OF ROMANIA v. Christie's, Inc.

New York Southern District Court
Judge:Louis L Stanton
Case #: 1:25-cv-01151
Nature of Suit380 Torts - Personal Property - Other Personal Property Damage
Cause28:1332co Diversity-Conversion
Case Filed:Feb 09, 2025
Last checked: Monday Feb 10, 2025 1:30 AM EST
All Defendants
Christie's, Inc.
20 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10020
All Plaintiffs
PAUL PHILIPPE OF ROMANIA
Represented By
Edward Griffith
The Griffith Firm, PLLC
contact info


Docket last updated: 3 hours ago
Thursday, February 13, 2025
16 16 notice Notice of Appearance Thu 02/13 11:12 AM
NOTICE OF APPEARANCE by Joseph Anthony Patella on behalf of Christie's, Inc...(Patella, Joseph)
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Tuesday, February 11, 2025
15 15 order Memo Endorsement ~Util - Set Deadlines/Hearings Tue 02/11 4:46 PM
MEMO ENDORSEMENT on re:14 Letter, filed by Paul Philippe of Romania. ENDORSEMENT: at 12 noon. SO ORDERED. ( Show Cause Hearing set for 3/3/2025 at 12:00 PM before Judge Louis L. Stanton.) (Signed by Judge Louis L. Stanton on 2/11/2025) (rro)
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14 14 misc Letter Tue 02/11 4:06 PM
LETTER addressed to Judge Louis L. Stanton from Plaintiff's counsel, Edward Griffith, dated February 11, 2025 re: Christie's Request to Reschedule February 12, 2025 Hearing to March 3, 2025. Document filed by Paul Philippe of Romania..(Griffith, Edward)
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13 13 misc Letter Tue 02/11 3:53 PM
LETTER addressed to Judge Louis L. Stanton from Joseph A. Patella dated 02 11-2025 re: Adjournment of Tomorrow's Show Cause Hearing. Document filed by Christie's, Inc...(Patella, Joseph)
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12 12 service Affidavit of Service Other Tue 02/11 2:35 PM
AFFIDAVIT OF SERVICE of Order to Show Cause with TRO8 , supporting papers consisting of Verified Complaint with exhibits1 , Supporting Declaration9 , and Supporting Memorandum of Law10 served on Christie's, Inc. on 02/11/2025. Service was accepted by John Manger, General Agent. Document filed by Paul Philippe of Romania..(Griffith, Edward)
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11 11 service Affidavit of Service Complaints Tue 02/11 2:29 PM
AFFIDAVIT OF SERVICE of Summons and Complaint,,,,,,. Christie's, Inc. served on 2/11/2025, answer due 3/4/2025. Service was accepted by John Manger, General Agent. Document filed by Paul Philippe of Romania..(Griffith, Edward)
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10 10 10 pgs respoth Memorandum of Law in Support (non-motion) Tue 02/11 10:54 AM
MEMORANDUM OF LAW in Support re:8 Order to Show Cause,, (seeking preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order) . Document filed by Paul Philippe of Romania..(Griffith, Edward)
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9 9 respoth Declaration in Support (non-motion) Tue 02/11 10:53 AM
DECLARATION of Plaintiff's counsel, Edward Griffith in Support re:8 Order to Show Cause,,. Document filed by Paul Philippe of Romania..(Griffith, Edward)
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7 7 misc Proposed Order to Show Cause With Emergency Relief Tue 02/11 10:10 AM
PROPOSED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE WITH EMERGENCY RELIEF. Document filed by Paul Philippe of Romania. Related Document Number: [(submitted February 9, 2025 and filed to complete the ECF docket; issued as modified by Judge Stanton on February 10, 2025)]..(Griffith, Edward)
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misc Notice to Court Regarding Proposed Order Tue 02/11 12:45 PM
***NOTICE TO COURT REGARDING PROPOSED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE WITH EMERGENCY RELIEF. Document No. 7 Proposed Order to Show Cause With Emergency Relief, was reviewed and approved as to form. (tp)
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Monday, February 10, 2025
8 8 2 pgs order Order to Show Cause Tue 02/11 10:33 AM
ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE: Christie's Inc. (the defendant) shall show cause as to why Preliminary Injunction and TRO should not be issued pursuant to FRCP 65 enjoining the defendant during the pendency of this action from transferring possession of the painting Saint Sebastien (1600) by El Greco (the painting) or moving the painting out of defendant's storage facilities in NYC. Defendant is temporarily restrained from moving the Painting from its NYC facilities pending the said hearing. Show Cause Hearing set for 2/12/2025 at 02:30 PM in Courtroom 21C, 500 Pearl Street, New York, NY 10007 before Judge Louis L. Stanton. (Signed by Judge Louis L. Stanton on 2/10/2025) (ml)
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6 6 service Summons Issued Mon 02/10 4:31 PM
ELECTRONIC SUMMONS ISSUED as to Christie's, Inc.. (vf)
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5 5 service Request for Issuance of Summons Mon 02/10 2:33 PM
REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to Christie's, Inc., re:1 Complaint,,,,,,. Document filed by Paul Philippe of Romania..(Griffith, Edward)
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misc Notice to Attorney Regarding Party Modification Mon 02/10 2:12 PM
***NOTICE TO ATTORNEY REGARDING PARTY MODIFICATION. Notice to attorney Edward Griffith. The party information for the following party/parties has been modified: Christie's, Inc.,PAUL PHILIPPE OF ROMANIA. The information for the party/parties has been modified for the following reason/reasons: party name was entered in all caps; party role was entered incorrectly. (sj)
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misc Notice to Attorney Regarding Case Opening Statistical Error Correction Mon 02/10 2:17 PM
***NOTICE TO ATTORNEY REGARDING CIVIL. CASE OPENING STATISTICAL ERROR CORRECTION: Notice to attorney Edward Griffith. The following case opening statistical information was erroneously selected/entered: County code New York. The following correction(s) have been made to your case entry: the County code has been modified to XX Out of U.S.. (sj)
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notice Case Opening Initial Assignment Notice Mon 02/10 2:20 PM
CASE OPENING INITIAL ASSIGNMENT NOTICE: The above-entitled action is assigned to Judge Louis L. Stanton. Please download and review the Individual Practices of the assigned District Judge, located at[LINK:https://nysd.uscourts.gov/judges/district-judges] . Attorneys are responsible for providing courtesy copies to judges where their Individual Practices require such. Please download and review the ECF Rules and Instructions, located at[LINK:https://nysd.uscourts.gov/rules/ecf-related-instructions] ..(sj)
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utility Case Designation Mon 02/10 2:21 PM
Magistrate Judge Jennifer Willis is designated to handle matters that may be referred in this case. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Section 636(c) and Fed. R. Civ. P. 73(b)(1) parties are notified that they may consent to proceed before a United States Magistrate Judge. Parties who wish to consent may access the necessary form at the following link:[LINK:https://nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2018-06/AO-3.pdf] . (sj)
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utility Case Designated ECF Mon 02/10 2:22 PM
Case Designated ECF. (sj)
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misc Notice to Attorney Regarding Deficient Request for Issuance of Summons Mon 02/10 2:23 PM
***NOTICE TO ATTORNEY REGARDING DEFICIENT REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS. Notice to Attorney Edward Griffith to RE-FILE Document No. 3 Request for Issuance of Summons. The filing is deficient for the following reason(s): the PDF attached to the docket entry for the issuance of summons is not correct; Caption error, caption must match exactly as pleading caption. Re-file the document using the event type Request for Issuance of Summons found under the event list Service of Process - select the correct filer/filers - and attach the correct summons form PDF. (sj)
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Sunday, February 09, 2025
4 4 misc Rule 7.1 Corporate Disclosure Statement Sun 02/09 12:27 PM
RULE 7.1 CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT. No Corporate Parent. Document filed by PAUL PHILIPPE OF ROMANIA..(Griffith, Edward)
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3 3 service Request for Issuance of Summons Sun 02/09 12:20 PM
REQUEST FOR ISSUANCE OF SUMMONS as to Christie's, Inc., re:1 Complaint,,,,,,. Document filed by PAUL PHILIPPE OF ROMANIA..(Griffith, Edward)
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2 2 misc Civil Cover Sheet Sun 02/09 12:16 PM
CIVIL COVER SHEET filed..(Griffith, Edward)
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1 1 cmp Complaint Sun 02/09 12:13 PM
COMPLAINT against Christie's, Inc.. (Filing Fee $ 405.00, Receipt Number BNYSDC-30589530)Document filed by PAUL PHILIPPE OF ROMANIA..(Griffith, Edward)
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Att: 1 Exhibit 1 (The Art Newspaper article "Christie's pulls El Greco work from sale after Romanian government intervenes"),
Att: 2 Exhibit 2 (New York Times article "An El Greco Is Pulled from Auction"),
Att: 3 Exhibit 3 (Decision Denying Romania's 1985 New York Lawsuit),
Att: 4 Exhibit 4 (Ferdinand I Will and Codicil),
Att: 5 Exhibit 5 (List of El Grecos lent to 1937 Paris Exhibition),
Att: 6 Exhibit 6 (1955 Portuguese Decsion),
Att: 7 Exhibit 7 (WWII telegrams from Hitler's ambassador authorizing Michael to export paintings),
Att: 8 Exhibit 8 (Vergotti Deposition),
Att: 9 Exhibit 9 (1948 UBS Inventory),
Att: 10 Exhibit 10 (1949-1950 exchange of letters with Carol II),
Att: 11 Exhibit 11 (Published list of 42 Stolen Paintings),
Att: 12 Exhibit 12 (1977 Letter from Wildenstein to Kimbell Museum),
Att: 13 Exhibit 13 (Saint Sbastien provinance on Kimbell website),
Att: 14 Exhibit 14 (Catalogue for 1982 El Greco Exhibition),
Att: 15 Exhibit 15 (1996 Swiss Decision Dismissing Romania's Lawsuit),
Att: 16 Exhibit 16 (November 2023 decision Paris Court of Appeal rejecting extradition),
Att: 17 Exhibit 17 (December 2023 decision French Supreme Court),
Att: 18 Exhibit 18 (INTERPOL decision withdrawing arrest warrant),
Att: 19 Exhibit 19 (August 2024 Maltese decision refusing extradition),
Att: 20 Exhibit 20 (February 9, 2025 demand letter to Christie's)