United States v. $208,420.00 in U.S. Currency

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44 55 66 77 United States District Court 88 Central District of California 99 1100 1111 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Case No. 2:20-cv-01156-ODW (RAO)

1122 Plaintiff, ORDER DENYING MOTION TO

WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL OF

1133 v. RECORD [47]

1144 $208,420.00 IN U.S. CURRENCY,

1155 Defendant.

1166 1177 I. INTRODUCTION 1188 Jacek W. Lentz, counsel for Claimant Stephanie Smith, seeks to withdraw as 1199 counsel of record. (Mot. to Withdraw (“Mot.”), ECF No. 47.) For the reasons set 2200 forth below, the Court DENIES Lentz’s Motion.1 2211 II. BACKGROUND 2222 On February 5, 2020, Plaintiff United States of America (“the Government”) 2233 initiated this in rem forfeiture action against Defendant $208,420.00 in U.S. Currency. 2244 (See Compl., ECF No. 1.) In response to the Government’s forfeiture action, Smith 2255 moved for a mandatory stay pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(g)(2). (ECF No. 23.) The 2266 Court denied Smith’s motion because she failed to establish that she was the subject 2277

2288 1 Having carefully considered the papers filed in connection…