Epstein Secrets

because there was no default against Rothstein on the operative complaint. Florida law is clear: "strict compliance with rule 1.440 is mandatory." Bennett v. Cont'l Chemicals, Inc., 492 So. 2d 724, 727 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986) (emphasis added).6 At the earliest opportunity on the next business day, Monday,

anxiety" and "emotional distress" he suffered as a result of Epstein's filing and continuation of this lawsuit. At the March 8, 2018 hearing, Judge Hafele himself recognized no less than six times that Edwards' counterclaim for malicious prosecution against Epstein had its 4 EFTA00793696 genesis in

se or e en ant Scott Rothstein Plaintiff Bradley J. Edwards Jack A. Goldberger WA HAND DELIVERY Atterbu , Goldber er & Weiss, P.A. The Honorable Donald W. Hafele uite 1400 Palm Beach County Courthouse 1 205 N. Dixie Highway, Room 10.1216 o- outzse or amt minter- West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Defendant Jeffr

ice for trial, and the trial judge is ultimately responsible for ensuring compliance with the rule. The following excerpt from the First District's Bennett decision "succinctly encapsulates" what occurred here: The requirement of notice is mandatory. . . . The procedure for setting actions for trial i

, over more than six years, to seek a default against Rothstein[.]" (Resp. at p. 1) [emphasis added]. However, at the March 8, 2018, hearing, Judge Hafele held Edwards equally responsible for the current Rule 1.440 issue because Edwards was the party who 2 EFTA00808473 noticed the case for trial an

in Jack A. Goldberger Atterbury, Goldberger & Weiss, 250 Australian Avenue S., Suite 1400 West Palm Beach, FL 33401 VIA U.S. MAIL The Honorable Donald W. Hafele Palm Beach County Courthouse 205 N. Dixie Highway, Room 10.1216 West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Co-Counsel for Plaintiff/Counter- Defendant Jeffrey Eps

se for trial, the "action" is not "at issue" when Edwards made his request. Florida law is clear: "strict compliance with rule 1.440 is mandatory." Bennett v. Cont'l Chemicals, Inc., 492 So. 2d 724, 727 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986) (emphasis added). Accord Teelucksingh v. Teelucksingh, 21 So. 3d 37, 37 (Fla. 2d

Atterbury, Goldberger & Weiss, P.A. Suite 1400 01 Co-Counsel for Plaintiff/Counter-Defendant Jeffrey Epstein VIA U.S. MAIL ONLY The Honorable Donald W. Hafele 18 EFTA00793747 111111111 By: /s/ Kara Berard Rockenbach Scott J. Link (FRIse Kara Berard Rockenbach (FBN Rachel J. Glasser (FBN Primary: P

d Marine, Inc., 174 So. 3d 1037, 1039 (Fla. 15 EFTA00793744 4th DCA 2015) (emphasis added; citation and internal quotation marks omitted). Judge Hafele specifically cited this case and its holding at the March 8, 2018 hearing, but failed to explain how he could get around it. Again, "this matter,"

set 5 EFTA00793771 the cause for trial, the "action" was not "at issue." Florida law is clear: "strict compliance with rule 1.440 is mandatory." Bennett v. Cont'l Chemicals, Inc., 492 So. 2d 724, 727 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986) (emphasis added). Accord Teelucksingh v. Teelucksingh, 21 So. 3d 37, 37 (Fla. 2d

l follow, addressing the severance order, and may be consolidated with the mandamus petition.' At the March 8, 2018 hearing, Epstein advised Judge Hafele of his intent to file the extraordinary writ petitions in this Court, and made an ore tenus motion for stay of the trial court proceedings pending

Atterbur , Goldber er & Weiss, P.A. Suite 1400 01 Co-Counsel for Plaintiff/Counter-Defendant Jeffrey Epstein VIA U.S. MAIL ONLY The Honorable Donald W. Hafele Palm Beach County Courthouse 205 N. Dixie Highway, Room 10.1216 West Palm Beach, FL 33401 19 EFTA00793785 LINK & R KENBA H PA By: /s/ Kara B

Epstein here, the plaintiff argued that strict compliance with Rule 1.440 was required. The plaintiff relied upon a previous First District opinion, Bennett v. Continental Chemicals, Inc., 492 So.2d 724 (Fla. 1st DCA 1986), in which the court adopted a bright line rule that strict compliance with Rule 1

Bar No. 41232 28 EFTA00808546 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true copy of the foregoing was furnished by mail to The Honorable Donald W. Hafele, 205 N. Dixie Highway, Room 10.1216, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 and to all counsel on the attached service list, by email, on March 12, 2018. Jack