IPI seeks dismissal of legal action against CCC and CNMI governor
The move could be linked to a possible settlement before Imperial Pacific International (IPI)’s licence revocation hearing.
Northern Mariana Islands.- Imperial Pacific International (IPI) has requested the federal court dismiss, without prejudice claims previously filed against the islands’ governor, Arnold I. Palacios, and the Commonwealth Casino Commission (CCC).
IPI, represented by attorneys Stephen Nutting and Michael Chen, had claimed constitutional violations and breach of the casino licence agreement (CLA). The lawsuit aimed to establish IPI’s exemption from regulatory fees and deemed the applied statute unconstitutional.
The CCC, however, asserted that IPI had failed to fulfil its financial obligations, accumulating over US$62m in casino licence fees and US$17.6m in regulatory fees for the years 2020-2023. District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands chief judge Ramona V. Manglona dismissed IPI’s complaint without prejudice, allowing the possibility of refiling.
According to Mariana’s Variety, Manglona also noted that the defendants “have neither filed an answer nor a motion for summary judgment.”
Earlier this week, the CCC rescheduled the hearing on the revocation of IPI’s exclusive casino licence from January 31 to February 12, citing ongoing settlement discussions with the company.
