Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-01299/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-01299-16/pdf.json

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

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RAHN G. THOMPSON, 

Plaintiff,

v.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

1:07-cv-01299-LJO-GSA-PC 

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR ENTRY 

OF DEFAULT

(Doc. 42.)

I. BACKGROUND

Rahn G. Thompson (“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se in this civil rights

action filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff filed the Complaint commencing this action on

September 5, 2007. (Doc. 1.) This action now proceeds with the Second Amended Complaint filed

on November 10, 2009, against defendant Tucker for subjecting Plaintiff to adverse conditions of

confinement; against defendantsTucker, Green, Lee, Rincon, Hernandez, Deathridge, and Huckabay

for failing to protect Plaintiff; against defendants Tucker, Green, and Huckabayfor retaliating against

Plaintiff; and against defendants Tucker, Thompson, and Melendez for using excessive force against

Plaintiff. (Doc. 25.) On June 29, 2011, Plaintiff filed a motion for entry of default against all of the

defendants (“Defendants”). (Doc. 66.)

II. ENTRY OF DEFAULT

Entry of default is appropriate as to any party against whom a judgment for affirmative relief

is sought that has failed to plead or otherwise defend as provided by the Federal Rules of Civil

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Procedure and where that failure is shown by affidavit or otherwise. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a). Rule

12 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides, “[A] defendant must serve an answer within

21 days after being served with the summons and complaint; or if it has timely waived service under

Rule 4(d), within 60 days after the request for a waiver was sent.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(a)(1)(A). 

Under Rule 4(d), a defendant may waive service of a summons by signing and returning a waiver

of service. Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(d). 

Before a default will be entered, the court clerk must be satisfied from Plaintiff’s request and

accompanying documentation that (1) defendant has been served with the summons (or has agreed

to waive service); (2) the time allowed by law for responding has expired; (3) defendant has failed

to file a pleading or motion permitted by law; and (4) defendant is neither a minor nor an

incompetent person. Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(b)(1); see First American Bank, N.A. v. United EquityCorp.

89 F.R.D. 81, 86 (D.C.D.C. 1981). 

Plaintiff argues that default should be entered against Defendants, because according to the

court’s record, Defendants were served by the United States Marshal (“Marshal”) on June 6, 2011,

and Defendants failed to answer the complaint within twenty days. The court has reviewed the

record and finds that on June 6, 2011, the court forwarded documents to the Marshal and directed

the Marshal to serve process. (Doc. 35, et seq.) However, there is no evidence on the court’s record,

or documentation submitted by Plaintiff, showing that as of June 29, 2011, the date of Plaintiff’s

motion, any of the Defendants had been served or agreed to waive service. (Court Record.) Thus,

there is no evidence that as of June 29, 2011, Plaintiff was entitled to entry of default, and his motion

must be denied. 

III. CONCLUSION

Based on the foregoing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff’s motion for entry of

default, filed on June 29, 2011, is DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: March 30, 2012 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

6i0kij UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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