Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-06013/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-06013-4/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:185 Labor/Mgt. Relations (Contracts)

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE

LABORERS HEALTH AND WELFARE

TRUST FUND FOR NORTHERN

CALIFORNIA, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

 v.

E. GREEN CONSTRUCTION, INC., dba EG

CONSTRUCTION; EZRA PHILLIP

GREEN,

Defendants. /

No. C 06-6013 CRB

ORDER GRANTING DEFAULT

JUDGMENT

Now before the Court is plaintiffs’ motion for default judgment. Neither defendant

Ezra Phillip Green nor defendant E. Green Construction, Inc. dba EG Construction have

answered the complaint or otherwise communicated with the Court. After carefully

considering the papers filed by the plaintiffs, the Court concludes that oral argument is

unnecessary, see Local Rule 7-1(b), and GRANTS the plaintiffs’ motion for default

judgment as to E. Green Construction, Inc. and Ezra Phillip Green.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiffs filed this ERISA action to recover unpaid contributions to an ERISA plan,

as well as liquidated damages, interest, and attorneys fees and costs and a mandatory

injunction. Defendants Ezra Phillip Green and E. Green Construction Inc. were served with 

Case 3:06-cv-06013-CRB Document 25 Filed 07/12/07 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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the Complaint on or around October 9, 2006, but they failed to answer or otherwise

communicate with the Court. The Clerk of the Court entered default against each defendant

on December 27, 2006. Plaintiffs now move for a default judgment against defendants

jointly and severally in the total amount of $63,659.80. They seek an award of unpaid

contributions for the period March through September 2005 in the amount of $21,787.10;

liquidated damages in the amount of $9,398.68 for those unpaid contributions; interest on the

unpaid contributions in the amount of $9,398.68; interest for late payments made in

November through December 2002, January through December 2003, January through

December 2004, January, February, October through December 2005, and February 2006 in

the amount of $23,075.34; and attorneys’ fees and costs in the amount of $5,539.88.

DISCUSSION

ERISA provides that

[e]very employer who is obligated to make contributions to a multiemployer

plan under the terms of a collectively bargained agreement shall to the extent

not inconsistent with law, make such contributions in accordance with the

terms and conditions of such plan or such agreement.

29 U.S.C. § 1145. ERISA also authorizes an award of interest on delinquent and unpaid

contributions, as well as liquidated damages and attorneys fees and costs in an action for

collection of contributions. See 29 U.S.C. § 1132(g). In the Ninth Circuit, to qualify for an

award of statutory liquidated damages, unpaid contributions must exist at the time the lawsuit

was filed. See Idaho Plumbers & Pipe Fitters Health and Welfare Fund v. United

Mechanical Contractors, Inc., 875 F.2d 212, 215 (9th Cir. 1989).

As is set forth above, when plaintiffs filed this lawsuit contributions were overdue for

March through September 2005; thus, plaintiffs are entitled to an award of statutory

liquidated damages on those overdue amounts. Moreover, while E. Green Construction, Inc.

is the actual signatory to the documents obligating E Green Construction, Inc. to pay

amounts to the plaintiff trust funds, plaintiffs have established as a matter of law that Green--

the President, and Chief Executive Officer, and Responsible Manager of E. Green

Construction, and the person who signed the Trust Agreements on behalf of E. Green 

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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G:\CRBALL\2006\6013\orderredefault.wpd 3

Construction-- is considered an employer and ERISA fiduciary for purposes of ERISA

liability. 

The declarations and exhibits filed by plaintiffs establish that defendants owe

plaintiffs a sum certain, as is set forth above. The Court will therefore grant plaintiffs’

motion for default judgment in the amount sought by plaintiffs and issue the injunctive relief

ordering defendants to submit to an audit of their books.

CONCLUSION

The Court GRANTS plaintiffs’ motion for a default judgment in the total amount of

$63,659.80. In addition, the Court will issue a judgment requiring defendants to permit a

Trust Fund auditor to come onto defendants’ premises and to submit to an audit of their

financial records for the period June 1, 2005 through April 30, 2007.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 12, 2007 

CHARLES R. BREYER

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:06-cv-06013-CRB Document 25 Filed 07/12/07 Page 3 of 3