Order 176: Court reassigned case after judge’s recusal

On February 2, 2023, the Fifth Civil Circuit Court of the First Judicial Circuit of Panama issued Auto No. 176, formally assuming jurisdiction over the summary accounting lawsuit filed by Lisa, S.A. against Villamorey, S.A. This reassignment followed the approval of a recusal motion filed by Villamorey’s attorneys against Judge Solange Le Ferrec de Booker, who had previously presided over the case. The recusal was granted by Auto No. 2119 on October 31, 2022.

The newly appointed judge, Lisbeth A. Rodríguez, ordered the consolidation of the full case file, including the contempt proceedings initiated by Lisa, S.A. and the recusal documents filed by Villamorey, S.A.'s legal counsel, Galindo, Arias & López. The court will now continue proceedings under Article 159 of the Judicial Code, which governs reassignment of cases following recusal.