Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-00517/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-00517-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983pr Prisoner Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DAMON WILLIAMS,

Plaintiff,

v.

J. CHAU, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No.: 3:17-cv-00517-CAB-KSC

ORDER DENYING REQUEST TO 

ENTER DEFAULT [Doc. No. 57]

On February 13, 2020, Plaintiff Williams filed a request to enter default in this 

matter against defendant J. Chau. [Doc. No. 57.] For the reasons set forth below, the 

request is DENIED.

BACKGROUND

On October 14, 2019, Defendant Chau filed a motion for summary judgment. 

[Doc. No. 45.] Initially, the motion had been referred to Magistrate Judge Karen S. 

Crawford pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §636(b)(1)(B) for a Report and Recommendation. [Doc. 

No. 45 at 1.] On October 16, 2019, Magistrate Judge Crawford issued a briefing 

schedule requiring Plaintiff to file any opposition by November 22, 2019, and defendant 

to file any reply by December 13, 2019. [Doc. No. 46.] On October 28, 2019, Plaintiff 

filed a motion for extension of time to file the opposition. [Doc. No. 47.] On November 

1, 2019, Magistrate Judge Crawford partially granted Plaintiff’s motion for extension and 

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gave him until January 6, 2020 to file an opposition. [Doc. No. 48.] Magistrate Judge 

Crawford also ordered that “Defendant’s Reply, if any, shall be filed and served no later 

than January 27, 2020.” [Doc. No. 48 at 2.] 

On January 10, 2020, Plaintiff Williams filed an opposition to the motion for 

summary judgment. [Doc. No. 54.] Defendants did not file any reply. On February 7, 

2020, this Court issued a minute order stating that, although the motion had been referred 

to United States Magistrate Judge Karen S. Crawford pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 

§636(b)(1)(B), the Court determined that neither a Report and Recommendation nor oral 

argument were necessary for the disposition of this matter. [Doc. No. 56.] The Court 

also instructed Defendant to file a reply to the opposition by February 21, 2020. Id. 

On February 13, 2020, Plaintiff filed a request to enter default in this matter 

against defendant J. Chau. [Doc. No. 57.] On February 21, 2020, Defendant filed a reply 

to the opposition to the motion for summary judgment. [Doc. No. 58.]

DISCUSSION

In the request to enter default, Plaintiff argues that because Defendant did not file a 

reply by January 27, 2020, default should be entered against him. [Doc. No. 57 at 1.] 

However, defaults may only be entered against a defendant who fails to respond to a 

complaint. See Fed.R.Civ.P. 55(a). It cannot be entered against a defendant for not filing

a reply to an opposition to a motion. Reply briefs are generally allowed but not required. 

See Civ.L.R. 7.1.e.3. Magistrate Judge Crawford’s order granting Plaintiff’s request for 

extension of time specifically stated that “Defendant’s Reply, if any, . . .” should be filed 

by January 27, 2020. [Doc. No. 48 at 2.] Therefore, at that point, the filing of a reply 

was optional. 

However, when this Court reviewed the pending motion and decided that a Report 

and Recommendation was not required, it specifically requested that Defendant file a 

reply by February 21, 2020. [Doc. No. 56.] Defendant has now complied with that 

request. [Doc. No. 58.] 

/ / / / / 

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CONCLUSION

For the reasons set forth above, the request to enter default is DENIED. The 

motion for summary judgement [Doc. No. 45] is now fully briefed and under submission. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 24, 2020

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