Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_04-cv-05441/USCOURTS-cand-4_04-cv-05441-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 29:1132 E.R.I.S.A.: Employee Benefits

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

LARRY TOTTEN as CHAIRMAN and

JOSE MORENO as CO-CHAIRMAN of

the BOARD OF TRUSTEES FOR THE

LABORERS PENSION TRUST FUND

FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,

Plaintiffs,

 v.

DORATRIZ CERVANTEZ, et al.,

Defendants. /

No. C 04-5441 SBA

ORDER

On September 21, 2005, defendant and cross-claim plaintiff Doratriz Cervantes ("Cervantes")

filed a motion for entry of default against co-defendant and cross-claim defendant Christine Largaespada

("Largaespada") on the grounds that Largaespada had failed to timely file an answer to the crosscomplaint filed by Cervantes against Largaespada on April 1, 2005. 

On September 22, 2005, the Clerk of Court declined to enter default against Largaespada. 

On December 8, 2005, this Court held a Case Management Conference. During the Case

Management Conference, the Court and the parties discussed Largaespada's failure to file an answer to

Cervantes' cross-complaint. Thus, at this time, Largaespada's counsel was expressly on notice of

Largaespada's failure to comply with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12. The Court continued the Case

Management Conference to January 18, 2006. 

On January 11, 2006, counsel for Largaespada filed a Case Management Conference Statement.

In the Case Management statement, counsel for Largaespada admits that Largaespada has failed to file

an answer to Cervantes' cross-claim and contends that an answer will be filed "at the time of the hearing

in this matter." However, as of the date of this Order, no such answer has been filed. It further appears

from the separate Case Management Conference statement filed by Cervantes that counsel for

Case 4:04-cv-05441-SBA Document 50 Filed 01/17/06 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Largaespada has been unwilling to meet and confer with Cervantes on any case scheduling or discovery

issues. Cervantes' Case Management Conference statement directly conflicts with the statement filed

by Largaespada, in which Largaespada states that she has complied with her meet and confer

obligations.

Having reviewed Cervantes' September 21, 2005 motion for entry of default, and the entire file

for the above-captioned proceedings, the Court finds that the Clerk's decision to decline default was

made in error and the default should have been entered in Cervantes' favor at that time. Federal Rule

of Civil Procedure 60(a) provides the Court with the ability to correct such "[c]lerical mistakes in

judgments, orders or other parts of the record and errors therein arising from oversight or omission[.]"

Fed. R. Civ. 60(a). 

Accordingly, 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil 60(a), in order to correct

the Clerk's September 22, 2005 declination of default, DEFAULT shall now be ENTERED in favor of

Doratriz Cervantes and against Christine Largaespada on all of the causes of action asserted in

Cervantes' cross-complaint. Additionally, counsel for Largaespada is hereby admonished for failing to

defend this action in a timely and diligent manner. The Court notes that Cervantes' cross-claim has been

pending since April 1, 2005 and, despite Largaespada's repeated misrepresentations to this Court that

an answer would be duly filed, no such answer has been filed. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT cross-claim plaintiff Doratriz Cervantes is granted leave

to file a motion for default judgment NO LATER THAN February 28, 2006. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT the January 18, 2006 Case Management Conference is

VACATED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

 Dated: 1/18/05 SAUNDRA BROWN ARMSTRONG

United States District Judge

Case 4:04-cv-05441-SBA Document 50 Filed 01/17/06 Page 2 of 2