Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_05-cv-01519/USCOURTS-caed-1_05-cv-01519-12/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 371
Nature of Suit: Truth in Lending
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ESTATE OF CAROL KLIGGE, )

 )

Plaintiff, )

)

v. )

)

FIDELITY MORTGAGE OF )

CALIFORNIA, et al. )

)

Defendants. )

)

____________________________________)

CIV F 05-1519 AWI DLB

ORDER DIRECTING ENTRY

OF FINAL JUDGMENT AS TO

ALLIANCE TITLE COMPANY

AND SUSAN WHITE.

Document # 118

This is an action by the estate of Carol Kligge (“Plaintiff”) against a number of

institutions for the alleged failure of the institutions to adequately protect Carol Kligge’s

financial interests and against several individuals for fraud, or failure to protect from the fraud of

others. In an order filed June 20, 2006, the court dismissed individual defendant Susan White

and financial entity defendants Alliance Title Company (“Alliance”), Union Bank of California,

N.A., Greenpoint Mortgage, Inc., Fidelity Mortgage of California, Inc., Mortgage Electronic

Registration Systems, Inc., and American Travel Related Services, Inc. . In this order, the court

continues the process of termination of the financial entity defendants by granting the unopposed

motion of Alliance and Susan White for entry of final judgment pursuant to rule 54(b) of the

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

PROCEDURAL HISTORY AND FACTUAL BACKGROUND

The factual background of this action has been set forth in the court’s prior orders and

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need not be repeated here. Plaintiff Estate of Carol Kligge (“Plaintiff”) filed its First Amended

Complaint (“FAC”) on January 20, 2006. In its order of June 20, 2006, the court granted

Alliance and Susan White’s unopposed motion for judgment on the pleadings finding that:

The FAC makes only a generalized statement to the effect that Susan White, in

her role as notary, is responsible in part for damages to Kligge. No specific acts

by Susan White are alleged. There are no allegations in the FAC at all that

mention Alliance Title. 

Doc. No. 82 at 4:10-12.

On November 9, 2006, Alliance and Susan White filed the instant motion for entry of

final judgment pursuant to Rule 54(b). No opposition has been received as of the date of this

order.

LEGAL STANDARD

Normally, a final judgment is not entered in an action until all claims have been resolved. 

However, Rule 54(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure allows for the entry of final

judgment with respect to less than all parties or claims in an action if the court makes “an express

determination that there is no just reason for delay” and expressly directs “entry of judgment.” 

Fed.R.Civ.P. 54(b). In making a determination under Rule 54(b), the court must first determine

that it is dealing with a final judgment, which means a decision that is “an ultimate disposition of

an individual claim entered in the course of a multiple claims action.” Curtiss-Wright Corp. v.

General Elec. Co., 446 U.S. 1, 7 (1980); Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Mackey, 351 U.S. 427, 436

(1956). Second, the court must determine whether there is any just reason for delay.

Curtiss-Wright Corp., 446 U.S. at 7. Simply stated, Rule 54(b) requires the presence of three

conditions: (1) multiple claims or multiple parties; (2) at least one claim or the rights and

liabilities of one party have been finally decided; and (3) and there is no just reason for any delay

in entering judgment and allowing an appeal. See 10 Wright, Miller & Kane, Federal Practice

and Procedure: Civil 3d § 2656 (1998).

DISCUSSION

As previously stated, the FAC does not allege any specific claims against Alliance, and

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alleges only generalized, non-cognizable conduct against Susan White. The FAC does not allege

any conduct against either defendant that could be considered the basis of a claim. The court

granted Alliance and Susan White’s motion for judgment on the pleadings because Plaintiff

failed to state any claim against either defendant that complied with the minimum notice

pleading standard of Rule 8(a)(2). Thus, with respect to Alliance and Susan White, all Plaintiff’s

claims have been finally settled. 

Plaintiff has had abundant opportunity to respond to Alliance and Susan White’s motion

for judgment on the pleadings and to oppose the instant motion for entry of final judgment. The

court can only presume at this point that Plaintiff has failed to state any claim because there is no

set of facts that can be alleged in good faith that would support any of the claims set forth in the

FAC as to these two defendants. The court therefore concludes there is no reason to delay entry

of final judgment in favor of Alliance and Susan White.

THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, it is hereby ORDERED that Alliance

and Susan White’s motion for entry of final judgment is hereby GRANTED. The Clerk of the

Court shall enter final judgment in favor of defendants Alliance Title Company and Susan White.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 12, 2006 /s/ Anthony W. Ishii 

0m8i78 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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