Port Wants Case Against IFG Reheard by Different Judge
By John Guidroz
American Press
The Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District wants a court decision that ruled in favor of Infrastructure Funding Group (IFG) Port Holdings LLC to be reheard by a different U.S. District Court judge. The port’s Oct. 21 motion stated that U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay’s long-standing personal relationship with William B. Monk, IFG’s lead counsel, was not discovered until after she made her ruling.
Kay’s July 31 ruling stated that the port owed triple damages to IFG because of a breach of contract, stemming from a $50 million grain export terminal IFG opened for business in July 2015. The magistrate judge’s ruling stated the port did not secure the permits needed to allow IFG to dredge part of Contraband Bayou to the contract’s desired depths prior to the export terminal opening at City Docks.