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Monday, December 16, 2019 2:42:22 PM

Search News

Double slaying
By Ferdie De La Torre | Posted on Dec 16 2019
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A police detective leads chief prosecutor John Bradley and another prosecutor to the door of Rice Cake Best Food Restaurant in San Antonio, where the owner of the establishment and her helper were found dead Friday morning after they were reportedly shot by still unidentified person/s. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

A businesswoman and a female baker were found dead in San Antonio Friday morning after they were shot by still unidentified person/s inside a restaurant that produces rice cakes.

The killing, which shocked the CNMI community, happened inside the Rice Cake Best Food Restaurant on the first floor of a two-story commercial building located in front of the former UIC Garment Factory.

As of press time last night, the Department of Public Safety has yet to release the identity of the victims.

Saipan Tribune sources, however, identified the victims as Li Na Lim, 42, single, a Korean woman, and Linhua Cui, 54, single, of Chinese-Korean descent.

Some members of the Korean and Chinese community said that Lim owned Rice Cake Best Food Restaurant, while Cui, a baker, helped Lim in the business.

When asked Saturday night about reports that the victims had been shot, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres affirmed the shooting but declined to say more about the crime besides expressing hope that the police will get the bottom of this crime, solve the homicide, and catch the perpetrators.

Linhua Cui

Torres said he has not been briefed yet whether DPS has made any arrest as of Saturday.

In a press release the police issued last Friday, it said that DPS received a call last Friday at 7:35am, reporting two “unresponsive” individuals at a Korean restaurant that produces rice cakes in San Antonio. The press release did not indicate who called the police.

Police were then dispatched to the scene and confirmed the report about the two “unresponsive” females inside the restaurant. DPS crime scene technicians were dispatched to the scene. DPS has classified the case as a homicide.

“This case remains ongoing and is pending further investigation,” said DPS spokesman Adrian Pangelinan; he urged anybody who has any information on the case to call 911 or the DPS Criminal Investigation Bureau at 664-9042, or the Crime Stoppers hotline at 234-7272.

So many computer users tried accessing the Saipan Tribune’s website shortly after running a breaking news about the homicide Friday morning that it crashed.

At about 9:35am Friday, at least two police officers were seen scouring the grassy area across the road of the restaurant.

Some concerned Koreans and Chinese nationals who are friends of the victims later began arriving at the scene. Police officers talked to them to obtain more information.

As more police started arriving at the scene, some Chinese nationals renovating a two-story building adjacent to the Rice Cake Best Food Restaurant building had left the site. Only a Filipino worker was left.

Li Na Lim

At 10:30am, a Korean woman, identified as a friend of one of the victims, arrived on a van and started crying while standing outside the restaurant, which had been secured by a police line.

An hour later, chief prosecutor John Bradley and a new prosecutor with the Office of the Attorney General also arrived. A police detective guided them to the scene.

Bradley and the new prosecutor did not go inside the establishment and just viewed the crime scene from the main door of the restaurant. After a few minutes, the two left. Bradley said it’s too early to comment about the incident.

Members of the Korean and Chinese community told Saipan Tribune that victim Lim used to be a tourist guide and that she took over the Rice Cake Best Food Restaurant only a year ago. The previous owner had gone back to South Korea.

Cui, on the other hand, was one of the pioneer garment factory workers on Saipan. Cui was employed for a long time as a baker at Paris Croissant in western Garapan and had been helping Lim run the Rice Cake Best Food Restaurant.

A Korean businessman, who requested anonymity, said Cui was a very nice person and very helpful.

The businessman said that when Super Typhoon Yutu destroyed their house and shop in October 2018, Cui offered her apartment room in Dandan for his wife to stay.

The businessman said that, although his house and shop had no power, he did not leave the site to secure it from burglars. His wife, however, stayed at Cui’s apartment for a month.

The businessman’s wife said that Cui didn’t like dogs but that she still allowed her to bring her dog to her (Cui’s) apartment unit during her monthlong stay.

Cui’s family members from China are expected to arrive soon on Saipan.

The crime scene is only a stone’s throw from Royal Poker in Afetnas, where security guard James Patrick Deleon Guerrero was fatally shot by a masked man during an attempted robbery in April 2015. That case remains unsolved.

Ferdie De La Torre | Reporter
Ferdie Ponce de la Torre is a senior reporter of Saipan Tribune. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has covered all news beats in the CNMI. He is a recipient of the CNMI Supreme Court Justice Award. Contact him at ferdie_delatorre@Saipantribune.com
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America’s cup boat

90,000 man-hours to design and engineer, and 50,000 to build.

Jerun Kaipat, General Delivery, Saipan, MP 96950

CNMI COURT #18-0071-cv

MOTION TO COMPEL DISCOVERY

I Ask the court transfer to this case18-0462-cv ALL papers filed by me in case 18-0071-cv and note my continued objections to any lawyer or administrator.

I hereby move for an order compelling ANTONIO KAIPAT to produce Documents which reflect

1. Antonio Kaipat’s role in any entity.

2. consulting agreements between Antonio Kaipat and any entity.

3. any consult by Antonio Kaipat for any entity.

4. any payments to or from Antonio Kaipat by any entity.

5. Antonio Kaipat’s bank records, tax returns, financial statements and books of account.

I incorporate by reference herein the relevant facts as set forth in case18-0071-cv

I will set forth claims of Breach of Trust (Count I) Breach of Duty (Count II); Breach of Contract (Count III); Conversion (Count IV); Fraud and Deceit (Count V); and Unjust Enrichment (Count VI).

Antonio Kaipat’s counsel has not explained why Antonio Kaipat kept the money of Jerun Kaipat and Eric Kaipat since 2007

WHEREFORE, I ask the Court order ANTONIO KAIPAT to produce forthwith the documents specified herein and award JERUN KAIPAT all costs and attorney fees. A proposed order is attached.

Respectfully submitted,

Jerun Kaipat

CNMI COURT #18.0462

SHOW CAUSE ORDER

Antonio Kaipat show cause before this Court on DATE….TIME…. why this order should not be granted:

_Antonio Kaipat removed

_ Counsel removed

_ inheritance released

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American Samoa
Earth : Oceania : Polynesia : American Samoa

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Quick Facts
Capital Pago Pago
Government unincorporated territory of the United States
Currency US dollar (USD)
Area 199km²
Population 57,794 (July 2006 est.)
Language Official:Samoan and English
Religion Christian Congregationalist 50%, LDS (Mormon) 25%, Roman Catholic 20%, and other 5%
Electricity 120V/60Hz (North American plug)
Country code +1 684
Internet TLD .as
Time Zone UTC -11
American Samoa is a group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean that lie about halfway between Hawaii and New Zealand and about 100km east of the island country of Samoa, which is part of the same archipelago, ethnicity and culture.

American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States of America. The citizens of American Samoa are US "nationals" and not US "citizens," but they are allowed to travel freely between American Samoa and the US mainland. They are not required to obtain green cards or visas to stay or work in the United States, and they are allowed to serve in the US armed forces (and often do). There are some ways that American Samoa’s special status as an unincorporated territory has interesting legal consequences. The US Constitution is not necessarily the supreme law of the land in American Samoa, and Samoan cultural norms, in particular those related to the ownership of property and public displays of religion, actually trump certain well-settled US constitutional rights in American Samoa.

The main city is Pago Pago but the smaller Fagatogo is the constitutionally designated seat of government. The governor’s office is located in the village of Utulei, located on the opposite side of Fagatogo from Pago Pago.

Regions Edit

Map of American Samoa
Tutuila – The main island. The major part of the populations as well as the government and international airport is located here.
Ofu – widely regarded as one of the most stunning beaches in the South Pacific, with its high peaks dropping dramatically to sparkling white sand beaches, where the only other footsteps apart from your own are those of crabs
Olosega – connected by a narrow bridge to neighboring Ofu.
Ta’u
Aunu’u – Small island located by the eastern tip of the main island Tutuila.
Rose Island
Swains Island

Cities Edit
Pago Pago (pronounced "Pang-o Pang-o") – capital city

Other destinations
Understand Edit
Population was 57,496, according to the July 2008 estimate.

These islands were frequently referred to as Samoa, which is actually the name of a separate and independent country, that used to be known as Western Samoa, that lies only about 100km west of American Samoa. Also, the whole island group, including Samoa, are often identified as the Samoan islands.

Settled as early as 1000 BCE by Polynesian navigators, Samoa was reached by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899 treaty in which Germany (later Britain) and the US divided the Samoan archipelago. The US formally occupied its portion, a smaller group of eastern islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago in the following year.

American Samoa is warm, humid and rainy year-round, but there is a long, wet summer season (October – May) and a slightly cooler and drier season (June – September). Total annual rainfall is 125 inches at the Tafuna airport and 200+ inches in mountainous areas. Such rainfall gave the English writer Somerset Maugham the name for his short story "Rain", based in Pago Pago, which was subsequently turned into a play and movie.

90% of the land in the group of islands is communally owned. Economic activity is strongly linked to the US and the greater part of its foreign trade is with the US. The private sector is dominated by tuna fishing and the tuna processing plants, canned tuna being the primary export. Monetary transfers from the US Government also add substantially to American Samoa’s economic well-being. Since the emergence of US influence and control the government of the United States of America has put up resistance to the emergence of local independence movements. Following the lead of the British and Germans in Western Samoa, in the early 20th century the American Samoa Mau movement was actively suppressed by the US Navy as well.

The Governor of American Samoa is the head of government and exercises executive power. American Samoa is an unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior. Its constitution was ratified in 1966 and came into effect in 1967.

In both American Samoa and (independent) Samoa there is traditional village political system common to all of the Samoa Islands, the "fa’amatai" and the "fa’asamoa" interacts across the current international boundaries. The Fa’asamoa represents language and customs, and the Fa’amatai the protocols of the "fono" (council) and the chief system. The Fa’amatai and the Fono take place at all levels of the Samoan body politic, from the family, to the village and include regional and national matters. Do not get confused by the fact that none of the places on this page are described by precise addresses, as such a thing does not exist at American Samoa. Instead everything is described by village and further landmarks.

American Samoa Visitors Bureau, Level 1, Suite #200, Haleck Center, Corner Ottoville Rd & Ili’ili Rd, Ottoville, Pago Pago, ☎ +1 684 699-9805, (Fax: +1 684 699-9806, info])
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Jerun Kaipat, General Delivery, Saipan, MP 96950 Telephone No.: 670.989.9747

CNMI COURT #18.0462

MOTION TO COMPEL DISCOVERY

I Ask the court transfer to this case18-0462-cv ALL papers filed by me in case 18-0071-cv and note my continued objections to any lawyer for administrator.

I hereby move for an order compelling ANTONIO KAIPAT to produce certain documents

I incorporate by reference herein the relevant facts as set forth in case18-0071-cv In support of this Motion, I say:

I will set forth claims of Breach of Trust (Count I) Breach of Duty (Count II); Breach of Contract (Count III); Conversion (Count IV); Fraud and Deceit (Count V); and Unjust Enrichment (Count VI). These claims relate principally to unauthorized payments.

B. The Categories of Documents that Need to be Produced

Accordingly, the following categories of documents for the time period 2007-2020 need to be produced so that Undersigned can further support his claims and/or rebut defenses or assertions:

1. Documents which reflect Antonio Kaipat’s role, responsibilities, duties, ownership interest and/or profit participation in any entity.

2. Documents which reflect consulting agreements between Antonio Kaipat and any entity.

3. Documents which reflect any by Antonio Kaipat for any entity.

4. Documents which reflect any payments to or from Antonio Kaipat by any entity.

5. Antonio Kaipat’s bank records, tax returns, financial statements and books of account.

Antonio Kaipat’s counsel has not adequately explained why Antonio Kaipat has kept money that was supposed to go to Jerun Kaipat and Eric Kaipat since 2007

WHEREFORE, undersigneds respectfully requests that the Court order ANTONIO KAIPAT to produce forthwith the documents specified herein and award JERUN KAIPAT all costs and attorney’s fees incurred in connection with this Motion. A proposed order is attached.

Respectfully submitted,

Jerun Kaipat

CNMI COURT Case. 18-0071-cv

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

Upon the affidavit of Plaintiff in the above matter, and upon the exhibits annexed thereto,

LET Antonio Kaipat show cause before this Court on, 2019 at 9:30, why an order should not be granted against him pending determination, and for such other and further relief as this Court may deem just and appropriate. It is ORDERED that all requested documents be provided pending determination of the motion brought on by this order to show cause, and it is further ORDERED that personal service of a copy of this order to show cause is deemed sufficient service thereof, and it is further ORDERED that the motion brought on by this order to show cause shall not be orally argued unless notified to the contrary by the Clerk of the Court.

DATED:

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GEORGIA PROBATE LAW GROUP BLOG
What if the wrong person is trying to become administrator of the estate?
April 26, 2019
By Erik J. Broel

Tags administrator, estate, estate dispute

Who becomes the administrator?
It happens all too often. A family member passes away and after the funeral, thoughts turn to probate and settling the estate. Someone takes charge and decides that they are the right person to be the administrator of the estate. What if you don’t agree? What if you think they’re the absolute wrong person to handle the estate? What can you do?

The good news is you do have options. What your options are depend on whether your loved one left a will or not. In this article, we’re going to focus on estates where no will was left. These are called intestate estates.

To start, let’s look at the general process of getting someone appointed in an intestate estate. First, a petition must be filed with the appropriate probate court. The petitioner (the person asking to become the administrator) may get signed acknowledgements from the other heirs supporting the petition. If all heirs sign, then the appointment process is much easier and will go through the court unopposed. If, on the other hand, all heirs do not consent to the petition then the case gets a lot more complicated.

Once the probate court receives the petition to open the estate, the court must send official notice to any heirs who did not consent to the petition. Note: there are some petitions that are sneakier, and do not require the probate court to notify anyone. This article does not address those petitions.

When the notice is sent by the probate court, the clock starts ticking. If an heir does not file a formal objection (usually called a caveat) by the deadline, then the estate will proceed forward and the petitioner may be appointed as administrator.

Related Topic: What to do when some heirs not included in probate?
So, how do you stop this?

First, if you truly disagree with a certain person being appointed as administrator, then do not sign a consent saying you agree. You are not required to sign the consent, so don’t be pressured into doing so. At some point, the petitioner will decide to file his or her petition without obtaining your signature. You may not know when the petitioner files, so pay attention to your mail and look for a letter from the Probate Court. If you live in Georgia, the Court may send a sheriff to deliver the notice personally.

Second, after you receive the notice you will have 10 to 13 days to file a response. Check the Court’s letter for the exact deadline. You must file a formal objection in the Probate Court before the deadline expires. If you do not, then the Court may grant the petition and appoint the administrator.

Your objection must have a legal basis. An objection like this is a complicated undertaking, and we strongly recommend you have a Georgia probate attorney help you with it. After the objection is filed, there will be a period of discovery where each party gathers evidence to support their position. There may be one or more motions filed, depending on the situation, and those motions may have hearings in probate court. Finally, after discovery has concluded, there will be a final hearing on the petition or objection where each side will present their case to the judge.

There you have it. As you can imagine, there is a lot of thought, analysis, and work that goes into each stage of the process to be successful. If you are not sure what to do next, we recommend you get professional help. If you would like our office to help you, please schedule a consultation.

Related Topic: What happens if you attempt to transfer assets without an executor?
Disclaimer: The information above is provided for general information only and should not be considered legal advice. Legal advice is specifically tailored to your particular situation. Please contact our office to receive specific information advice about your situation.

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From the Blog
December 12, 2019
What is a Probate Estate?
What is a probate estate? Does every person who passes away have an estate, or do only those people who have a lot of property have an estate? We’ll cover these questions and more in today’s article. My name is…

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A blended family is one where a spouse (or both) have at least one child from a previous marriage or relationship. This dynamic has become commonplace. In fact, one in six children nationwide live in a household with a step-parent, step-sibling, or half-sibling. And about 65 percent of remarriages create a blended family.

The most-famous blended family is a television one—the Brady Bunch. When Mike and Carol Brady married, each brought three children into the marriage. Mike had three boys and Carol three girls.

Fortunately, Mike and Carol managed to raise the kids as one big, happy family. But let’s fast-forward a few decades: What would have happened if Mike died before Carol?

If Mike died intestate (meaning that he died without a will), then his property would go to Carol consistent with their locale’s intestacy laws. In other words, Carol would get most, if not all, of Mike’s stuff.

Now let’s say that Carol dies a few years later without creating a will or getting married again. All of her stuff goes to her daughters. Mike’s sons, on the other hand, get nothing.

And if Carol married, and then died intestate, the result would be even worse. Carol’s new husband would get the lion’s share of Mike’s property. And, again, Mike’s sons would get nothing.

Now let’s play the scenario out again, assuming that Mike, Carol, and the kids were not one, big happy family. When Mike dies, Carol can stop Mike’s sons from visiting the family home. She can block them from receiving any sentimental mementos. And, of course, she can funnel all of Mike’s wealth away from his biological sons and to her daughters, even though Mike was not their biological father.

As we can see, blended families pose troubling issues, whether or not the blended family likes each other. Fortunately, by being proactive, these troubles can be banished before storm clouds have a chance to gather.

Step one: Act now. Don’t wait until you get sick or hurt. Make a plan years before you think you will need it.

Step two: Tell your family the plan, preferably in person and again in writing. Disclosure early can cure many ills later.

Step three: Regularly update your plan to keep up with current events. For example, if one of your kids takes care of you while others don’t, you may want that kid to receive more since they did more.

Step four: Notify your family about the updates, preferably in person and again in writing.

Now that we’ve covered the steps we should take, let’s circle back to the planning stage with four tips to protect both your assets and your family.

First, a simple will is normally too simple to address the complexities of a blended family. Don’t create a will that simply says your assets will pass to your spouse—unless you want your spouse to have the power to cut off your biological kids after you are gone.

Second, think hard about creating a trust rather than a will. The advantage here is that a trust is a vastly more flexible tool than a will for passing your wealth. For example, unlike a will, a properly drafted trust can protect your kids’ access to your assets if your spouse gets remarried. Similarly, unlike a will, a trust can be written to leave assets for your spouse during their lifetime and then, after they pass, transferring what is left over to your kids.

Third, if you create a trust, pick a trustworthy and sophisticated trustee. This person’s job will include investing the trust’s assets and then distributing them to the trust’s beneficiaries. These roles, in turn, create a natural conflict between your spouse and kids. That’s because your spouse benefits from the trustee distributing money during the spouse’s lifetime while the kids benefit from the trust growing rather than spending the trust assets. As a result, the trustee needs to know not only how to manage the trust funds, they also need to understand how to swim through potentially tense family drama.

Fourth, consider putting some of your assets into accounts that will automatically transfer to your kids when you die, so that they are taken care of regardless of what your spouse does. For instance, you can go to your bank, fill out a form designating your beneficiary and, voila, the designated beneficiary will receive that account when you pass. These accounts (which are known as pay-on-death accounts, informal trusts, or Totten trusts) have several advantages: They’re free, easy to create, and simple to use for your designated beneficiary.

But if you set up one of these accounts, remember to regularly review it. It would be a bummer if you originally selected one of your kids, had a falling out with them, but accidentally left them as the designated beneficiary. In that case, it doesn’t matter that you did not want them to receive anything. They would still get the account because you didn’t update the beneficiary.

In sum, while blended families have become common, they are by no means easy. Indeed, they provide fertile ground for family drama. But with some thoughtful planning, this rich soil need not blossom into conflict. To avoid your death becoming the spark that sets your family ablaze, speak with an experienced estate-planning