National Grange Victorious In Vacating Satisfaction Of Judgment

On April 17, 2018, the Eastern District of California set aside a partial satisfaction of judgment at the request of client the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry (the "National Grange") when it came to light that an attorney fee award had been improperly paid with monies belonging to the National Grange's chartered California chapter. Jim Bikoff and Bruce McDonald argued for the plaintiff at the April 16 hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Shubb. Two years prior the National Grange had been awarded attorneys' fees of approximately $240,000 based on Defendant California Guild's deliberate and willful violation of the district court's injunction. In June 2017, the California Guild's attorney produced multiple checks drawn on his firm's client trust account in "purported satisfaction of all remaining costs and fees". Believing the funds to be legitimate, the National Grange filed an acknowledgment of full satisfaction of judgment. In December 2017,