Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01020/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01020-4/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

TOMMIE LEE BAKER,

Plaintiff,

v.

J. ALVA, et al.,

Defendants.

CASE NO. 1:14-cv-1020-AWI-MJS (PC)

ORDER DENYING REQUEST FOR

ENTRY OF DEFAULT

(ECF NO. 23)

I. PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in this civil 

rights action brought pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. (ECF Nos. 4 & 9.) The action 

proceeds on Plaintiff’s Eight Amendment failure to protect claim against Defendants 

Alva, Mendoza, Franco, and O’Daniels. (ECF Nos. 11 & 13.) 

On November 20, 2014, the Court ordered service upon Defendants by the U.S. 

Marshals Service. (ECF No. 17.) On December 19, 2014, the Court received waivers of 

service of summons from all four Defendants; the requests for waiver were sent on 

December 16, 2014. (ECF No. 13.) Defendants answers were due February 17, 2015. 

(Id.) Defendants filed their answer on January 16, 2015. (ECF No. 19.)

Before this Court is Plaintiff’s request to enter default against Defendants based 

on their failure to timely answer or otherwise respond to his complaint. (ECF No. 23.) 

II. LEGAL STANDARD

In general, “[a] summons must be served with a copy of the complaint.” Fed. R.

Civ. P. 4(c)(1). However, many defendants have “a duty to avoid unnecessary expenses 

Case 1:14-cv-01020-AWI-MJS Document 24 Filed 02/05/15 Page 1 of 2
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of serving the summons.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(d)(1). “The plaintiff may notify such a 

defendant that an action has been commenced and request that the defendant waive 

service of a summons.” Id. Rule 12(a)(1)(A)(ii) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 

provides that a defendant that has timely waived service under Rule 4(d) must respond 

“within 60 days after the request for a waiver was sent, or within 90 days after it was sent 

to the defendant outside any judicial district of the United States.” 

Rule 55(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure requires that the Clerk of the 

Court enter default “when a party against whom a judgment for affirmative relief is 

sought has failed to plead or otherwise defend, and that failure is shown by affidavit or 

otherwise.” Rule 55(b)(2) provides that the Court may grant a default judgment after 

default has been entered by the Clerk of the Court.

III. ANALYSIS

Plaintiff is not entitled to entry of default because Defendants timely filed an 

answer to the complaint. (ECF No.19.) Pursuant to Rule 12, Defendants had sixty days 

after the request for waiver was sent to file their responsive pleading. The request for 

waiver was sent on December 16, 2014 (ECF No. 18). Defendants’ answer was due on 

February 17, 2015. Defendants filed their answer on January 16, 2015. (ECF No. 19.) 

The answer was timely.

IV. ORDER

Accordingly, Plaintiff’s request for entry of default is HEREBY DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 4, 2015 /s/Michael J. Seng 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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