{"id":"court_ctb_1493_0","court":"CTB","case_no":"22-50073","doc_number":1493,"sub_number":0,"doc_type":"ORDER","filed_date":null,"title":"UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT DIVISION In re : Chapter 11","summary_zh":null,"summary_en":null,"body_en":"## **UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT DIVISION**\n\nIn re : Chapter 11\n\nHO WAN KWOK, *et al.* : Case No. 22-50073 (JAM)\n\n : Debtors. : \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_:\n\n:\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_ :\n\n# **INDIVIDUAL DEBTOR'S MOTION TO EXPEDITE HEARING ON INDIVIDUAL DEBTOR'S MOTION FOR STAY PENDING APPEAL OF ORDER HOLDING HIM IN CONTEMPT OF CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ORDER**\n\nThe individual debtor, Ho Wan Kwok (the \"Individual Debtor\"), for his motion (the \"Motion\") to expedite a hearing on the Individual Debtor's Motion for Stay Pending Appeal of Order Holding Him In Contempt of Corporate Governance Order (the \"Stay Motion\"), respectfully states:\n\n1. On February 15, 2022, the Individual Debtor filed his voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, thereby commencing the above-captioned bankruptcy case.\n\n2. On July 7, 2022, the United States Trustee filed a notice appointing Luc A. Despins (the \"Trustee\") as Chapter 11 trustee (Doc. No. 514), and an Application for Order Approving Appointment of Chapter 11 Trustee (Doc. No. 515), seeking the Court's approval of the appointment of the Trustee. On July 8, 2022, the Court entered its Order Granting Appointment Of Chapter 11 Trustee (Doc. No. 523), granting the appointment of the Trustee as Chapter 11 trustee in this case.\n\n3. On July 23, 2022, the Trustee filed his Motion Of Chapter 11 Trustee For Entry Of Order, Pursuant To Bankruptcy Code Sections 363, 541, 1108, And 1505, (A) Confirming That Chapter 11 Trustee Holds All Of The Debtor's Economic And Corporate Governance Rights In Debtor-Controlled Entities, (B) Authorizing Chapter 11 Trustee To Act In Any Foreign Country On Behalf Of Estate, And (C) Granting Related Relief (Doc. No. 598, the \"Corporate Governance Motion\").\n\n4. On October 4, 2022, the Trustee filed his Motion of Chapter 11 Trustee For Entry Of Order Holding Debtor In Civil Contempt For Failure To Comply With Corporate Governance Rights Order (Doc. No. 913, the \"Motion for Contempt\"). The gravamen of the Motion for Contempt was the Individual Debtor's purported failure to cooperate with the Trustee in connection with the Trustee exercising corporate control over Ace Decade Holdings Limited (\"Ace Decades\").\n\n5. On October 25, 2022, the Individual Debtor filed his Objection to the Motion for Contempt (Doc. No. 1026); the Trustee filed his reply on November 14, 2022 (Doc. No. 1092).\n\n6. On November 17, 2022, the Court entered an Order Regarding Partial Resolution of Trustee's Contempt Motion (Doc. No. 1110, the \"Partial Resolution Order\"). Pursuant to the Partial Resolution Order the Court found that certain facts related to the Individual Debtor's beneficial ownership and control of Ace Decade had been established and the Individual Debtor did not contest and agreed that he would not appeal those findings. *See* Partial Resolution Order, at ¶1.\n\n7. On November 17 and 18, 2022 the Court received evidence and heard argument on the issues related to the Motion for Contempt that were not resolved by the Partial Resolution Order.\n\n8. On January 24, 2023, the Court entered its Order Granting Motion to Hold Debtor in Contempt of Corporate Governance Order (Doc. No. 1372, the \"Contempt Order\"),\n\n2\n\ndeciding the discrete issues related to the Individual Debtor's obligations vis-à-vis Ace Decade under the Corporate Governance Order and holding the Individual Debtor in contempt for failing to comply with the Corporate Governance Order. The Contempt Order requires the Individual Debtor to purge himself of his contempt by 5:00 p.m. on March 6, 2023. *See* Contempt Order, at 15. The Contempt Order further provides that any failure to purge the contempt will result in the Individual Debtor being sanctioned the reasonable attorneys' fees and costs incurred by the Trustee in bringing the Contempt Motion, and threatens the possibility of further sanctions upon motion in order to secure compliance with the Corporate Governance Order. *See* Contempt Order, at 15-16.\n\n9. By the Stay Motion, the Individual Debtor seeks a stay pending his appeal of the Contempt Order. Cause exists to consider and determine the Stay Motion upon an expedited basis. The Individual Debtor faces significant and likely increasing sanctions and penalties for his failure to purge himself of contempt even though the Individual Debtor cannot be in contempt because, as detailed in the Stay Motion, the Corporate Governance Order is not clear and unambiguous and in fact does nothing other than generally order the Individual Debtor to obey the law and cooperate with the Trustee, whatever that may mean. In addition the other factors that courts in the Second Circuit look to when deciding motions for stay pending appeal also favor a stay. Thus, the Individual Debtor seeks an expedited hearing on the Stay Motion so that it can be heard as close in time as possible to March 6, the date by which the Individual Debtor has been ordered to purge himself of contempt, so that he can obtain meaningful appellate review of the Contempt Order without the specter of increasing sanctions designed to compel compliance and therefore moot his appeal.\n\n10. The Individual Debtor requests that the Court set a hearing for the Stay Motion\n\non Tuesday, March 7, 2023, and require any opposition to the Stay Motion to be filed by 12:00 p.m. on Monday, March 6, 2023. The Individual Debtor further requests that the Court direct that notice of the Stay Motion and the Court's order granting this Motion be served on all partiesin-interest appearing in the Individual Debtor's Chapter 11 case qualified to receive electronic notice via the Court's CM/ECF system, as well as the Committee, the Trustee, and the United States Trustee.\n\nWHEREFORE, the Individual Debtor requests that the Court issue an Order, substantially in the form attached hereto, setting a hearing on the Stay Motion for March 7, 2023, during the Court's afternoon calendar when several matters in the Individual Debtor's case are already scheduled, and ordering notice of such hearing as set forth in the attached Order.\n\nDated at Bridgeport, Connecticut on this 1st day of March, 2023.\n\n# **THE INDIVIDUAL DEBTOR, HO WAN KWOK**\n\n*/s/ James M. Moriarty* Eric Henzy (ct12849) James M. Moriarty (ct21876) John L. Cesaroni (ct29309) 10 Middle Street, 15th Floor Bridgeport, Connecticut 06604 Telephone: (203) 368-4234 Facsimile: (203) 368-5487 Email: [ehenzy@zeislaw.com](mailto:ehenzy@zeislaw.com) [Jmoriarty@zeislaw.com](mailto:Jmoriarty@zeislaw.com) [jcesaroni@zeislaw.com](mailto:jcesaroni@zeislaw.com)\n\n# **UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT DIVISION**\n\n : Debtors. : \\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_:\n\n:\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_ :\n\nIn re : Chapter 11\n\nHO WAN KWOK, *et al.* : Case No. 22-50073 (JAM)\n\n#### **ORDER SCHEDULING EXPEDITED HEARING**\n\nThe Court having considered the Motion to expedite a hearing on the Individual Debtor's Motion for Stay Pending Appeal of Order Holding Him In Contempt of Corporate Governance Order (the \"Stay Motion\"); and good cause appearing, it is hereby\n\nORDERED, that a hearing on the Stay Motion shall be held on March \\_\\_, 2023, at \\_\\_:\\_\\_ \\_.m. at the United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Connecticut, Bridgeport Division, 915 Lafayette Boulevard, Room 123, Bridgeport, CT 06604 (the \"Hearing\"); and it is further\n\nORDERED, that the deadline to object to the Stay Motion shall be March \\_\\_, 2023, at \\_\\_:\\_\\_ \\_.m.; and it is further\n\nORDERED, that a copy of this Order, along with the Stay Motion and any attachments thereto, shall be served upon all parties to the Individual Debtor's chapter 11 case qualified to receive electronic notice via the Court's CM/ECF system, as well as the Committee, the Trustee, and the United States Trustee, on or before February/March \\_\\_, 2023, and the Individual Debtor shall file a certificate of service in advance of the Hearing.\n\n#### **CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE**\n\nI hereby certify that on this 1st day of March, 2023, a copy of foregoing was filed electronically. Notice of this filing will be sent by e-mail to all parties by operation of the Court's electronic filing system or by mail to anyone unable to accept electronic filing as indicated on the Notice of Electronic Filing. Parties may access this filing through the Court's CM/ECF System.\n\n> */s/ James M. Moriarty*  James M. Moriarty (ct21876)","body_zh":"UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT DIVISION（美国康涅狄格区破产法院布里奇波特分部）\n\n关于：第 11 章\nHO WAN KWOK（郭文贵）等：案号 22-50073 (JAM)\n：债务人。：________________________________________:\n:\n________________________________________ :\n个人债务人关于请求就个人债务人关于裁定其蔑视公司治理裁定之命令在上诉期间中止执行的动议进行加急听证的动议\n\n个人债务人 Ho Wan Kwok（郭文贵）（简称「个人债务人」）就其关于请求对《个人债务人关于裁定其蔑视公司治理裁定之命令在上诉期间中止执行的动议》（简称「中止执行动议」）进行加急听证的动议（简称「本动议」），谨陈述如下：\n\n1. 2022年2月15日，个人债务人根据《破产法典》第 11 章提交了自愿救济申请书，从而开启了上述标题的破产案件。\n\n2. 2022年7月7日，United States Trustee（美国受托人）提交了指定 Luc A. Despins（简称「受托人」）为第 11 章受托人的通知（文件编号 514），以及《关于批准指定第 11 章受托人的命令的申请》（文件编号 515），请求法院批准对受托人的指定。2022年7月8日，法院作出了《关于准予指定第 11 章受托人的命令》（文件编号 523），准予在此案中指定该受托人为第 11 章受托人。\n\n3. 2022年7月23日，受托人提交了其《第 11 章受托人根据〈破产法典〉第 363、541、1108 及 1505 条请求作出以下命令的动议：(A) 确认第 11 章受托人享有债务人在债务人控制实体中的全部经济权利和公司治理权利，(B) 授权第 11 章受托人代表破产财团在任何外国开展行为，以及 (C) 准予相关救济》（文件编号 598，简称「公司治理动议」）。\n\n4. 2022年10月4日，受托人提交了其《第 11 章受托人请求作出裁定债务人因未遵守公司治理权利裁定而构成民事蔑视法庭之命令的动议》（文件编号 913，简称「蔑视法庭动议」）。蔑视法庭动议的要旨在于，个人债务人在受托人就 Ace Decade Holdings Limited（简称「Ace Decade」）行使公司控制权方面据称未能与受托人配合。\n\n5. 2022年10月25日，个人债务人提交了其对蔑视法庭动议的异议（文件编号 1026）；受托人于2022年11月14日提交了答辩状（文件编号 1092）。\n\n6. 2022年11月17日，法院作出了《关于受托人蔑视法庭动议部分解决的命令》（文件编号 1110，简称「部分解决命令」）。根据部分解决命令，法院认定与个人债务人对 Ace Decade 的受益所有权及控制权相关的某些事实已确立，且个人债务人未予争议并同意不对这些认定提起上诉。参见部分解决命令第 1 段。\n\n7. 2022年11月17日和18日，法院就蔑视法庭动议中未通过部分解决命令解决的相关问题听取了证据和辩论。\n\n8. 2023年1月24日，法院作出了《关于准予裁定债务人蔑视公司治理裁定之动议的命令》（文件编号 1372，简称「蔑视法庭命令」），就个人债务人根据《公司治理裁定》对 Ace Decade 所负义务的相关个别问题作出裁决，并裁定个人债务人因未遵守《公司治理裁定》而构成蔑视法庭。蔑视法庭命令要求个人债务人在2023年3月6日下午5:00之前消除其蔑视法庭行为。参见蔑视法庭命令第 15 页。蔑视法庭命令进一步规定，任何未能消除蔑视法庭行为的情况都将导致个人债务人被处以受托人提出蔑视法庭动议所产生的合理律师费及成本的制裁，并警告可能在收到动议后施加进一步制裁，以确保其遵守《公司治理裁定》。参见蔑视法庭命令第 15-16 页。\n\n9. 通过中止执行动议，个人债务人请求在其对蔑视法庭命令提出上诉期间中止执行。存在以加急程序审理和裁决中止执行动议的正当理由。个人债务人因未能消除蔑视法庭行为而面临重大且可能增加的制裁和处罚，尽管个人债务人根本不可能构成蔑视法庭，因为正如中止执行动议中所详述的，《公司治理裁定》并不明确清晰，实际上除了概括性地命令个人债务人服从法律并与受托人配合（无论其含义为何）之外，别无其他内容。此外，Second Circuit（第二巡回区）法院在裁决上诉期间中止执行动议时所考量的其他因素也支持中止执行。因此，个人债务人请求就中止执行动议进行加急听证，以便能够在时间上尽可能接近3月6日（即命令个人债务人消除蔑视法庭行为的日期）进行审理，从而使其能够就蔑视法庭命令获得有实质意义的上诉复审，而不会面临旨在强迫服从从而使其上诉归于无实际意义的不断增加的制裁阴影。\n\n10. 个人债务人请求法院将中止执行动议的听证会安排在2023年3月7日星期二，并要求对中止执行动议的任何反对意见必须在2023年3月6日星期一中午12:00之前提交。个人债务人进一步请求法院指示，将中止执行动议的通知以及法院准予本动议的命令送达给个人债务人第 11 章案件中出庭并有资格通过法院 CM/ECF 系统接收电子通知的所有利害关系方，以及 Committee（委员会）、受托人和美国受托人。\n\n为此，个人债务人请求法院发出实质上采用本件所附格式的命令，将中止执行动议的听证会安排在2023年3月7日法院下午日程期间（届时个人债务人案件中的若干事项已排定日程），并按照所附命令的规定下达该听证会的通知。\n\n2023年3月1日订于康涅狄格州布里奇波特。\n个人债务人，HO WAN KWOK（郭文贵）\n\n/s/ James M. Moriarty\nEric Henzy (ct12849)\nJames M. Moriarty (ct21876)\nJohn L. Cesaroni (ct29309)\n10 Middle Street, 15th Floor\nBridgeport, Connecticut 06604\n电话：(203) 368-4234\n传真：(203) 368-5487\n电子邮件：ehenzy@zeislaw.com\nJmoriarty@zeislaw.com\njcesaroni@zeislaw.com\n\nUNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT BRIDGEPORT DIVISION（美国康涅狄格区破产法院布里奇波特分部）\n\n：债务人。：________________________________________:\n:\n________________________________________ :\n关于：第 11 章\nHO WAN KWOK（郭文贵）等：案号 22-50073 (JAM)\n\n关于排定加急听证日程的命令\n\n经法院审议关于请求就个人债务人关于裁定其蔑视公司治理裁定之命令在上诉期间中止执行的动议（简称「中止执行动议」）进行加急听证的动议；且有正当理由支持，现特此\n\n命令：中止执行动议的听证会应于2023年3月__日__点__分在 United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Connecticut, Bridgeport Division（美国康涅狄格区破产法院布里奇波特分部），地址：915 Lafayette Boulevard, Room 123, Bridgeport, CT 06604（简称「听证会」）举行；并进一步\n\n命令：对中止执行动议提出异议的截止日期为2023年3月__日__点__分；并进一步\n\n命令：本命令的副本连同中止执行动议及其任何附件，应于2023年2月/3月__日或之前送达给个人债务人第 11 章案件中有资格通过法院 CM/ECF 系统接收电子通知的所有当事方，以及委员会、受托人和美国受托人，且个人债务人应在听证会前提交送达证明书。\n\n送达证明书\n\n我在此证明，于2023年3月1日，上述文书的副本已通过电子方式提交。本提交的通知将通过法院电子提交系统的运行以电子邮件形式发送给所有当事方，或按照电子提交通知上的指示通过邮寄方式发送给无法接受电子提交的任何人。当事方可通过法院的 CM/ECF 系统查阅本次提交的文件。\n\n/s/ James M. Moriarty\nJames M. Moriarty (ct21876)","key_entities":["Kwok","Ho Wan Kwok","Je","Guo","Despins"],"ecf_references":[],"word_count":1323,"status":"published","published_at":null,"created_at":null,"updated_at":"2026-08-23 12:50:43"}