Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-03004/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-03004-14/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 367
Nature of Suit: TORTS - Personal Injury - Health Care/Pharmaceutical Personal Injury/Product Liability
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Personal Injury

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1 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

KATRYNA WOLFF, et al., 

Plaintiffs, 

v. 

ELI LILLY AND COMPANY, 

Defendant. 

No. 2:14-cv-03004-KJM-EFB 

ORDER 

In its October 25, 2019 order, the court explained that any nonparty successor or 

representative of deceased plaintiff Donald William Ruddell may move for substitution under 

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 25(a)(1) within 90 days of counsel’s October 3, 2019 filing. ECF 

No. 76. The court further warned that “[i]f the 90-day period expires without substitution . . ., the 

court may then dismiss the matter under Rule 25(a).” Id. at 2. 

As of this order, the 90-day motion period has elapsed without a substitution 

request. Accordingly, under the authority of Rule 25(a), deceased plaintiff Donald William 

Ruddell is dismissed without prejudice from this action. See Gruenberg v. Maricopa Cty. 

Sheriff’s Office, No. CV 06-0397-PHX-SMM (DKD), 2008 WL 2001253, at *2 (D. Ariz. May 7, 

2008) (dismissing action without prejudice under Rule 25(a) where no successor or representative 

could be located and dismissal did not constitute adjudication on the merits); Mahon v. Morton 

Golf, LLC, No. 2:14-CV-02972-TLN-EFB, 2019 WL 4318582, at *2 (E.D. Cal. Sept. 12, 2019) 

Case 2:14-cv-03004-KJM-EFB Document 77 Filed 02/21/20 Page 1 of 2
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(noting the court has discretion under Rule 25 to dismiss with or without prejudice). Moreover, 

because Ruddell was the last remaining plaintiff to this action, the Clerk of Court is directed to 

close this action in its entirety. See ECF No. 27 (order transferring severed plaintiffs to the 

Southern District of Indiana); ECF No. 57 (stipulation dismissing plaintiff Katryna Wolff 

pursuant to Rule 41(a)(I)(A)(ii)). 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

 

Case 2:14-cv-03004-KJM-EFB Document 77 Filed 02/21/20 Page 2 of 2