Guam Top Builders Inc v Tanota Partners [2012] GUSC 13; 2012 Guam 12 (12 September 2012)

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF GUAM

GUAM TOP BUILDERS, INC. and

EJONG CONSTRUCTION CO., LTD.,
Plaintiffs-Appellees/Cross-Appellants,

v.

TANOTA PARTNERS, HAFA ADAI PROPERTIES,
AES CONSTRUCTION, INC., and JOHN DOES I-V,
Defendants-Appellants/Cross-Appellees.

AMENDED OPINION ON REHEARING

Filed: September 12, 2012

Cite as: 2012 Guam 12

Supreme Court Case No.: CVA09-013
Superior Court Case Nos.: CV0558-99 and CV2469-98

Appeal from the Superior Court of Guam
Argued and submitted on June 3, 2010
Hagåtña, Guam

Appearing for Plaintiffs-Appellees/ Cross-Appellants: Thomas M. Tarpley, Esq. 414 W. Soledad Ave., Ste. 904 Hagåtña, GU 96910	Appearing for Defendants-Appellants/ Cross-Appellees Tanota Partners and Hafa Adai Properties: David Mair, Esq. (Argued and Briefed) Mair, Mair, Spade & Thompson, L.L.C. 238 Archbishop F.C. Flores St. DNA Bldg., Ste. 801 Hagåtña, GU 96910
	Calvo Fisher & Jacob LLP 259 Martyr St., Ste. 100 Hagåtña, GU 96910

BEFORE: ROBERT J. TORRES, Chief Justice; F. PHILIP CARBULLIDO, Associate Justice; and KATHERINE A. MARAMAN, Associate Justice.[1]

TORRES, C.J.:

[1] This Amended Opinion supersedes in its entirety the prior opinion of this court, Guam Top Builders, Inc. v. Tanota Partners, 2011 Guam 30. Defendants-Appellants/Cross-Appellees Tanota Partners and Hafa Adai Properties appeal the Judgment and Decree of Foreclosure of Mechanic’s Liens. Plaintiffs-Appellees/Cross-Appellants Guam Top Builders, Inc. and Ejong Construction Co., Ltd. also filed a cross-appeal of the same judgment and decree. For the reasons discussed below we affirm in part and reverse in part the Judgment.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

[2] Many of the facts relevant to this appeal are contained in our earlier opinion, Guam Top Builders, Inc. v. Tanota Partners, 2006 Guam 3