Legal Response Filing - Legalist SPV III, LP
Marilyn Burgess - District Clerk Harris County Envelope No. 115503041
DISTIL analysis
- Legalist wired $3,083,639.75 to Receiver on June 10, 2025 to satisfy underlying $1.57M judgment plus fees
- Cyberlux counsel confirmed in writing that surplus would be returned directly to Legalist
- Legalist holds UCC liens securing all Cyberlux assets with debt exceeding $13,997,282.46
- Underlying judgment satisfied, judgment creditors nonsuited claims, receivership terminated as matter of law
- Receiver proposes distributing remaining $469,670.21 to unpaid employees; Legalist disputes this allocation
Extracted text
11 pages · 18073 charactersMarilyn Burgess - District Clerk Harris County Envelope No. 115503041
By: Shanelle Taylor Filed: 5/29/2026 1:16 PM
ATLANTIC WAVE HOLDINGS, LLC AND SECURE COMMUNITY, LLC,
PLAINTIFFS/JUDGMENT-CREDITORS,
V.
CYBERLUX CORPORATION AND MARK § SCHMIDT, INDIVIDUALLY, §
DEFENDANTS/JUDGMENT-DEBTORS.
§ IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF
§ §
§
§
§
§ § 129TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
§ HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS
Plaintiff-Intervenor Legalist SPV III, LP hereby files its response to Receiver's Fifth and Final Report, Final Accounting, Verified Motion for Disbursement of Funds, and Motion to Terminate Receivership, and in support thereof shows the Court as follows:
The receivership in this case has run its course. The underlying judgment has been satisfied. The Judgment Creditors have nonsuited their claims. The Court denied the Receiver's request to expand the receivership. The sole remaining issue is the disposition of funds held in the Receiver's trust account. Those funds Cevery dollar of them-were wired by Legalist to the Receiver on June 10, 2025, in the amount of $3,083,639.75, on behalf of the Judgment Debtors, for the express purpose of satisfying the underlying judgment and terminating the receivership. Once the Court adjudicates the Receiver's reasonable fees and expenses, any remaining funds should be disbursed to Legalist. Legalist is entitled to those funds for three independent reasons: (1) Legalist provided the funds to the Receiver and is entitled to the return of any surplus; (2) the Judgment Debtors agreed in writing that any surplus remaining at the conclusion of the enforcement proceedings would be returned directly to Legalist; and (3) Legalist is a secured priority creditor that holds
UCC liens securing all assets of Cyberlux as collateral, and is owed in excess of $13,000,000 by the Judgment Debtors.
On June 23, 2023, the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond, Virginia entered a consent judgment in favor of the Judgment Creditors and against the Judgment Debtors in the amount of $1,572,500, plus attorney's fees and sanctions totaling $187,863.69 and interest at 12% per annum (the "Underlying Judgment"). On July 30, 2024, the Judgment Creditors filed a Petition to Enforce the Underlying Judgment in this Court, initiating this enforcement action. On May 22, 2025, this Court signed a turnover order appointing Robert W. Berleth as Receiver pursuant to Section 31.002(b)(3) of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
Less than three weeks after the Receiver was appointed, Legalist wired $3,083,639.75 to the Receiver's trust account on behalf of the Judgment Debtors to satisfy the Underlying Judgment and terminate the receivership. The amount wired was calculated pursuant to a judgment calculation prepared by the Receiver as of June 9, 2025, which accounted for the principal judgment amount, post-judgment interest, attorney's fees, the Receiver's fee, and expenses. See Exhibit A-1. Legalist made this payment as a creditor of Cyberlux, pursuant to a Government Purchase Order Financing Agreement (the "Financing Agreement") under which Cyberlux became indebted to Legalist, and which was personally guaranteed by Mark Schmidt. See Exhibit B, 1 3- 4.
Before the foregoing wire was sent, counsel for Legalist requested written confirmation from Cyberlux's counsel that "any surplus leftover at the end of the enforcement proceeding will be returned directly to Legalist." Cyberlux's counsel, Alex Pennetti of Thompson Coburn LLP, confirmed via email: "Cyberlux is agreed." See Exhibit A-2. This agreement was made contemporaneously with, and as a condition of, Legalist's willingness to fund the wire transfer to the Receiver.
On November 14, 2025, the Circuit Court of Fairfax County, Virginia entered a final order disbursing $952,601.71 (the principal balance owed on the Underlying Judgment) and $187,399.95 (attorney's fees and costs incurred in the Virginia proceedings) to the Judgment Creditors. On February 26, 2026, the Judgment Creditors and Judgment Debtors filed a Joint Notice of Settlement and Joint Motion for Release of Funds, for Satisfaction of Judgment, and to Dissolve Receivership in the instant matter (the "Joint Motion"). The Joint Motion stipulated that the Judgment Creditors' reasonable attorney's fees and expenses in this Texas enforcement action totaled $873,849.02, the payment of which would fully satisfy the Underlying Judgment. On March 2, 2026, the Court ordered the Receiver to disburse $873,849.02 to the Judgment Creditors, and the Receiver did so,
On March 9, 2026, the Judgment Creditors filed a Notice of Nonsuit, nonsuiting this action and their claims against the Judgment Debtors. On March 13, 2026, the Court signed an Order of Nonsuit, dismissing the Judgment Creditors' claims. On March 14, 2026, the Court signed an order
denying the Receiver's request to expand the receivership into a general receivership under Section 64.001 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
On February 27, 2026, Legalist intervened in this action as a matter of right to protect its substantial secured interests. Legalist holds UCC liens on all assets of the Judgment Debtors, and as of May 26, 2026, the Judgment Debtors are indebted to Legalist in the amount of $13,997,282.46. See Exhibits B, B-1 and A-5.
On May 27, 2026, the Receiver filed his Fifth and Final Report, Final Accounting, Verified Motion for Disbursement of Funds, and Motion to Terminate Receivership. In his Final Report, the Receiver represents that he has already disbursed $873,639.75 to Plaintiff's counsel and proposes the following additional disbursements from the trust account: (a) $722,728.68 to the Receiver as reasonable and incurred expenses; (b) $1,017,601.11 as the Receiver's fee; and (c) the remaining $469,670.21 to the next receivership (if present) or to the previous unpaid employees of Cyberlux. The Receiver claims entitlement to a 33% contingency fee, asserting that he "collected the full amount of the judgment." Legalist disputes the reasonableness of the Receiver's claimed fees and expenses, but the adjudication of the Receiver's fees is not the subject of this response. Regardless of the amount ultimately awarded to the Receiver, any remaining funds must be disbursed to Legalist.
When the judgment underlying a turnover order is satisfied, the turnover order and the receivership it established terminate as a matter of law. Pandozy v. Beaty, 254 S.W.3d 613, 617
(Tex. App .- Texarkana 2008, no pet.) ("once the judgment was paid, the turnover order lost its teeth and was of no further force and effect"). A turnover order becomes "immediately moot when the judgment which it was issued to enforce was satisfied." Bennett/Nguyen Joint Venture v. Coghlan, No. 01-10-00575-CV, 2011 WL 2732435, at *1 (Tex. App .- Houston [Ist Dist.] July 14, 2011, no pet.) (quoting Pandozy). The Turnover Statute authorizes a receiver only "to take possession of the nonexempt property, sell it, and pay the proceeds to the judgment creditor to the extent required to satisfy the judgment." Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code'§ 31.002(b)(3). Once that judgment is satisfied, the statutory basis for the receivership ceases to exist.
Here, the Underlying Judgment has been satisfied-the parties have jointly stipulated to that fact, the Judgment Creditors have nonsuited their claims, and the Court has dismissed the Judgment Creditors' action. The only remaining issues are the adjudication of the Receiver's reasonable fees and expenses and the distribution of remaining receivership assets.
Upon satisfaction of the underlying judgment and termination of the receivership, any remaining assets held by the Receiver must be returned to the Judgment Debtors. The Turnover Statute authorizes the Receiver to take possession of a judgment debtor's property and pay the proceeds to the judgment creditor only "to the extent required to satisfy the judgment." Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 31.002(b)(3). The Receiver has no authority to retain funds beyond what is necessary to satisfy the judgment and pay his court-approved fees and expenses.
Cyberlux Corporation, through its counsel at Thompson Coburn LLP, agreed on June 10, 2025-the same day Legalist wired the $3,083,639.75 to the Receiver-that "any surplus leftover at the end of the enforcement proceeding will be returned directly to Legalist." Cyberlux's counsel
confirmed this agreement in writing: "Cyberlux is agreed." See Exhibit A-2. This agreement was made as a material inducement for Legalist's decision to wire over $3 million to the Receiver to satisfy the judgment and terminate the receivership. Legalist would not have funded the wire without this assurance.
Because the Judgment Debtors are the parties entitled to the return of surplus receivership assets, and because Cyberlux has agreed that those surplus funds should be returned directly to Legalist, this Court should order that any funds remaining in the Receiver's trust account be disbursed directly to Legalist.
Even apart from Cyberlux's express agreement, Legalist is entitled to the remaining funds as a priority senior secured creditor. Legalist holds UCC liens securing all assets of the Judgment Debtors as collateral. See Exhibit A-5. As of May 26, 2026, the Judgment Debtors are indebted to Legalist in the amount of $13,997,282.46 by virtue of their failure to satisfy their obligations under the Financing Agreement. Any surplus funds would therefore immediately be subject to Legalist's senior lien interest. Disbursing funds to Legalist directly would be the most equitable and efficient resolution. In fact, the Receiver acknowledged Legalist's status as a senior secured creditor and the fact that Legalist should be paid in his Memorandum of Law in Support of Motion for Summary Judgment filed in the interpleader matter currently pending in the Eastern District of Virginia styled HII Mission Technologies Corp. v. Cyberlux Corporation et al., Civil Action No. 3:25-cv- 483-JAG (the "Virginia Interpleader"). See Exhibit A-4.
The Joint Motion filed by the Judgment Creditors and Judgment Debtors on February 26, 2026, requested that the Court "release $1,991,328.43 to Legalist SPV III, LP within two business
days of entry of the Court's order." The proposed order attached to the Joint Motion likewise stated that "$3,083,639.75 was previously transferred by Legalist SPV III, LP on behalf of Defendants to the Receiver, and that amount exceeds recoveries and credits against the Underlying Judgment, and the remaining balance should be disbursed to Legalist SPV III, LP." Both the Judgment Creditors and the Judgment Debtors thus recognized and agreed that remaining funds should be disbursed to Legalist.
Based on the foregoing, any funds that remain once the Court adjudicates the Receiver's reasonable fees and expenses should be transferred to Legalist
Respectfully submitted, VARTABEDIAN KATZ HESTER & HAYNES LLP
s/ Austin N. Priddy Austin N. Priddy Texas State Bar No. 24098284 austin.priddy@vkhh.com 301 Commerce St., Ste. 2200 Fort Worth, Texas 76102 Telephone: 817.214.4985
ATTORNEYS FOR LEGALIST
Unofficial Copy Office of Marien Burgessuistrict Ceanu Ke
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing instrument was served by the court's efile system on all counsel of record in accordance with the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure on May 29, 2026.
/s/ Austin N. Priddy Austin N. Priddy
Unofficial Copy Office of Marilyn Burgess District Clerk
Automated Certificate of eService
This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system. The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.
Austin Priddy on behalf of Austin Priddy Bar No. 24098284 austin.priddy@vkhh.com Envelope ID: 115503041
Filing Code Description: No Fee Documents Filing Description: Legalist's Response to Receiver's Final Account Status as of 5/29/2026 3:09 PM CST
Case Contacts
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Ashish Mahendru
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Darren AndrewBraun
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Robert W.Berleth
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Mary Jahn
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Automated Certificate of eService
This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system. The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.
Austin Priddy on behalf of Austin Priddy Bar No. 24098284 austin.priddy@vkhh.com Envelope ID: 115503041
Filing Code Description: No Fee Documents
Filing Description: Legalist's Response to Receiver's Final Account Status as of 5/29/2026 3:09 PM CST
Case Contacts
Bernadette Martin
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Hannah Fischer
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Automated Certificate of eService
This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system. The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.
Austin Priddy on behalf of Austin Priddy Bar No. 24098284 austin.priddy@vkhh.com Envelope ID: 115503041
Filing Code Description: No Fee Documents
Filing Description: Legalist's Response to Receiver's Final Account Status as of 5/29/2026 3:09 PM CST
Case Contacts
Hannah Fischer
hfischer@thompsoncoburn.com
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Jocelin A.Tapia
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Jnofficial Copy Office aceite Burgess DistricanClerk
Original source file
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