HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-15-09George B. Faller, Jr., Esquire
I.D. No. 49813
No V. Otto, III, Esquire ~
I.D. No. 27763 ~n ,°
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Jennifer L. Spears, Esquire ~=1- ~ ~ ~
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I.D. No. 87445 ~`? ~ ~;=
MARTSON DEARDORFF WILLIAMS OTTO GILROY & FALLER _ <> ~ -- ,- ; `
MARTSON LAW OFFICES -' G'~
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10 East High Street
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Carlisle, PA 17013 .. = -
(717) 243-3341 -n =+ ~ ~ ~"'
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Attorneys for Barbara McK. Mumma and Lisa M. Morgan ~`' _
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IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
IN RE: OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY,
PENNSYLVANIA
Estate of Robert M. Mumma,
NO. 21-86-398
Deceased.
ORPHANS' COURT DIVISION
ANSWER OF BARBARA MCK. MOMMA AND LISA M. MORGAN TO THE
MOTION OF ROBERT M. MOMMA, II TO STAY AUDITOR'S HEARING
Barbara McK. Mumma and Lisa M. Morgan respond as follows to the Motion of
Robert M. Mumma, II to Stay Auditor's Hearing:
1. Admitted in part; denied in part. It is admitted that no counsel is currently
appearing on record for Mr. Mumma, II. However, Mr. Mumma, II is, upon information
and belief, being assisted by James G. Gault, Esquire, though Mr. Gault has not
entered his appearance of record on behalf of Mr. Mumma, II. It is further denied that
Mr. Mumma, II is a beneficiary of the estate and trusts because a disclaimer was filed in
this matter on or about January 12, 1987, whereby Mr. Mumma, II disclaimed any
interest under the will of Robert M. Mumma. No court has issued a final ruling on the
effect of the disclaimer.
2. Denied as stated. The allegations of this paragraph constitute legal
conclusions, to which no response is required. By way of further response, Barbara
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Mumma and Linda Mumma are contingent remaindermen of the trusts established
under the will of Robert M. Mumma.
3-4. Admitted.
5. Admitted.
6. Admitted in part, denied in part. It is admitted that a pre-hearing
conference conducted by the Auditor on October 29, 2008. That conference was
recorded, and the transcript of it is in writing and speaks for itself, and all
characterizations thereof are denied.
7. Admitted.
8. Admitted. By way of further response, the letter is a writing which speaks
for itself.
9. Admitted. By way of further response, the letter is a writing which speaks
for itself.
10. Admitted. By way of further response, the Order is a writing which speaks
for itself.
11. Admitted that a portion of the February 26, 2009 Order of Court is
accurately represented, however the full Order is a writing which speaks for itself.
12. Admitted. By way of further response, the letter is a writing which speaks
for itself.
13. Admitted. By way of further response, the letter is a writing which speaks
for itself.
14. Denied. After reasonable investigation, Mrs. Mumma and Mrs. Morgan
are without knowledge or information sufficient to admit or deny the allegations of this
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paragraph, which they therefore deny. The allegations that the response by Estate
counsel is non-responsive and/or incomplete are vague and ambiguous and are not
susceptible of a meaningful response. They are, therefore, denied.
15. Admitted. By way of further response, the letter is a writing which speaks
for itself.
16. Denied. After reasonable investigation, Mrs. Mumma and Mrs. Morgan
are without knowledge or information sufficient to admit or deny the allegations of this
paragraph, which they therefore deny. The allegations that the response by Estate
counsel is non-responsive and/or incomplete are vague and ambiguous and are not
susceptible of a meaningful response. They are, therefore, denied.
17. Admitted. By way of further response, the letter is a writing which speaks
for itself.
18. Denied. After reasonable investigation, Mrs. Mumma and Mrs. Morgan
are without knowledge or information sufficient to admit or deny the allegations of this
paragraph, which they therefore deny. The allegations that the response by Estate
counsel is non-responsive and/or incomplete are vague and ambiguous and are not
susceptible of a meaningful response. They are, therefore, denied.
19. Admitted in part, denied in part. It is admitted that a Rule to Show Cause
was issued on March 30, 2009 in response to a motion filed by Mr. Mumma, II, entitled
an "Emergency Motion to Compel Compliance with Court Order and Motion for
Disclosure of Warehoused Estate Files and Records and Motion for Sanctions." The
Executrices filed an Answer to that Motion on April 6, 2009. The remaining allegations
are denied. That Answer is incorporated by reference herein.
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20. Admitted in part, denied in part. It is admitted that the Objectors were
provided with approximately eight boxes of documents on or about March 26, 2009. It
is denied that the Order of February 26, 2009 references either "copies" or "originals."
By way of further response, the Objectors were offered the opportunity to review and
inspect the documents in the office of Morgan Lewis & Bockius if they so desired.
21. Denied. The allegations of these paragraphs constitute requests for relief
to which no response is required. To the extent that a further response is required, the
allegations of these paragraphs are denied.
22. Admitted in part, denied in part. It is admitted that Mr. Mumma, II provided
a list he created of what he believed to be the outstanding matters before the Auditor at
a pre-hearing conference on October 29, 2008. Any implications beyond that are
denied.
23. Admitted in part, denied in part. It is admitted that the list contained in
paragraph 23 references some of the issues referred to the Auditor for an interim report
and/or recommended order (namely, these are the issues raised by Mr. Mumma, II),
however it is denied that that list is a complete list of issues referred to the Auditor.
24. Denied. It is denied that Mr. Mumma, II has raised any basis requiring a
stay of the Auditor's Hearing scheduled for April 21-23, 2009. Moreover, this Motion
requesting a stay provides evidence of why this estate has gone unresolved for so
many years, despite Mr. Mumma, II's repeated complaints that the estate has
languished far too long.
25. Admitted in part, denied in part. It is admitted that the March 30, 2009
Order referred to the Auditor for an interim report and recommended order Mr. Mumma,
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II's claims raised in his "Emergency Motion to Compel," however it is denied that the
"Emergency Motion" requires disposition prior to any evidentiary hearing before the
Auditor.
26. It is denied that the matters previously referred to the Auditor require
disposition prior to any evidentiary hearing before the Auditor. By way of further
response, most, if not all, the issues before the Auditor can be part of the interim report
and/or recommended order presented to Judge Oler.
27. It is denied that the disposition and/or resolution of all the issues before
the Auditor would impact or govern the proceedings before the Auditor. The hearing
before the Auditor is on the objections raised by the Objectors, and they can proceed
with the hearing on the basis of their objections.
28. Denied. By way of further response, the Response of the Executrices to
Mr. Mumma, II's Emergency Motion to Compel, which was filed on April 6, 2009 is
hereby incorporated in its entirety.
WHEREFORE, Mrs. Mumma and Mrs. Morgan respectfully request that
Mr. Mumma, II,'s Motion to Stay Auditor's Hearing be denied.
MART AW FFICES
By
Geor .Faller, Jr., Esquire
. D. o. 49813
No V. Otto, III, Esquire
I.D. No. 27763
Jennifer L. Spears, Esquire
I.D. No. 87445
Ten East High Street
Carlisle, PA 17013
(717) 243-3341
Date: April 15, 2009 Attorneys for Barbara McK. Mumma &
Lisa M. Morgan
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I, Melissa A. Scholly, an authorized agent of Martson Law Offices, hereby certify
that a copy of the foregoing Answer of Barbara McK. Mumma and Lisa M. Morgan to
the Motion of Robert M. Mumma, II to Stay Auditor's Hearing was served this date by
depositing same in the Post Office at Carlisle, PA, first class mail, postage prepaid,
addressed as follows:
Mr. Robert M. Mumma, II
Box F
Grantham, PA 17027
Mr. Robert M. Mumma, II
6880 S.E. Harbor Circle
Stuart, FL 34996-1968
Mr. Robert M. Mumma, II
840 Market Street, Suite 164
Lemoyne, PA 17043
Ralph A. Jacobs, Esquire
JACOBS & SINGER, LLC
1515 Market Street, Suite 705
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(Attorney for Barbara Mann Mumma)
Brady L. Green, Esquire
MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP
1701 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2921
(Attorney for Estate and Executrixes)
Joseph D. Buckley, Esquire
1237 Holly Pike
Carlisle, PA 17013
(Court Appointed Auditor)
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Ms. Linda M. Mumma
212 North Duke Street
Durham, NC 27701
MARTSON LAW OFFICES
Bye ~.
Melissa A. Schoily
10 East High Street
Carlisle, PA 17013
(717) 243-3341
Dated: April 15, 2009
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