Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-01111/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-01111-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 446
Nature of Suit: Americans with Disabilities Act - Other
Cause of Action: 42:12101 Americans with Disabilities Act

---

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

SCOTT JOHNSON, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

MCMAHAN-KAYS, LLC, 

Defendant. 

No. 2:14-cv-1111 KJM KJN 

ORDER 

 Plaintiff has filed an application for an order authorizing service of summons and 

complaint on defendant by delivery to the Secretary of State’s office. Appl., ECF No. 9. 

I. BACKGROUND 

 On May 6, 2014, plaintiff filed a complaint alleging that defendant McMahan 

Kays LLC owns or operates California Furniture in Manteca, a business not in compliance with 

the Americans with Disabilities Act in several ways. Compl., ECF No. 1. 

 On September 3, 2014, plaintiff filed a declaration in support of a motion for 

additional time in which to serve defendant, but because it was not accompanied by a motion, the 

court struck the declaration. ECF Nos. 4, 5. 

 On September 26, 2014, the court issued an order directing plaintiff to show cause 

why the case should not be dismissed for failure timely to serve defendant. Order, ECF No. 8. 

///// 

Case 2:14-cv-01111-KJM-KJN Document 10 Filed 10/06/14 Page 1 of 3
1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

2

 Plaintiff did not respond to the order but instead filed the instant application on 

September 30, 2014. 

II. ANALYSIS 

 Under Rule 4(m) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, service on defendants 

must be made within 120 days of the filing of the complaint. Service of process is the mechanism 

by which a court “acquires the power to enforce a judgment against the defendant’s person or 

property.” S.E.C. v. Ross, 504 F.3d 1130, 1138 (9th Cir. 2007) (citation & internal quotation 

omitted). If a plaintiff does not show good cause for failure timely to effect service, the court has 

the discretion to dismiss the complaint. Lemoge v. United States, 587 F.3d 1188, 1198 (9th Cir. 

2009). It is plaintiff’s burden to demonstrate good cause. Habib v. Gen. Motors Corp., 15 F.3d 

72, 73 (6th Cir. 1994), superseded on other grounds by Rule 4(m) as recognized in Wise v. Dept. 

of Defense, 196 F.R.D. 52 (S.D. Ohio 1999). “At a minimum, ‘good cause’ means excusable 

neglect.” Full Circle Sales, Inc. v. Organic Alliance, Inc., No. 10-CV-01615 LHK, 2010 WL 

3324707, at *1 (N.D. Cal. Aug. 20, 2010). 

 To be timely, service of summons and complaint in this case should have been 

accomplished by September 4, 2012. Although not responding to the order to show cause, 

plaintiff has supported the instant application with documents showing the attempts his process 

servers have made to serve defendant’s agent for service of process. Decl. of Mark Potter, ECF 

No. 9-1 & Exs. 1-3. This is a sufficient showing to extend the time for service of process. 

However, as plaintiff did not acknowledge the court’s order to show cause, he will be sanctioned. 

 Citing to California Corporations Code § 17061(c)(1), repealed effective January 

1, 2014, plaintiff seeks authorization to serve defendant by delivering a copy of the summons and 

complaint to the Secretary of State’s office. ECF No. 9 at 4. The correct provision, 1702(a) of 

the Corporations Code provides in relevant part: 

If an agent for the purpose of service of process . . . cannot with 

reasonable diligence be found at the address designated for 

personally delivering the process . . . and it is shown by affidavit to 

the satisfaction of the court that process against a domestic 

corporation cannot be served with reasonable diligence upon the 

designated agent by hand . . . the court may make an order that the 

service be made upon the corporation by delivering by hand to the 

Case 2:14-cv-01111-KJM-KJN Document 10 Filed 10/06/14 Page 2 of 3
1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

3

Secretary of State . . . one copy of the process for each defendant to 

be served, together with a copy of the order authorizing such 

service. 

 As noted, plaintiff has submitted the reports of his process servers, documenting 

their attempts to serve the agent for service of process at the address listed with the Secretary of 

State’s Office and then at another address counsel located. ECF No. 9-1 & Exhibits. This 

attempts support his request for an order authorizing service by delivery to the Secretary of 

State’s office. 

 IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that: 

 1. Plaintiff is given additional time, up to and including fourteen days from the 

date of this order to serve defendant; 

 2. Plaintiff may serve defendant by delivering a copy of the summons and 

complaint by hand on the Secretary of State’s office, to be completed within fourteen days of the 

date of this order; and 

 3. Plaintiff is sanctioned in the amount of $250 for failing to address the court’s 

order to show cause, payable within fourteen days of the date of this order. 

DATED: October 6, 2014. 

 

Case 2:14-cv-01111-KJM-KJN Document 10 Filed 10/06/14 Page 3 of 3