Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-04934/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-04934-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 310
Nature of Suit: Airplane Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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1Plaintiff’s motion did not include the proposed Second Amended Complaint, as required by Civil L.R.

10-1, and could be denied on that ground. However, in an effort to streamline this matter, the Court will rule

on the motion at this time. 

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ZENOPHON T. BOWENS,

Plaintiff,

 v.

AMERICAN AIRLINES, INC. and EDWARD

HIRSCH,

Defendants.

 /

No. C 04-4934 SI

ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR

LEAVE TO AMEND

On July 29, 2005, plaintiff filed a motion for leave to amend his complaint to add a claim of false

imprisonment.1 The Court deems this matter appropriate for submission without oral argument pursuant to Civil

Local Rule 7-1(b). 

Defendant argues that the Court should not allow plaintiffto amend because it is late in the proceedings

and will prejudice defendant. The Court rejects these arguments, as the discovery deadline has not yet passed

and this is the firstsubstantive motion filed in the case. Additionally, the Court will allow defendant to conduct

an additional deposition of plaintiff and conduct any additional discovery that specifically addresses the false

imprisonment claim, which should allay any of defendant’s concerns about prejudice. 

Defendant also appears to argue that the amendment is futile. Since the proposed Second Amended

Complaint has not been provided, it is difficult to evaluate this contention. However, the Court recognizes that

leave to amend should be freely granted under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15, and will grant it now.

Should the claim ultimately prove futile, that point can be addressed by defendants during the dispositive

Case 3:04-cv-04934-SI Document 17 Filed 08/31/05 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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motions in this case.

Plaintiff is granted leave to file a Second Amended Complaint to allege false imprisonment. The

Second Amended Complaint shall be filed on or before September 7, 2005. [Docket #13.]

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: August 30, 2005

 

SUSAN ILLSTON

United States District Judge

Case 3:04-cv-04934-SI Document 17 Filed 08/31/05 Page 2 of 2