Court issues notice of deficient pro hac vice motion; requires refiling with $200 fee

The court rejected a motion filed to allow attorney Thomas C. Seabaugh to appear pro hac vice on behalf of defendants including Mahmud Abouhalima, Abdul Rahman Yasin, Eyad Ismoil, and others. The motion, docketed as No.

1081, was flagged as deficient because it lacked a Certificate of Good Standing from the Supreme Court of California. This certificate is a mandatory requirement for out-of-state attorneys seeking pro hac vice admission.

The Clerk's Office issued a notice directing the filer to re-submit the motion with the correct documentation. The filing fee of $200 was paid, but the absence of the certificate prevented the court from processing the motion further. The notice explicitly instructed that the re-filed motion must be submitted as a properly signed PDF and must identify the correct defendant names.

The case involves a large group of defendants connected to significant federal charges, including individuals such as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Ramzi Ahmed Yousef. The court has not yet assigned a judge to this matter. The motion to appear pro hac vice is a procedural step allowing an out-of-state lawyer to participate in the case without full admission to the local bar.

This procedural hiccup delays attorney Seabaugh’s formal involvement in the case. Without proper admission, the attorney cannot represent the defendants in court proceedings. The court’s strict adherence to pro hac vice requirements reflects standard practice to ensure attorney credentials are verified before participation.

The docket remains active, but no further substantive filings have been made. The court awaits a corrected motion before moving forward with any rulings on attorney appearances or related matters.