Legal Wrangling not Over in Poultry Suit
by March 7, 2011 12:00 am 118 views
Like many of you, we here at Whispers anxiously await U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell’s decision regarding the state of Oklahoma’s lawsuit against the poultry industry, including Tyson Foods Inc. and George’s Inc.
The trial ended more than a year ago, but the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals didn’t fully clear the way for Frizzell to issue an opinion until Nov. 12. That’s when the court denied a request by the Cherokee Nation to reconsider a previous decision preventing the CN from joining the lawsuit.
In the meantime, Whispers came across a different lawsuit, this one involving one of the firms that helped represent the state of Oklahoma. That would be Miller & Keffer.
It seems Miller & Keffer, along with one of its former attorneys, David Page, established a $4 million line of credit with F&M Bank of Tulsa, presumably to help fund the litigation. According to the suit, they eventually drew more than $250,000.
Also according to the suit, F&M later conveyed the note to two entitites, 315 Main Mall LLC and Harley Consulting. Tulsa attorney J. Schaad Titus is the registered agent for both entities.
Interestingly, one of Schaad’s clients, as listed on his firm’s website, is World Publishing Co. WPC produces the Tulsa World.
The suit, filed Feb. 22, pits Harley Consulting vs. William Keffer. Harley Consulting is seeking almost $170,000 from Keffer, who allegedly defaulted on the note.
Harley Consulting is represented by the Tulsa-founded firm of Riggs, Abney, Neal, Turpen, Orbison, & Lewis Inc. That firm now employs none other than Mr. Page.
For a group that sued on the grounds of pollution, all of this sure seems like muddy water.