The Freedom Network LLC et al v. Freedom Academy Foundation et al
| The Freedom Network LLC and Christopher R. Helvey |
| Austin Anderson, Lindsay Owen, Paul Baltes, Keith Powers, Rex Galbraith, Buddy Ivie, Grayson Wolf, Freedom Academy Foundation a Utah non-profit Corporation doing business as Freedom Preparatory Academy and Steven Finley doing business as Red Apple Financial |
| 2:2026cv00119 |
| February 10, 2026 |
| U.S. District Court for the District of Utah |
| Jared C Bennett |
| Howard C Nielson |
| Civil Rights: Other |
| 42 U.S.C. § 1983 Civil Rights Act |
| Plaintiff |
Docket Report
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This docket was last retrieved on April 3, 2026. A more recent docket listing may be available from PACER.
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Filing 34
CIVIL STANDING ORDER. Signed by Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr on 5/11/2025. (ks)
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| Filing 33 Defendant's REPLY to Response to Motion re #18 MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM filed by Defendants Austin Anderson, Paul Baltes, Steven Finley, Freedom Academy Foundation, Rex Galbraith, Buddy Ivie, Lindsay Owen, Keith Powers, Grayson Wolf. (Attachments: #1 Exhibit Plaintiff's Counsel Letter to FPA Bondholder)(Preston, Erin) |
| Filing 32 MEMORANDUM in Support re #18 MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM filed by Defendants Austin Anderson, Paul Baltes, Steven Finley, Freedom Academy Foundation, Rex Galbraith, Buddy Ivie, Lindsay Owen, Keith Powers, Grayson Wolf. (Preston, Erin) |
| Filing 31 Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr., Status Conference held on 3/31/2026. All parties present via ZOOM conference.The court concluded that an evidentiary hearing is necessary to resolve #9 Motion for Preliminary Injunction. The court directed Plaintiffs to provide Defendants specific clarification and guidance regarding their document-production requests with respect to the meeting minutes and notes as discussed at the hearing by 04/01/2026. The court directed Defendants to produce the requested minutes and notes by 04/15/2026. This limited discovery is excluded from the scope of #30 Order. The court set the following additional deadlines: Plaintiffs shall submit a witness list and declarations for witnesses under their control or who are otherwise willing to prepare declarations no later than 04/20/2026; Defendants shall submit a witness list and declarations for witnesses under their control or who are otherwise willing to prepare declarations no later than 05/04/2026; Plaintiffs may identify rebuttal witnesses and submit rebuttal declarations no later than 05/11/2026; both sides shall submit exhibit lists and exchange any exhibits that they will seek to introduce at the evidentiary hearing no later than 05/11/2026, except that Defendants may identify and provide any exhibits, the need for which first became apparent based on Plaintiffs' identification of rebuttal witnesses and the rebuttal declarations, no later than 05/14/2026. The court scheduled an evidentiary hearing for 05/19/2026 and, if necessary, 05/22/2026.Attorney for Plaintiff: Alan Bradshaw, Austin Sabin, Attorney for Defendant: Erin Preston. Court Reporter: Teena Green.(Time Start: 12:43 PM, Time End: 1:37 PM, Room 7.300 ZOOM.)(ks) |
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Filing 30
ORDER granting #20 Motion to Stay Discovery Pending Resolution of Defendants' Motion to Dismiss. Signed by Magistrate Judge Jared C. Bennett on 3/25/2026. (dle)
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| Filing 29 NOTICE OF HEARING: (Notice generated by HCN Chambers) Scheduling Conference set for 3/31/2026 at 12:30 PM in Rm 7.300 before Judge Howard C. Nielson Jr. *** Non-courtroom hearing to be held via Zoom conference.***Absent an emergency, requests to continue the hearing shall be made no later than two weeks before the date of the hearing. (ks) |
| Filing 28 Plaintiff's MEMORANDUM in Opposition re #18 MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM filed by Plaintiffs Christopher R. Helvey, The Freedom Network LLC. (Attachments: #1 Exhibit 1 - Letter from Alan Bradshaw to Erin Preston)(Bradshaw, Alan) |
| Filing 26 Motions No Longer Referred: #19 MOTION for Leave to File. District Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr. will handle the motion. (ks) |
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Filing 25
ORDER granting #21 Motion for Leave to File Overlength Reply Brief. Signed by Magistrate Judge Jared C. Bennett on 3/11/2026. (dle)
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| Filing 27 EXHIBIT 12 to #22 Reply Memorandum/Reply to Response to #9 MOTION for Preliminary Injunction filed by Christopher R. Helvey, The Freedom Network LLC, consisting of one MPA file on a single USB flash drive.The file is not uploaded to the docket due to non-PDF file type and the drive will be retained in a case file folder in the Clerk's Office while the case is active, and according to the retention schedule set forth by the Judicial Conference thereafter. (alt) |
| Filing 24 RESPONSE to Motion re #19 MOTION for Leave to File Corrected Exhibits and Supplemental Declarations filed by Plaintiffs Christopher R. Helvey, The Freedom Network LLC. (Bradshaw, Alan) |
| Filing 23 NOTICE OF NONELECTRONIC FILING of Record of Woodland Hills' March 5, 2026 Meeting filed by Plaintiffs Christopher R. Helvey, The Freedom Network LLC re #22 Reply Memorandum/Reply to Response to Motion,, (Bradshaw, Alan) |
| Filing 22 REPLY to Response to Motion re #9 MOTION for Preliminary Injunction and Memorandum in Support filed by Plaintiffs Christopher R. Helvey, The Freedom Network LLC. (Attachments: #1 Exhibit 1 - ABradshaw to EPreston 02.10.26, #2 Exhibit 2 - FPA Jan 8 Written Minutes, #3 Exhibit 3 - 2022 Financial Statements, #4 Exhibit 4 - 2023 Financial Statements, #5 Exhibit 5 - 2024 Financial Statements, #6 Exhibit 6 - 2025 Financial Statements, #7 Exhibit 7 - IRS Doc. 1, #8 Exhibit 8 - IRS Doc 2, #9 Exhibit 9 - Financial Committee Meeting Minutes, #10 Exhibit 10 - Defendants State Exhibit D-3, #11 Exhibit 11 - Communications from State Court Clerk)(Bradshaw, Alan) |
| Filing 21 MOTION for Leave to File Excess Pages and Memorandum in Support filed by Plaintiffs Christopher R. Helvey, The Freedom Network LLC. (Attachments: #1 Text of Proposed Order) Motions referred to Jared C. Bennett.(Bradshaw, Alan) |
| Modification of Docket: Error: Incorrect event type used, docket text incomplete. Correction: Event type corrected to Motion for Leave to File, Docket text edited re #19 MOTION for Discovery, docket text edited to include "Discovery" re #20 First MOTION to Stay, (dle) |
| Filing 20 First MOTION to Stay Discovery filed by Defendants Austin Anderson, Paul Baltes, Steven Finley, Freedom Academy Foundation, Rex Galbraith, Buddy Ivie, Lindsay Owen, Keith Powers, Grayson Wolf. (Attachments: #1 Text of Proposed Order Proposed Order to Stay Discovery) Motions referred to Jared C. Bennett.(Preston, Erin) Modified on 3/9/2026 by editing docket text (dle). |
| Filing 19 MOTION for Leave to File Corrected Exhibits Discovery filed by Defendants Austin Anderson, Paul Baltes, Steven Finley, Freedom Academy Foundation, Rex Galbraith, Buddy Ivie, Lindsay Owen, Keith Powers, Grayson Wolf. (Attachments: #1 Exhibit Corrected Exhibit 8, #2 Exhibit Supplemental Declaration) Motions referred to Jared C. Bennett.(Preston, Erin) Modified on 3/9/2026 by correcting event type editing docket text (dle). |
| Filing 18 MOTION TO DISMISS FOR FAILURE TO STATE A CLAIM filed by Defendants Austin Anderson, Paul Baltes, Steven Finley, Freedom Academy Foundation, Rex Galbraith, Buddy Ivie, Lindsay Owen, Keith Powers, Grayson Wolf. (Preston, Erin) |
| Filing 17 NOTICE OF DEFICIENCY re #16 Memorandum in Support of Motion. The document is not a memo in support of the other parties' motion, but apparently a motion for an extension of time to have filed their opposition memo (that was filed twice in this case at #14 and #15 ), rendering the opposition(s) as timely filed. It also requests a second relief, asking for leave to file the attached declarations in opposition of the other parties' motion. The clerk requests the filer of the original document to refile the pleading using the correct "Motions" filing event with the "Extension of Time to File Response/Reply" and "Leave to File Document" motion reliefs selected. The new entry will receive a new document number on the docket. The existing entry will be marked as erroneous. (alt) |
| Filing 16 ERROR: NOT A SUPPORTING MEMO - MEMORANDUM in Support re #9 MOTION for Preliminary Injunction and Memorandum in Support filed by Defendants Austin Anderson, Paul Baltes, Steven Finley, Freedom Academy Foundation, Rex Galbraith, Buddy Ivie, Lindsay Owen, Keith Powers, Grayson Wolf. (Attachments: #1 Affidavit Erin Preston Declaration, #2 Affidavit Grayson Wolf Declaration, #3 Affidavit Austin Anderson Declaration)(Preston, Erin) Modified on 3/3/2026: added error text and removed link to other parties' motion (alt) |
| Filing 14 ERROR: INCOMPLETE DUPLICATE OF #15 MEMORANDUM - MEMORANDUM in Opposition re #9 MOTION for Preliminary Injunction and Memorandum in Support filed by Defendants Buddy Ivie, Lindsay Owen, Keith Powers, Grayson Wolf. (Preston, Erin) Modified on 3/3/2026: added error text (alt) |
| Filing 15 Defendant's MEMORANDUM in Opposition re #9 MOTION for Preliminary Injunction and Memorandum in Support filed by Defendants Austin Anderson, Paul Baltes, Steven Finley, Freedom Academy Foundation, Rex Galbraith, Buddy Ivie, Lindsay Owen, Keith Powers, Grayson Wolf. (Attachments: #1 Exhibit Exhibit 01 Judge's Order denying TRO_approved on 1.28.26, #2 Exhibit Exhibit 02 Audit Findings_FPA 2024, #3 Exhibit Exhibit 03 WH2024_audit_report, #4 Exhibit Exhibit 04 CH email w auditors re related party transactions 12.13.24, #5 Exhibit Exhibit 05 April 2025_AA asks for TFN breakdown and CH sends a copy of agreement and 2 prior approval letters, #6 Exhibit Exhibit 06 4005_Conflict_of_Interest_Policy (FPA Policy), #7 Exhibit Exhibit 07 Fed Court Declaration of AA, #8 Exhibit Exhibit 08 (ERISA Analysis by Broker_2025) TFN not legal, #9 Exhibit Exhibit 09 FPA 2025 Audit_ Schedule of Findings and Management Resp (pg 37), #10 Exhibit Exhibit 10 WH present Hours Listing for CH, #11 Exhibit Exhibit 11 CH Ethical Behavior Pledge at WH 2023, #12 Exhibit Exhibit 12 IRS Letters to FPA via CH w Notice of intent to levy property_Redacted, #13 Exhibit Exhibit 13 2023 IRS tax notices sent to CH_Redacted, #14 Exhibit Exhibit 14 Tax doc sent to Buddy Ivie_1.22.25, #15 Exhibit Exhibit 15 Timeline of Relevant Events and Litigation, #16 Exhibit Exhibit 16 TFN Statement (Example), #17 Exhibit Exhibit 17 TFN Email of transfer to FPA subs (2023), #18 Exhibit Exhibit 18 Notice of Termination_Chris Helvey, #19 Exhibit Exhibit 19 G Wolf texts w CH, #20 Exhibit Exhibit 20 AA texts w CH, #21 Exhibit Exhibit 21 FPA Termination of TFN_1.9.26, #22 Exhibit Exhibit 22 Exchange between Board Chair and Helvey's attorney 1.9.26, #23 Exhibit Exhibit 23 Board Minutes_1.8.26)(Preston, Erin) |
| Filing 13 NOTICE of Appearance by Erin Givens Preston on behalf of Austin Anderson, Paul Baltes, Steven Finley, Freedom Academy Foundation, Rex Galbraith, Buddy Ivie, Lindsay Owen, Keith Powers, Grayson Wolf (Preston, Erin) |
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Filing 12
ORDER TO PROPOSE SCHEDULE - See order for details. Signed by Magistrate Judge Jared C. Bennett on 2/26/2026. (dle)
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| Filing 11 Motion No Longer Referred: #9 MOTION for Preliminary Injunction and Memorandum in Support, Motion incorrectly referred. (dle) |
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Filing 10
DOCKET TEXT ORDER REFERRING CASE to Magistrate Judge Jared C. Bennett under 28:636 (b)(1)(A), Magistrate Judge to hear and determine all nondispositive pretrial matters. No attached document. Motions referred to Jared C. Bennett. Signed by Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr., on 2/25/2026. (dle)
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| Filing 9 MOTION for Preliminary Injunction and Memorandum in Support filed by Plaintiffs Christopher R. Helvey, The Freedom Network LLC. (Attachments: #1 Exhibit A - Christopher Helvey Declaration, #2 Exhibit B - Zions Memorandum, #3 Exhibit C - RFP, #4 Text of Proposed Order)(Bradshaw, Alan) |
| Filing 8 WAIVER OF SERVICE Returned Executed filed by Christopher R. Helvey, The Freedom Network LLC. Waiver received from All Defendants on 02/13/2026. (Bradshaw, Alan) |
| Filing 7 NOTICE OF DEFICIENCY re #6 Waiver of Service Executed. The document Waiver of Service Executed does not contain specific information with respect to the attorney who has waived service. The clerk requests the filer of the original document to refile the pleading including the full name, bar number, firm name, address, telephone number, and email of attorney Erin Preston. The new pleading will receive a new document number on the docket. (dle) |
| Filing 6 WAIVER OF SERVICE Returned Executed filed by Christopher R. Helvey, The Freedom Network LLC. Waiver received from FPA Defendants on 02/11/2026. (Bradshaw, Alan) |
| Filing 5 Summons Issued Electronically as to Steven Finley. Instructions to Counsel:1. Click on the document number.2. If you are prompted for an ECF login, enter your 'Attorney' login to CM/ECF.3. Print the issued summons for service. (kop) |
| Filing 4 Civil Cover Sheet (JS44) re #1 Complaint,,,,,,, Civil Summons may be issued electronically. Prepare the summons using the courts #PDF version and email it to [email protected] for issuance, filed by Christopher R. Helvey, The Freedom Network LLC. (Bradshaw, Alan) |
| Filing 3 NOTICE OF DEFICIENCY re #1 Complaint. The document Motion for Temporary Restraining Order needs to be filed separately by the end of business day, or the clerk will strike the text from ECF #1 . (sg) |
| Filing 2 NOTICE OF DEFICIENCY re #1 Complaint. The Civil Cover Sheet is missing or incomplete. All civil actions presented for filing must be accompanied by a completed Civil Cover Sheet. See Local Rule DUCivR3-4. Counsel must file a completed Civil Cover Sheet JS44 immediately. (sg) |
| Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr added. Case number will now read 2:26-cv-00119-HCN. Please make changes to document captions accordingly. (sg) |
| Filing 1 COMPLAINT and Demand for Jury Trial (Motion for Temporary Restraining Order to be filed separately) against All Defendants (Filing fee $ 405, receipt number AUTDC-5695189) filed by Christopher R. Helvey, The Freedom Network LLC. (Attachments: #1 Exhibit A - 11.18.21 Governing Board Minutes, #2 Exhibit B - 12.22.21 Governing Board Minutes, #3 Exhibit C - FAE Agreement, #4 Exhibit D - MSS Agreement, #5 Exhibit E - Notices, #6 Exhibit F - Bond, #7 Exhibit G - 6.20.23 Transcript, #8 Exhibit H - Texts with Wolf re IRS, #9 Exhibit I - Texts with Anderson re IRS, #10 Exhibit J - 11.22.24 Transcript, #11 Exhibit K - Note, #12 Exhibit L - 2.4.25 Transcript, #13 Exhibit M - Text re Knapp Note, #14 Exhibit N - 2.20.25 Meeting Minutes, #15 Exhibit O - 6.18.25 Meeting Minutes, #16 Exhibit P - 11.19.25 Email to Anderson, Owen, Grayson, #17 Exhibit R - 1.8.26 Anderson Term Text, #18 Exhibit S - 1.8.26 Meeting Notices, #19 Exhibit T - MSS Term Notice, #20 Exhibit U - FAE Term Notice, #21 Exhibit V - Employee Handbook, #22 Exhibit W - Lit Hold Notice, #23 Exhibit Y - 2025 Financial Certification, #24 Exhibit Z - 1.12.26 Letter to Employees, #25 Exhibit AA - Demand Letter, #26 Exhibit BB - Response to Demand Letter, #27 Exhibit CC - Austin Anderson Declaration 1.20.26, #28 Exhibit DD - Grayson Wolf Declaration 1.20.26, #29 Exhibit EE - Lindsay Owen Unsigned Declaration, #30 Exhibit FF - Notice of Default - Knapp Family, #31 Exhibit GG - Public Investor Call Notice for 1.23.26, #32 Exhibit HH - 1.23.26 Investor Call Audio Transcript, #33 Exhibit II - Letter - Knapp Family Trust and Freedom Prep 2.5.26, #34 Exhibit JJ - GRAMA Request to Woodland Hills) (Bradshaw, Alan) |
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