HOLLYWOOD IMPORTS
v.
KORTE
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The court issued an order to show cause requiring Hollywood Imports, a corporate plaintiff appearing pro se, to retain counsel or explain why it should not be required to do so, based on the well-established rule that corporations cannot appear without legal representation.
A corporation cannot appear pro se in federal court and must be represented by licensed counsel. Hollywood Imports is required to retain an attorney and properly appear in the matter on or before January 6, 2025, or show cause why this requirement should not apply.
“The rule is well established that a corporation is an artificial entity that can act only through agents, cannot appear pro se, and must be represented by counsel.”
Establishes the foundational legal principle that corporations lack capacity to appear pro se in federal court
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceHollywood Imports, a corporate entity, filed a lawsuit against Joshua Korte and attempted to appear pro se on its own behalf without counsel represent…
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Upon sua sponte review of the docket in this matter, Plaintiff appears to be a corporate entity appearing pro se on its own behalf. (See Dkt. 1.) “The rule is well established that a corporation is an artificial entity that can act only through agents, cannot appear pro se, and must be represented by counsel.” Palazzo v. Gulf Oil Corp., 764 F. 2d 1381, 1385 (11th Cir. 1985) (citation omitted); see also LaTele Television, C.A. v. Telemundo Commc’ns Grp., LLC, 9 F. 4th 1349, 1357 (11th Cir. 2021) (“Moreover, “[i]t has been the law for the better part of two centuries . . . that a corporation may appear in the federal courts only through licensed counsel.”) (quoting Rowland v. Cal. Men’s Colony, Unit II Men’s Advisory Council, 506 U.S. 194, 201–02 (1993)). Plaintiff, as a corporate entity, may therefore appear in this court only through an attorney. Accordingly, on or before January 6, 2025, Plaintiff shall retain counsel and properly appear in this matter or, alternatively, SHOW CAUSE as to why it should not be required to retain counsel. ORDERED in Orlando, Florida, on December 9, 2024.
/ . eo
JUVIE S. SNEED
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
Copies furnished to: Unrepresented Party
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Citator
Authorities Cited
- Palazzo v. Gulf OIL Corp., 764 F.2d 1381 (11th Cir. 1985)
- Rowland v. California Men's Colony, 506 U.S. 194 (U.S. 1993)
- Latele Television v. Telemundo Commc'ns Grp., LLC, 9 F.4th 1349 (11th Cir. 2021)