Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-cv-01255/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-cv-01255-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Contract Dispute

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

INTELEPEER CLOUD 

COMMUNICATIONS, LLC,

Plaintiff,

v.

EXPLORE TRAVELS, CORP.,

Defendant.

Case No. 16-cv-01255-DMR 

ORDER TO SUBMIT SUPPLEMENTAL 

BRIEFING IN SUPPORT OF MOTION 

FOR DEFAULT JUDGMENT

Re: Dkt. No. 13

On June 1, 2016, Plaintiff IntelePeer Cloud Communications, LLC (“IntelePeer”) filed a 

motion for default judgment. [Docket No. 13.] After reviewing the motion, the court requested 

supplemental briefing, which Plaintiff timely filed. [Docket Nos. 16, 18.] The court now requests 

additional briefing on four points.

First, Plaintiff requests that the court award attorneys’ fees for work by counsel, Erik Cecil, 

who is not licensed to practice in the State of California, not admitted to practice before this court,

and has not applied to appear pro hac vice. See Cecil Decl. [Docket No. 13-3] at ¶ 2. Plaintiff 

shall provide supplemental briefing on whether the court may award attorneys’ fees for work 

performed by an attorney not admitted to practice in this court nor admitted pro hac vice.

Second, the court requests supplemental briefing to support the Plaintiff’s request for 

contract damages. In order to recover damages after securing a default judgment, a plaintiff must 

prove the relief it seeks by submitting proper evidence by way of a sworn affidavit. Bd. of Trs. of 

the Boilermaker Vacation Tr. v. Skelly, Inc., 389 F. Supp. 2d 1222, 1226 (N.D. Cal. 2005); see 

PepsiCo, Inc. v. Cal. Sec. Cans, 238 F. Supp. 2d 1172, 1175 (C.D. Cal. 2002) (citing Televideo 

Sys., Inc. v. Heidenthal, 826 F.2d 915, 917–18 (9th Cir. 1987)). 

Plaintiff requests nearly two-hundred thousand dollars in total contractual liability. MDJ at 

3; see also Stachowicz Decl. [Docket No. 13-1] at ¶ 2. The court previously requested further 

Case 3:16-cv-01255-SI Document 20 Filed 07/13/16 Page 1 of 3
2

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

explanation for a $40,000 charge dated April 1, 2016. [Docket No. 160.] In response, Plaintiff 

stated that the $40,000 charge was for “additional amounts due as a result of termination of the 

contract per the MSA . . .” that was “calculated as the Minimum Commitment remaining in the 

Commitment Term after the termination of the Agreement, in addition to all unpaid amounts . . .” 

Suppl. Br. at 5-6. However, the Master Services Agreement (“MSA”) was entered into on July 1, 

2015 and the Commitment Term expired June 30, 2016. Stachowicz Decl. in Supp. of Suppl. Br. 

(“Stachowicz Suppl. Decl.”) [Docket No. 18-3] at ¶¶ 1, 3. Given that there is a March 1, 2016 

charge of $10,000 MSG, with taxes and fees, the remaining months of the Commitment Term 

would be April 2016, May 2016, and June 2016 for a total of three months remaining, or $30,000 

MSG. Plaintiff shall submit an explanation for their request of $40,000, as it appears there are 

only more three months in the remaining Commitment Term.

Third, Plaintiff requests “interest” pursuant to section 4.4 of the MSA. See MDJ at 11; 

Stachowicz Decl. [Docket No. 13] at ¶ 3. Section 4.4 of the MSA provides for the imposition of 

“a late payment charge on amounts not paid . . . in the amount of one and one-half percent (1.5%) 

per month compounded monthly.” Compl. Ex. 1 (MSA) § 4.4. Plaintiff shall clarify whether the 

“interest” they are requesting for May and June 2016 is in fact late fees on the unpaid invoices. 

Fourth, Plaintiff’s request for “interest” is assessed on both the unpaid invoices as well as 

the April 1, 2016 charge, which Plaintiff describes as an Early Termination Fee. See Suppl. Br. at 

5-6; Stachowicz Suppl. Decl. ¶¶ 2-4. Plaintiff shall provide briefing, including citations to the 

MSA, explaining whether the late payment charge may properly be assessed on the Early 

Termination Fee.

The court requests that the Plaintiff submit an updated Stachowicz Declaration or other 

clear statement setting forth an itemized calculation for its total request for damages that accounts 

for the aforementioned issues as well as discrepancies that appear to be typographical errors1and 

 

1

Plaintiff requests contractual liability of $187,979.01 in one location, but $187,797.01 elsewhere. 

See MDJ at 2-3, 10; Stachowicz Decl. at ¶ 2; Reply in the Form of Proposed Order (“Reply”) 

[Docket No. 19] at 3, 12. Plaintiff requests total damages in the amount of $208,626.73 in one 

location, but $208,262.73 elsewhere. See MDJ at 3, 13; Reply at 3, 16. 

Case 3:16-cv-01255-SI Document 20 Filed 07/13/16 Page 2 of 3
3

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

United States District Court

Northern District of California

miscalculations2in Plaintiff’s request for damages. Plaintiff shall submit additional briefing by 

July 15, 2016 to address the above deficiencies in the motion for default judgment. Any 

opposition or statement of non-opposition is due no later than July 20, 2016.

Immediately upon receipt of this Order, Plaintiff shall serve Defendant with a copy of 

this Order and file a proof of service with the court. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 13, 2016

______________________________________

Donna M. Ryu

United States Magistrate Judge

 

2

Plaintiff’s total damages request appears to be based on the sum of contractual liability of 

$187,797.01, interest of $5,676.17, filing fees and costs of $609.55, and attorneys’ fees of 

$14,180.50. The sum of these requested amounts is $208,263.23.

Case 3:16-cv-01255-SI Document 20 Filed 07/13/16 Page 3 of 3