FSM SUPREME COURT TRIAL DIVISION
Cite as In re Estate of Helgenberger
11 FSM Intrm. 599 (Pon. 2003)

[11 FSM Intrm. 599]

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF
BERNARD HELGENBERGER,
Deceased,
 
BELLARMINE HELGENBERGER,
Administrator.
S)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
ESTATE OF BERNARD HELGENBERGER,
Plaintiff/Respondent,
 
vs.
 
BANK OF THE FEDERATED STATES
OF MICRONESIA,
Defendant/Petitioner.
 
CIVIL ACTION NO. 2003-013
 
ORDER OF REMAND
 
Andon L. Amaraich
Chief Justice
 
Decided: May 27, 2003

APPEARANCES:

For the Defendant/Petitioner:   Fredrick L. Ramp, Esq.
                                                Law Office of Fredrick L. Ramp
                                                P.O. Box 1480
                                                Kolonia, Pohnpei FM 96941

[11 FSM Intrm. 600]

For the Plaintiff/Respondent:   Bellarmine Helgenberger, Administrator, pro se
 
For the Claimant:                     Emeka Akamigbo, Esq.
(State of Pohnpei)                   Assistant Attorney General
                                               Office of the Pohnpei Attorney General
                                               P.O. Box 1555
                                               Kolonia, Pohnpei FM 96941
 
For the Claimant:                    Salomon Saimon, Esq.
(Boston Agrex)                       Law Offices of Saimon & Associates
                                              P.O. Box 1450
                                              Kolonia, Pohnpei FM 96941

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HEADNOTE

Jurisdiction ) Removal
     When a party desires to remove a case from a state court to the FSM Supreme Court trial division, the requirements of General Court Order 1992-2 must be met. A petitioner cannot remove certain causes of action ) that is, certain discrete legal issues and claims pertaining to petitioner ) that are imbedded in a state court case. Bifurcation of a case is not anticipated nor authorized by GCO 1992-2, which pertains to the transfer of civil actions in their entirety. In re Estate of Helgenberger, 11 FSM Intrm. 599, 600 (Pon. 2003).

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COURT'S OPINION

ANDON L. AMARAICH, Chief Justice:

     On April 4, 2003, defendant/petitioner Bank of the FSM filed a petition for an order removing from Pohnpei Supreme Court and docketing in the FSM Supreme Court "the causes of action relating to a Court order directed to the Bank of the Federated States of Micronesia ordering it to reinstate a time certificate of deposit which it had previously liquidated to pay off a delinquent loan." Petition to Remove at 1.

     When a party desires to remove a case from a state court to the trial division of the FSM Supreme Court, the requirements of General Court Order 1992-2 must be met. Here, they are not. Petitioner seeks to remove certain "causes of action" ) that is, certain discrete legal issues and claims pertaining to petitioner ) that are imbedded in the probate case of Pohnpei Civil Action No. 180-01.

     Bifurcation of a case is not anticipated nor authorized by GCO 1992-2, which pertains to the transfer of civil actions in their entirety. Accordingly, I find that the Petition to Remove fails to meet the requirements of GCO 1992-2. Pohnpei Civil Action No. 180-01 is hereby remanded to the Pohnpei Supreme Court Trial Division.

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