Case 1:19-cv-23965-JEM Document 64 Entered on FLSD Docket 03/04/2020 Page 1 of 3

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

Case No. 19-23965-CIV-MARTINEZ/OTAZO-REYES

JOSE RAMON LÓPEZ REGUEIRO,

Plaintiff,

v.

AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. and LATAM AIRLINES GROUP, S.A.,

Defendants.

______/

DEFENDANTS’ UNOPPOSED MOTION FOR DISQUALIFICATION OF MAGISTRATE JUDGE UNDER 28 U.S.C. § 455(b)

Defendants American Airlines, Inc. and LATAM Airlines Group, S.A. (jointly, “Defendants”) hereby submit this Unopposed Motion for Disqualification of Magistrate Judge under 28 U.S.C. § 455(b), and state as follows: Defendants have learned that Magistrate Judge Otazo-Reyes represented Plaintiff Jose Ramon Lopez Regueiro (“Plaintiff”) while in private practice as his lawyer in a prior case that is part of the current matter in controversy. Specifically, the Magistrate Judge represented Plaintiff in a probate matter where Plaintiff petitioned a probate court for an order determining that he was an heir of Jose Lopez Vilaboy (“Vilaboy”). See Petition for Determination of Heirs, In re Estate of Lopez Vilaboy, Miami-Dade County Circuit Court, Probate Division, Case No. 10- 0494 CP 02 (“Probate Matter”) attached hereto as Exhibit “A.” That case is part of the matter in controversy because it is the basis for Plaintiff’s assertion that he inherited Vilaboy’s alleged claim under Title III of the Helms-Burton Act. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 455(b)(2), a Magistrate Judge shall disqualify herself from a proceeding “[w]here in private practice [s]he served as lawyer in the matter in controversy . . . .” In light of the Magistrate Judge’s representation of Plaintiff in the underlying Probate Matter, Defendants believe that disqualification is appropriate under 28 U.S.C. § 455(b). Case 1:19-cv-23965-JEM Document 64 Entered on FLSD Docket 03/04/2020 Page 2 of 3

WHEREFORE, Defendants respectfully request that Magistrate Judge Otazo-Reyes disqualify herself from this case.

CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH LOCAL RULE 7.1(a)(3)

Undersigned counsel conferred with counsel for the Plaintiff in good faith regarding

the relief sought herein and is authorized to represent that the Plaintiff does not oppose the

requested relief.

Dated: March 4, 2020.

/s/ Ricardo H. Puente Christopher R.J. Pace Florida Bar No. 721166 Ricardo H. Puente Florida Bar No. 121533 JONES DAY 600 Brickell Avenue Brickell World Plaza Suite 3300 Miami, FL 33131 Telephone: (305) 714-9700 Facsimile: (305) 714-9799 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Attorneys for Defendant, American Airlines, Inc.

/s/ Naim S. Surgeon Pedro Freyre Florida Bar No. 192140 Naim S. Surgeon Florida Bar No. 101682 AKERMAN LLP Three Brickell City Centre 98 S.E. Seventh Street, Suite 1100 Miami, FL 33131 Phone: (305) 374-5600 Fax: (305) 349-4656

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Email: [email protected] Secondary Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Secondary Email: [email protected]

Attorneys for Defendant LATAM Airlines Group, S.A.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I HEREBY CERTIFY that on March 4, 2020, I electronically filed the foregoing with

the Clerk of the Court by using the CM/ECF system, which will send a notice of such

electronic filing to all parties at the email addresses on the attached Service List.

/s/ Ricardo H. Puente Ricardo H. Puente

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EXHIBIT A

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