Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-02255/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-02255-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 340
Nature of Suit: Marine Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 46:688 Jones Act

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 The hearing on USSM’s motion for summary adjudication is addressed by separate

order.

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DANIEL MAXIE,

Plaintiff,

 v.

HORIZON LINES, LLC and MATSON

NAVIGATION COMPANY,

Defendants.

 /

No. C-04-2255 MMC

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT

MATSON NAVIGATION COMPANY’S

MOTION TO AMEND; VACATING

HEARING

(Docket No. 31)

Before the Court is defendant Matson Navigation Company’s (“Matson”) “Motion To

Amend Pleadings To Determine Respective Rights Of Indemnity Or Contribution,” filed

September 23, 2005. To date, plaintiff Daniel Maxie and defendant Horizon Lines, LLC

have not filed a response to the motion. Third-party defendant U.S. Ship Management, Inc.

(“USSM”) has filed a statement of nonopposition. Having read and considered the papers

filed in support of and in nonopposition to the motion, the Court finds the matter appropriate

for resolution without oral argument, see Civil L.R. 7-1(b), and hereby VACATES the

October 28, 2005 hearing on the instant motion.1

In the instant motion, Matson seeks a court order “that all defendants be deemed to

seek indemnity or contribution from each other in this action” or, alternatively, that all

Case 3:04-cv-02255-MMC Document 48 Filed 10/17/05 Page 1 of 2
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defendants be granted leave to amend their pleadings to allege claims to such effect. The

Court will not deem defendants to have asserted claims that do not appear in their

pleadings. Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure expressly requires all pleadings

to include “a demand for the relief the pleader seeks.” See Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a).

No party has objected to Matson’s request that the defendants be permitted to

amend their pleadings to assert claims for contribution and/or indemnity, however, and the

Court notes that Rule 15(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that leave to

amend “shall be freely given when justice so requires.” See Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a). 

Accordingly, Matson’s motion for leave to amend is hereby GRANTED. No later

than November 4, 2005, any defendant who wishes to assert a claim for contribution or

indemnity shall file a pleading asserting such claim.

This order terminates Docket No. 42.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 17, 2005 MAXINE M. CHESNEY

United States District Judge

Case 3:04-cv-02255-MMC Document 48 Filed 10/17/05 Page 2 of 2