🚨 UPDATE in Pete v Cooper: Remember the mysterious sealed motion that appeared on the docket in Pete v. Cooper with no indication of who filed it or what it was about? We now know what it was.
The sealed motion was filed by Megan Pete through her attorneys. Megan filed it ex parte, meaning she was asking Judge Cecilia Altonaga to grant relief without Milagro having an opportunity to respond first.
Megan was seeking an order under 28 U.S.C. § 1963, a federal law that allows a judgment entered in one federal district to be registered in another federal district for enforcement. In plain English, this can allow a judgment creditor to pursue collection against a debtor’s assets in another district without filing an entirely new lawsuit there.
This is especially significant because Milagro has appealed the judgment. Section 1963 generally permits registration once a judgment becomes final by appeal or the time to appeal expires, but a district judge can authorize registration earlier if “good cause” is shown.
So Megan was essentially asking Judge Altonaga for permission to expand enforcement of the judgment into another federal district while Milagro’s appeal is still pending.
What makes this even more interesting is that Megan attempted to make the request secretly, under seal and ex parte. Her attorneys argued that proceeding this way complied with the local rules and served a “concrete enforcement purpose.”
Once registered in the other district, it is treated like a local judgment. Then they can try garnishment, levies, liens, and other collection tools.
Judge Altonaga rejected that argument.
She explained that ex parte proceedings are generally disfavored because basic fairness requires the opposing party to have a reasonable opportunity to know what is being requested and respond. The judge said she was unaware of any statute or rule giving Megan the right to seek relief under § 1963 ex parte, and Megan’s attorneys failed to identify one.
Megan’s attorneys cited a California federal case, UMG Recordings v. BCD Music Group, to support proceeding ex parte. Judge Altonaga called that authority “wholly unpersuasive” because that decision relied on the Central District of California’s standards for ex parte applications, not the rules governing this case in the Southern District of Florida.
The judge DENIED Megan’s sealed ex parte motion without prejudice and ordered that her ruling denying it NOT be sealed.
That distinction is important. Judge Altonaga did not rule that Megan can never seek to register the judgment elsewhere. She ruled that Megan failed to establish a legal basis for trying to obtain that relief ex parte without Milagro having an opportunity to respond.
Because the denial was without prejudice, Megan can potentially try again through the proper procedure. If she does, the actual question of whether there is “good cause” to register and enforce the judgment in another federal district while Milagro’s appeal remains pending could then be litigated with Milagro having the opportunity to oppose it.
August ends tonight. Leave behind everything that exhausted you, broke your peace, kept you awake, or made you question yourself. September deserves a version of you that isn’t carrying old weight. Release it. Tomorrow is a fresh page.
GIRL to GIRL: Make September your reset month. Clean your space, organize your finances, get back in the gym, fix your sleep schedule, and lock in on your goals.
Life is still happening for you! Laugh louder, love harder, chase what makes you happy and stop shrinking yourself to make others comfortable. You survived the days that tried to break you, so now it’s time to LIVE, grow, glow, and enjoy the blessings coming your way. Your story is far from over. Go make today count! 💕🌸
I remember a time when damn near every outlet would post about this case. I mean every single thing that they could use to frame things a particular way.
Now nothing. What happened? The internet not working? Or are they waiting for something that they could use against Milagro?
Loren ain’t getting anymore statements? She got exclusives about Zelle payments. Why not follow through on all the updates? 🫠