-APPEARING
10345 W. Olympic Blvd.
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SPECIALLY-APPEARING DEFENDANT DAVID MISCAVIGE’S REPLY IN SUPPORT OF
MOTION TO QUASH SERVICE OF PROCESS, & STRIKE POS AS FRAUDULENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................. 4
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II. HALL’S DECLARATIONS ARE FRAUDULENT................................................ 5
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III. PLAINTIFFS’ DECLARATION OF MAILING IS FALSE OR
5 FRAUDULENT ..................................................................................................... 8
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Los Angeles, California 90064
10345 W. Olympic Blvd.
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1 TABLE OF AUTHORITIES
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Page(s)
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State Cases
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City Breeze, LLC v. Shahi,
5 No. B259117, 2016 WL 6236422 (Cal. Ct. App. Oct. 25, 2016) ............................. 4, 7
6 Gilbert v. Sykes,
8 Lebel v. Mai,
210 Cal. App. 4th 1154 (2012) .................................................................................... 5
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Federal Statutes
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ELKINS KALT WEINTRAUB REUBEN GARTSIDE LLP
13 State Statutes
15 Rules
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California Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 8.4(c) .................................................... 7
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I. INTRODUCTION
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3 “Opp.”) “doubles down” in defense of Robert Hall, a process server who a Los Angeles
4 Superior Court Judge (Hon. William F. Fahey) has already found to be “evasive and
6 establishing that Hall was not at the location on the dates and times he swore he
7 attempted to serve Mr. Miscavige. Hall filed a fraudulent Proof of Service and, rather
8 than acknowledging that undeniable fact and withdrawing the false declaration,
9 Plaintiffs instead attempt to reassert service was valid.
10 To that end, Plaintiffs offer nothing but the conclusory declaration of the
ELKINS KALT WEINTRAUB REUBEN GARTSIDE LLP
11 “evasive and not credible” Hall, which should be disregarded. See Gilbert v. Sykes,
12 147 Cal. App. 4th 13, 26 (2007) (“declarations that … are … conclusory are to be
Los Angeles, California 90064
10345 W. Olympic Blvd.
13 disregarded.”) See also Request for Judicial Notice submitted in support of Motion to
14 Quash, Ex. C (City Breeze, LLC v. Shahi, No. B259117, 2016 WL 6236422, at *2-3
15 (Cal. Ct. App. Oct. 25, 2016) (affirming order setting aside default judgment based on
16 Hall’s fraudulent Proof of Service and finding Hall’s testimony to be “evasive and
17 not credible”).
19 debate,” Opp. at 2, between Hall’s declaration on one hand, and the declarations of
20 Warren McShane, Lewis Miranda, and Lynn R. Farny on the other. Plaintiffs ignore
21 the additional evidence before the Court: Images collected from digital archive video
22 recordings of the dates, time and location of the purported attempts at service,
24 Mr. Miscavige’s counsel made the same offer to Plaintiffs that CSI offered: to
25 make the digital archive footage for each of the dates in question available to
27 Motion to Quash at 9 n.3. Plaintiffs never requested to view the archive footage.
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1 They know the video footage establishes Hall never attempted to serve Mr. Miscavige
4 majority of their Opposition ascribing arguments to the moving papers that were
5 never in there.
6 Specifically, Plaintiffs argue that the purported service location has two
7 addresses and that Religious Technology Center has an office at one of those
8 addresses. See Opp. at 4, 6. But, this has nothing to do with the pending motion.
9 The moving papers do not discuss the address of the purported service
10 attempts, nor does the motion make any representations regarding the location of
ELKINS KALT WEINTRAUB REUBEN GARTSIDE LLP
11 Mr. Miscavige’s office. See Mr. Miscavige’s Motion to Quash (“Motion to Quash”).
12 Mr. Miscavige’s Motion to Quash simply explains that service was improper
Los Angeles, California 90064
10345 W. Olympic Blvd.
13 because (1) Hall never attempted service of Mr. Miscavige at the address Hall
14 claimed in his declaration of service, and (2) Mr. Pink never mailed the required
15 service copies following Hall’s purported substitute service. See Motion to Quash.
16 Thus, Plaintiffs’ arguments regarding the location of the purported service are
17 not relevant to the key issue before the Court: Whether Hall properly served Mr.
19 This Court should: (a) grant the Motion to Quash and (b) strike Hall’s
21 integrity of the Court and to make clear to Plaintiffs, their counsel and Hall, that
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II. HALL’S DECLARATIONS ARE FRAUDULENT
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25 Plaintiffs do not deny that there can be no proper substitute service if the
26 process server did not first physically attempt service. Lebel v. Mai, 210 Cal. App.
27 4th 1154, 1164 (2012) (“Substituted service is valid only if a good faith, reasonable
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1 effort at personal service … is first attempted.”).
3 which has offices located at 6331 Hollywood Boulevard, maintains stationary digital
4 video cameras positioned above the entrance to the lobby and in the alcove at the
5 outside of the entrance door that captures video images of all persons entering and
6 leaving the building 24 hours per day. Declaration of Lewis Miranda (“Miranda
7 Decl.”) ¶ 6; see also Declaration of Lynn R. Farny (“Farny Decl.”) ¶ 3. Likewise, they
8 do not deny that CSI has, in its possession, the digital video archive of the security
9 camera footage for October 7, 10, 15, and 17, 2019 (the days in question), from
11 Instead, Plaintiffs assert only that the “screen shots of surveillance videos do
12 not demonstrate the proofs of service, declarations of mailing or declarations of due
Los Angeles, California 90064
10345 W. Olympic Blvd.
15 Hall did not enter the address where he claimed to have attempted service on any of
19 any time on October 7, 15, or 17, 2019. Farny Decl. ¶ 7. Moreover, attached to Mr.
20 Farny’s declaration are screenshots of the security camera footage showing that
21 footage at approximately 30-second intervals for the five minutes before and the five
22 minutes after Hall declared, under penalty of perjury, that he attempted service at
23 6331 Hollywood Boulevard. See Farny Decl. ¶ 6 & Ex. A. No one attempting to serve
26 screenshots taken at 11:43 a.m. on October 10, 2019. See Farny Decl. ¶ 8 & Ex. B. 1
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1 Notably, if Mr. Farny were lying about the contents of the security camera footage,
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1 But no one seeking to serve legal papers on Mr. Miscavige appeared at 6331
2 Hollywood Blvd. on October 10, 2019, at any time. See Miranda Decl., ¶¶ 7-10; Farny
3 Decl. ¶¶ 6-7.
5 screenshots and supporting declarations, see Opp. at 6, their challenge is hollow. Mr.
6 Miscavige’s counsel offered to make the entire digital archive for each of the days in
7 question available to Plaintiffs’ counsel (and the Court). See Motion to Quash at 9
8 n.3.
9 This is at least the second time that Hall has filed a fraudulent declaration of
10 service. See Request for Judicial Notice submitted in support of Motion to Quash, Ex.
ELKINS KALT WEINTRAUB REUBEN GARTSIDE LLP
11 C (City Breeze, LLC v. Shahi, No. B259117, 2016 WL 6236422, at *2-3 (Cal. Ct. App.
12 Oct. 25, 2016) (affirming order setting aside default judgment due to Hall’s
Los Angeles, California 90064
10345 W. Olympic Blvd.
14 not credible”)). 2
16 Opposition, repeating the same, provably false statements regarding Hall’s alleged
17 service attempts, without making a good-faith investigation into the truth of those
18 statements by (at minimum) reviewing the security footage offered to them. See
19 California Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 3.3(a) (“A lawyer shall not offer
20 evidence that the lawyer knows to be false.”); id., Rule 8.4(c) (“It is professional
22 misrepresentation”); Bus. & Prof. Code § 6068(d) (“It is the duty of an attorney …
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as Plaintiffs imply, he would have no incentive to admit that someone seeking to
26 serve legal papers appeared on the footage at 11:43 a.m. on October 10, 2019.
27 Neither Plaintiffs nor Hall dispute that the City Breeze trial court found Hall’s
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testimony to be “evasive and not credible.” Their failure to address this finding
28 speaks volumes.
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1 submitting, or later advocating, a pleading, petition, written notice of motion, or
2 other similar paper, an attorney . . . is certifying that to the best of the person’s
3 knowledge, information, and belief, formed after an inquiry reasonable under the
5 support . . . .”).
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III. PLAINTIFFS’ DECLARATION OF MAILING IS FALSE OR FRAUDULENT
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10 actually mailed to Mr. Miscavige, beyond Mr. Pink’s original declaration. (Mr. Pink
ELKINS KALT WEINTRAUB REUBEN GARTSIDE LLP
15 Mr. McShane’s declaration — stating that the documents were never received
16 — was also executed under penalty of perjury. See Declaration of Warren McShane.
17 Moreover, the fact that the documents were never received, when considered in light
18 of all of the other evidence submitted with the moving papers, creates a reasonable
19 inference that the documents were never mailed. Despite having the opportunity to
21 (or cannot) do so. Thus, Plaintiffs have not carried their burden to establish
26 considerable ink attempting to reshape the record and issues before the Court.
27 Plaintiffs assert that (a) 6331 Hollywood Boulevard and 1710 Ivar Avenue are
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1 separate entrances to the same building and (b) Mr. Miscavige has an office in that
3 Haney. 3
4 This has nothing to do with Mr. Miscavige’s Motion to Quash. Mr. Miscavige
5 did not challenge the purported substitute service based on the location of the alleged
8 serve Mr. Miscavige at the time and place that Hall claims he attempted service, or
9 anywhere else for that matter. See Motion to Quash at 7-10.
10 Hall claimed in his initial Declaration of Proof of Service and in his declaration
ELKINS KALT WEINTRAUB REUBEN GARTSIDE LLP
11 attached to the Opposition papers that he served Mr. Miscavige at 6331 Hollywood
12 Boulevard. But, video footage shows that he never appeared at that address on the
Los Angeles, California 90064
10345 W. Olympic Blvd.
14 Accordingly, Hall did not (1) make sufficient attempts to serve Mr. Miscavige
15 personally at 6331 Hollywood Boulevard (or anywhere else), or (2) properly serve Mr.
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3 Plaintiffs’ purported evidence that Mr. Miscavige’s office address is at 6331
Hollywood Boulevard is meaningless. The picture provided was copyrighted in 1993
22 – over 25 years ago and establishes nothing about the current location of Mr.
Miscavige’s office. There are countless pictures of Mr. Miscavige in offices around the
23 globe, e.g. at www.davidmiscavige.org. The assertion in Valerie Haney’s declaration
24 is also stale. She asserted in her own lawsuit (which has been ordered to religious
arbitration) that she was removed from her position in 2005. See First Amended
25 Complaint, Haney v. Church of Scientology International, et al., California Superior
Court, County of Los Angeles, Case No. 19STCV21210, ¶ 56. Her First Amended
26 Complaint was written by the same attorneys who filed Plaintiffs’ Opposition. They
27 knew, when they filed the Haney declaration with this Court, that the information in
that declaration was 15 years out of date. Moreover, Mr. Miscavige’s moving papers
28 did not dispute the location of a Religious Technology Center office.
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V. PLAINTIFFS’ ALLEGATION THAT MR. MISCAVIGE REFUSED THE
1 NOTICE & ACKNOWLEDGMENT PROCEDURE IS FALSE AND
IRRELEVANT
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4 withdraw the challenged Proof of Service if Mr. Miscavige would sign a Notice and
6 The communications between the parties’ attorneys regarding this issue are in
7 writing. Those writings are before the Court. The writings demonstrate that
12 Miscavige’s counsel’s December 19, 2019 letter: “When you withdraw the fraudulent
Los Angeles, California 90064
10345 W. Olympic Blvd.
13 Proofs of Service for Mr. Miscavige, we will sign the Notices.”). Plaintiffs refused.
14 Instead, Plaintiffs’ counsel demanded that Mr. Miscavige (a) withdraw his
15 Motion to Quash and (b) sign stipulations to be filed with the Court. See id., Ex. A.
17 refused to negotiate.
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VI. CONCLUSION
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20 Mr. Miscavige respectfully requests that the Court grant this Motion to Quash
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DATED: March 4, 2020 ELKINS KALT WEINTRAUB REUBEN
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GARTSIDE LLP
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JEFFREY K. RIFFER
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Attorneys for Defendant David Miscavige
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PROOF OF SERVICE
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Bixler, et al. v. Church of Scientology, et al.
2 Case No. 19STCV29458
3 STATE OF CALIFORNIA, COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
4 At the time of service, I was over 18 years of age and not a party to this action.
I am employed in the County of Los Angeles, State of California. My business
5 address is 10345 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064.
by FedEx and addressed to the persons at the addresses listed in the Service List. I
11 placed the envelope or package for collection and overnight delivery at an office or a
regularly utilized drop box of FedEx or delivered such document(s) to a courier or
12 driver authorized by FedEx to receive documents.
Los Angeles, California 90064
10345 W. Olympic Blvd.
13 I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California
that the foregoing is true and correct.
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Executed on March 4, 2020, at Los Angeles, California.
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18 Averi J. Aburto
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SERVICE LIST
1 Bixler, et al. v. Church of Scientology, et al.
Case No. 19STCV29458
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Robert W. Thompson, Esq. Graham E. Berry, Esq.
3 Casey A. Gee, Esq. Law Office of Graham E. Berry
THOMPSON LAW OFFICES, P.C. 3384 McLaughlin Avenue
4 700 Airport Boulevard, Suite 160 Los Angeles, CA 90066-2005
Burlingame, CA 94010 Tel: (310) 745-3771
5 Tel: (650) 513-6111 Attorneys for Plaintiffs
Fax: (650) 513-6071
6 Attorneys for Plaintiffs
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