DRC LV VENTURES v. IDIN DALPOUR and MAXBEN HOLDINGS
DRC LV VENTURES, LLC, SCOTT SCHROEDER, MARINE PARK INVESTMENTS, LLC, and GREENWAY FINANCIAL GROUP, LLC v. IDIN DALPOUR and MAXBEN HOLDINGS, LLC
- Clarke
- 1:23-cv-07827
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In DRC LV Ventures v. Dalpour, Judge Clarke ordered defendants to provide service addresses before deciding whether their counsel may withdraw.
Defendants Idin Dalpour and Maxben Holdings, LLC, their counsel, and the plaintiffs, who sought a condition on counsel’s withdrawal.
What happened
DRC LV Ventures, LLC, Scott Schroeder, Marine Park Investments, LLC, and Greenway Financial Group, LLC sued Idin Dalpour and Maxben Holdings, LLC in a breach-of-contract action. The court had entered a final judgment by agreement on December 18, 2024. Defendants’ lawyers later asked to withdraw, saying defendants had not paid their fees for more than a year.
The plaintiffs asked the court to require defendants to provide an email address for accepting future legal papers before allowing the lawyers to withdraw. The court explained that a company or limited liability company cannot represent itself in federal court and must appear through a lawyer.
Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke ordered defendants to file a letter by November 25, 2025, giving an email address and mailing address where they would accept legal papers and filings. After receiving that information, the court will grant the lawyers’ request to withdraw and give Maxben Holdings, LLC 30 days to obtain new counsel.
The detailed version
- DRC LV VENTURES v. IDIN DALPOUR and MAXBEN HOLDINGS · No. 1:23-cv-07827
- Clarke
- Nov. 17, 2025
Background
This case is a breach-of-contract action. On December 18, 2024, the court entered a Stipulation and Order of Final Judgment. On October 20, 2025, defendants’ counsel asked to withdraw because defendants had not paid legal fees for more than one year. The plaintiffs opposed the request in part by asking the court to require defendants to provide an email address for accepting future service of process—that is, delivery of legal papers—before allowing counsel to withdraw.
Court’s Reasoning
The court stated that a corporation may appear in federal court only through counsel because it is an artificial entity that acts through agents. The court said the same rule applies to limited liability companies. Thus, Maxben Holdings, LLC could not proceed without a lawyer. The opinion does not state that defendants’ counsel had already been permitted to withdraw.
Order
The court ordered defendants to file a letter no later than November 25, 2025, identifying an email address and mailing address where they would accept service and filings after their counsel’s withdrawal. Upon receiving that information, the court will grant defendants’ counsel’s motion to withdraw and give Maxben Holdings, LLC 30 days to secure new counsel.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.