Bautista v Agustin [2015] GUSC 23 (4 August 2015)

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF GUAM

ODILIA BAUTISTA,
Plaintiff-Appellee,

and

JOSEPH A. GUTHRIE, on behalf of themselves
and all those similarly situated,
Plaintiff-Appellant,

v.

JOE T. SAN AGUSTIN, WILFRED P. LEON GUERRERO, ANTOLINA S. LEON GUERRERO, GERARD A. CRUZ, ANTHONY C. BLAZ, DAVID M. O'BRIEN, and KATHERINE T.E. TAITANO, in their capacities as Trustees of the Government of Guam Retirement Fund Board of Trustees,
Defendants-Appellees.

Supreme Court Case No.: CVA14-017
Superior Court Case No.: CV1848-01

OPINION

Filed: August 4, 2015
Cite as: 2015 Guam 23

Appeal from the Superior Court of Guam
Argued and submitted on February 20, 2015
Hagåtña, Guam

Appearing for Plaintiff-Appellant: Joseph A. Guthrie, Pro Se 12-B Dolphin Terrace W. Kalayaan Hts. Subic Bay Freeport Zone Philippines, 2222

Appearing for Defendants-Appellees: Elyze McDonald Iriarte, Esq. Carlsmith Ball LLP 134 W. Soledad Ave., Ste. 401 Hagåtña, GU 96910

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

TORRES, C.J.:

[1] Plaintiff-Appellant Joseph A. Guthrie appeals the trial court's decision denying him attorney's fees under the common fund doctrine against the Defined Benefit Plan of the Government of Guam Retirement Fund. On appeal, this court sua sponte raised the issue of whether the doctrine of sovereign immunity bars Guthrie's lawsuit. For the reasons set forth below, we dismiss the case for lack of subject matter jurisdiction.
I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. The Initial Underlying Action

[2]