(2) Requirements and Procedures for Effecting Intervention. Whenever a vessel or other property is arrested or attached in accordance with any Supplemental Rule, and the vessel or property is in the custody of the U.S. Marshal or duly authorized substitute custodian, any other person having a claim against the vessel or property shall be required to present their claim as indicated below:
Upon receipt of the intervening complaint and supplemental process, the Clerk shall conform a copy of the intervening complaint and shall issue the supplemental process. Thereafter, the offering party shall deliver the conformed copy of the intervening complaint and supplemental process to the Marshal for execution. Upon receipt of the intervening complaint and supplemental process, the Marshal shall re-arrest or re-attach the vessel or property in the name of the intervening plaintiff.
Counsel for the intervening party shall serve a copy of the intervening complaint, and copies of all process and exhibits upon all other counsel of record, and shall thereafter file a certificate of service with the Clerk indicating the manner and date of service.
(2) Include a copy of the anticipated intervening complaint as an exhibit to the motion to intervene;
(3) Prepare and offer for filing a supplemental warrant of arrest and/or a supplemental process of attachment and garnishment;
(4) Serve copies of the motion to intervene, with exhibits and proposed supplemental process upon every other party to the litigation; and
(5) File a certificate of service indicating the date and manner of service.
Upon receipt of the order permitting intervention, the Clerk shall file the originally signed intervening complaint, conform a copy of the intervening complaint and issue the supplemental process.
Thereafter, the offering party shall deliver the conformed copy of the intervening complaint and supplemental process to the Marshal for execution. Upon receipt of the intervening complaint and supplemental process, the Marshal shall re-arrest or re-attach the vessel or property in the name of the intervening plaintiff.
Counsel for the intervening party shall also serve a copy of the intervening complaint, exhibits, and supplemental process upon every other party of record and shall thereafter file a Certificate of Service with the Clerk indicating the manner and date of service.
(b) Security for Costs: In an action under the Supplemental Rules, other than an action solely in personam, the plaintiff, and any intervenor, shall file with its initial pleading a stipulation for costs in the principal sum of $500.00 as security for all costs awarded against the plaintiff or intervenor by this court or any appellate court which shall be deposited into the registry of the court. No motion made by a plaintiff or intervenor will be considered by the Court until the security for costs is deposited. A party may move for an order increasing the amount of security for costs or for return of the balance upon conclusion of the action. In an action for limitation of liability, the amount of security for costs under Supplemental Rule F(1) may be combined with the security for value and interest unless otherwise ordered.
(c) Actions in Forma Pauperis: An action under these rules may be maintained in forma pauperis by express allowance of the court upon motion by the party. Where a party is allowed to proceed in forma pauperis, no stipulation for costs shall be required.
(b) Proration of Marshal’s Fees and Expenses Upon Intervention. When one or more parties intervene pursuant to Local Admiralty Rule E(2)(a) or (b), the burden of advancing sums to the Marshal sufficient to cover the Marshal’s fees and expenses shall be allocated equitably between the original plaintiff, and the intervening party or parties as indicated below:
(2) Allocation of Costs and Expenses in the Event That Counsel Cannot Stipulate. The Court expects that counsel will resolve the allocation of costs and expenses in accordance with the preceding paragraph. In the event that such an arrangement cannot be made, the parties shall share in the fees and expenses of the Marshal in proportion to their claims as stated in the original and intervening complaints.
Thereafter, counsel for the last intervening plaintiff shall deliver to the Marshal a list which summarizes each party’s claim, and the proportion which each party’s claim bears to the aggregate claims asserted in the litigation, determined to the nearest one-tenth of one percentage point.
Upon receipt of this listing, the Marshal shall determine the total expenses incurred to date and shall estimate the expenses to be incurred during the next ten (10) days. For the purpose of making this calculation, the total fees and expenses shall be calculated from the date when continuous and uninterrupted arrest or attachment of the property began, and not prorated from the date a particular party’s intervening complaint was filed.
The Marshal shall then apply the percentages determined in the listing, and shall compute the amount of the intervening party’s initial deposit requirements. The Marshal shall also utilize this listing to compute any additional deposit requirements which may be necessary pursuant to Local Admiralty Rule E(5)(c).
The Marshal need not re-arrest or re-attach the vessel and/or property until the deposit is received from the intervening plaintiff.
(d) Judicial Relief From Deposit Requirements. Any party aggrieved by the deposit requirements of Local Admiralty Rule E(5)(b) may apply to the Court for relief. Such application shall be predicated upon a showing that owing to the relative priorities of the claims asserted against the vessel or other property, the deposit requirements operate to impose a burden disproportionate to the aggrieved party’s recovery potential.
(7) Process Held in Abeyance.
(b) When Intervention Is Subsequently Required. It is the intention of these rules that a vessel or other property should be arrested or attached pursuant to process issued and effected in only one civil action. Therefore, if while process is held in abeyance on one action, the vessel or property is arrested or attached in another action, it shall be the responsibility of the plaintiff who originally requested process be held in abeyance in the first action to voluntarily dismiss without prejudice the first action, insofar as that action seeks to proceed against the property arrested or attached in the second action, and promptly intervene in the second action pursuant to Local Admiralty Rule E(2)(a) or (b). In order to prevent undue hardship or manifest injustice, motions to consolidate in rem actions against the same vessel or property will be granted only in exceptional circumstances.
The stipulation or bond shall be conditioned to abide by all orders of the Court, and to pay the amount of any final judgment entered by this Court or any appellate Court, with interest.
(2) Actions Other Than Possessory, Petitory or Partition. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, the amount of the appraised or agreed value of the property seized, with interest. If an appraised value cannot be agreed upon by the parties, the Court shall order an appraisal in accordance with Local Admiralty Rule F(3).
The stipulation or bond shall be conditioned to abide by all orders of the Court, and to pay the amount of any final judgment entered by this Court or any appellate Court, with interest.
The person consenting or stipulating to the release shall also file a claim in accordance with Local Admiralty Rule E(2)(a) or (b).
(3) Possessory, Petitory or Partition Actions. The Marshal may release property in these actions only upon order of Court, and upon the subsequent deposit of security and compliance with such terms and/or conditions as the Court deems appropriate.
(d) Release Subsequent to the Posting of a General Bond.
(2) Responsibility for Maintaining a Current Listing of General Bonds. The Clerk shall maintain a current listing of all general bonds. This listing should be maintained in alphabetical order by name of the vessel. The listing will be available for inspection during normal business hours.
(3) Execution of Process. The arrest of a vessel covered by a general bond shall be stayed in accordance with Supplemental Rule (E)(5)(b), however, the Marshal shall serve a copy of the complaint upon the master or other person in whose charge or custody the vessel is found. If neither the master nor another person in charge of custody is found aboard the vessel, the Marshal shall make the return accordingly.
(2) nature of the action and the amount claimed;
(3) the plaintiff and name and address of plaintiff’s attorney; and
(4) the return date for filing a claim.
(10) Custody and Safekeeping.
(b) Limitations on the Handling, Repairing and Subsequent Movement of Vessels or Property. Subsequent to the arrest or attachment of a vessel or property, and except as provided in Local Admiralty Rule E(10)(a), no person may handle cargo, conduct repairs, or move a vessel without prior order of Court. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the custodian or substitute custodian is obligated to comply with any orders issued by the Captain of the Port, United States Coast Guard, including an order to move the vessel; and to comply with any applicable federal, state, or local laws or regulations pertaining to vessel and port safety. Any movement of a vessel pursuant to such requirements must not remove the vessel from the Northern District of Florida and shall be reported to the Court within twenty-four (24) hours of the vessel’s movement.
(c) Procedures for Changing Custody Arrangements. Any party may petition the Court to dispense with keepers, remove or place the vessel, cargo and/or other property at a specified facility, designate a substitute custodian for the vessel or cargo, or for other similar relief. The motion shall substantially conform in format and content to the form identified as NDF 5 in the Appendix of these Local Admiralty Rules.
(2) Indemnification Requirements. Any motion for the appointment of a substitute custodian or facility shall include as an exhibit to the motion, a consent and indemnification agreement signed by both the filing party, or the filing party’s attorney, and the proposed substitute custodian.
The consent and indemnification agreement shall expressly release the Marshal from any and all liability and responsibility for the care and custody of the property while in the hands of the substitute custodian; and shall expressly hold the Marshal harmless from any and all claims whatsoever arising from the substitute custodianship. The agreement shall substantially conform in format and content to the form identified as NDF 6 in the Appendix to these Local Admiralty Rules.
(3) Court Approval Required. The motion to change custody arrangements, and indemnification and consent agreement shall be referred to a judicial officer who shall determine whether the facility or substitute custodian is capable of safely keeping the vessel, cargo and/or property.
The insurance shall also protect the Marshal and the Marshal’s deputies or agents from any liability arising from performing services undertaken to protect the vessel, cargo and/or property while that property is in the custody of the Court.
(2) Payment of Insurance Premiums. It shall be the responsibility of the party applying for the arrest or attachment of a vessel, cargo and/or property to promptly reimburse the Marshal for premiums paid to effect the necessary insurance.
The party applying for change in custody arrangements shall be responsible for paying the Marshal for any additional premium associated with the change.
(3) Taxation of Insurance Premiums. The premiums charged for the liability insurance will be taxed as an expense of custody while the vessel, cargo and/or property is in custodia legis.
(c) Expenses for Care and Maintenance of a Crew. Except in an emergency, or upon the authorization of a judicial officer, neither the Marshal nor substitute custodian shall incur expenses for feeding or otherwise maintaining the crew.
Such applications must be filed within thirty (30) days from the date of the vessel’s initial seizure. Otherwise, except in the case of an emergency, such applications shall be filed and served upon all parties, who in turn shall have ten (10) days from receipt of the application to file a written response. Expenses for feeding or otherwise maintaining the crew, when incurred in accordance with this subsection, shall be taxed as an expense of administration and not as an expense of custody.
(e) Claim by a Supplier for Payment of Charges. Any person who claims payment for furnishing services or supplies in compliance with Local Admiralty Rule E(11), shall submit an invoice to the Marshal’s office for review and approval.
The Marshal shall review the claim, make adjustments or recommendations to the claim as are appropriate, and shall thereafter forward the claim to the Court for approval. The Court may postpone the hearing on an individual claim until a hearing can be set to consolidate other claims against the property.
Any person claiming entitlement to possession of property incidentally taken into custody shall be required, as a precondition of receiving possession, to reimburse the Marshal for such separately accounted expenses. Funds received by the Marshal will be credited against both the expense of custody and administration.
(2) Costs of Arrest or Attachment. If costs are awarded to any party, then all reasonable expenses paid by the prevailing party incidental to, or arising from the arrest or attachment of any vessel, property and/or cargo shall be taxed as costs in the case.
(b) Stays Beyond the Ten (10) Day Period. If within the ten (10) day period established by Fed.R.Civ.P. 62(a), a party files any of the motions contemplated in Fed.R.Civ.P. 62(b), or a notice of appeal, then unless otherwise ordered by the Court, a further stay shall exist for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days from the entry of the judgment or order. The purpose of this additional stay is to permit the Court to consider an application for the establishment of a supersedeas bond, and to order the date upon which the bond shall be filed with the Court.
(b) Duration of Publication. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, applicable Supplemental Rule, or Local Admiralty Rule, publication of the notice of sale shall be made at least twice; the first publication shall be at least one (1) calendar week prior to the date of the sale, and the second at least three (3) calendar days prior to the date of the sale.
(2) If the Bid Is More Than $500.00. The bidder shall immediately deposit with the Marshal $500.00, or 10% of the bid, whichever sum is greater. Thereafter the bidder shall pay the remaining purchase price within three (3) working days.
(b) Method of Payment. Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, payments to the Marshal shall be made in cash, certified check or cashier=s check.
(c) Custodial Costs Pending Payment. When a successful bidder fails to pay the balance of the bid within the time allowed by Local Admiralty Rule E (17)(a)(2), or within the time permitted by order of the Court, the Marshal shall charge the successful bidder for the cost of keeping the property from the date payment of the balance was due, to the date the bidder takes delivery of the property.
(f) Confirmation of Sale. Unless an objection is timely filed in accordance with this rule, or the purchaser is in default for failing to pay the balance of the purchase price, plaintiff shall proceed to have the sale confirmed on the day following the last day for filing objections.
Unless otherwise ordered by the Court, if the plaintiff fails to timely file the “Request for Confirmation of Sale” and proposed “Confirmation of Sale”, the Marshal shall assess any continuing costs or expenses for custody of the vessel or property against the plaintiff.
The Court shall consider the objection, and any opposition to the objection, and shall confirm the sale, order a new sale, or grant other relief as appropriate.
(2) Deposit of Preservation or Maintenance Costs. In addition to filing written objections, any person objecting to the sale shall also deposit with the Marshal the cost of keeping the property for at least seven (7) days. Proof of the deposit with the Marshal’s office shall be delivered to the Clerk’s office by the moving party. The Court will not consider the objection without proof of this deposit. If the objection is sustained, the objector will be reimbursed for the expense of keeping the property from the proceeds of any subsequent sale, and any remaining deposit will be returned to the objector upon Court order. If the objection is denied, the sum deposited by the objector will be applied to pay the fees and expenses incurred by the Marshal in keeping the property from the date the objection was filed until the sale is confirmed. Any remaining deposit will be returned to the objector upon order of Court.
