Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-02395/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-02395-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Insurance Contract

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- 1 - 06cv2395 WQH (CAB)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

AMERICAN ECONOMY INSURANCE

COMPANY, an Indiana corporation,

Plaintiff,

CASE NO. 06cv2395 WQH (CAB)

ORDER

vs.

NICEFORO HERRERA, individually and

doing business as ACAPULCO’S

PRODUCE MARKET; NICHOLAS M.

FINTZELBERG doing business as

MILNIK TRUST PROPERTIES; LUIS

BENITEZ; and JOHANNA BENITEZ, by

and through her guardian at litem, luis

Benitez,

Defendants.

HAYES, Judge:

The matter before the Court is the Motion for Leave to File Supplemental First

Amended Complaint for Declaratory Relief and Rescission (Doc. # 40) filed by Plaintiff

American Economy Insurance Company (“Plaintiff”). 

Plaintiff alleges that after filing this action, Defendant Niceforo Herrera legally

changed his name to Luis Herrera, and that the case caption and First Amended Complaint

(“FAC”) (Doc. # 22) do not reflect this name change. (Mem. Supp. Mot. Amend. Compl.

at 2). Plaintiff moves the Court for an order permitting an amendment to the FAC in order

to ensure that the FAC and any resulting judgment correctly state Defendant Herrera’s

name. Plaintiff alleges that counsel for Plaintiff contacted counsel for Herrera about the

Case 3:06-cv-02395-WQH-CAB Document 59 Filed 12/14/07 Page 1 of 2
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relief sought and counsel for Herrera did not object. Id. Defendants have not filed an

opposition to the Motion.

Rule 15 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure mandates that leave to amend “be

freely given when justice so requires.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a). This policy is applied with

“extraordinary liberality.” Morongo Band of Mission Indians v. Rose, 893 F.2d 1074, 1079

(9th Cir. 1990). Once an answer to the complaint has been filed, as is the case here, courts

may deny leave to amend where the proposed amendment would be futile, where it is

sought in bad faith, where it will create undue delay, or where “undue prejudice to the

opposing party will result.” Howey v. United States, 481 F.2d 1187, 1190 (9th Cir. 1973);

see also Johnson v. Mammoth Recreations, Inc., 975 F.2d 604, 607 (9th Cir. 1992); Saul v.

United States, 928 F.2d 829, 843 (9th Cir. 1991). 

Having reviewed the Motion and the supporting documents, and having received no

opposition from Defendants, the Court GRANTS the Motion for Leave to File

Supplemental First Amended Complaint for Declaratory Relief and Rescission (Doc. # 40)

filed by Plaintiff American Economy Insurance Company. Plaintiff shall file a

Supplemental First Amended Complaint which substitutes Niceforo Herrera for Luis

Herrera no later than January 7, 2008. 

DATED: December 14, 2007

WILLIAM Q. HAYES

United States District Judge

Case 3:06-cv-02395-WQH-CAB Document 59 Filed 12/14/07 Page 2 of 2