Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-04946/USCOURTS-cand-4_07-cv-04946-11/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 470
Nature of Suit: Civil (Rico)
Cause of Action: 18:1961 Racketeering (RICO) Act

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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1 Plaintiffs note that PFC Lau did not include a letter or other communication

from her commanding officer with her request for a stay. See 50 App. U.S.C. §

522(b)(2)(B). PFC Lau, however, did submit a document setting forth her orders, which

does not suggest that she would be authorized for military leave. In light of the Plaintiffs’

lack of opposition to a 90 day stay, the Court did not deny the request to stay based on

procedural defects.

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MEI-FANG LISA ZHANG, et al.

Plaintiffs,

 v.

WEI-MAN RAYMOND TSE, et al.

Defendants. /

No. C 07-04946 JSW

ORDER VACATING DEFAULT

AND CONTINUING STAY OF

ACTION AS TO DEFENDANT

MOLLY LAU

On October 30, 2007, this Court received a letter dated October 23, 2007, from

Defendant, Private First Class Molly Lau (“PFC Lau”), in which she advised the Court that she

is a member of the United States Army currently serving in an overseas tour in Korea and

requested that the Court stay this action pursuant to the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act, 50

App. U.S.C. § 522. In that letter, PCL Lau stated that she is scheduled to remain in Korea until

October 6, 2008.1

 No other responses have been received. 

On January 2, 2008, the Court entered a 90 day stay as to PCF Lau and stated that if

PFC Lau requested a further stay, she should submit a request pursuant to 50 App. U.S.C. §

522(d). PFC Lau has not filed such a request.

On February 11, 2008, Plaintiffs filed a request for default against a number of

defendants, but did not include PFC Lau in that request. On April 11, 2008, at a case

Case 4:07-cv-04946-JSW Document 80 Filed 06/18/08 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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2

management conference, the Court ordered the Clerk to enter default “against all defendants

except Run Ping Zhou.” (Docket No. 59.) 

On June 16, 2008, Plaintiffs filed a request for default against PFC Lau, based in part

upon the Court’s minute order of April 11, 2008, and in part because the 90 day stay has

expired and PFC Lau has not entered an appearance. The Clerk entered default against PFC

Lau on June 17, 2008. Because the Court was addressing the request for default filed on

February 11, 2008, that Order was not intended to encompass PFC Lau and default should not

have been entered on that basis.

Pursuant to 50 U.S.C. App. § 522(b), “at any stage before final judgment in a civil

action at any stage before final judgment in a civil action or proceeding in which a

servicemember described in subsection (a) is a party, the court may on its own motion and shall,

upon application by the servicemember, stay the action for a period of not less than 90 days, if

the conditions in paragraph (2) are met.” Once again, although PFC Lau did not include a letter

or other communication from her commanding officer, she has submitted a letter stating that her

service in Korea is expected to last until October 6, 2008. In addition, in Plaintiffs’ response to

the Court’s Order to Show Cause as to why a stay should not be granted, Plaintiffs stated that

they “have confirmed with a JAG officer at Camp Casey that PFC Lau is indeed a private first

class in the United States Army stationed in South Korea.” (See Docket No. 31.)

Accordingly, the Court HEREBY ORDERS that the default be vacated, and the Court

shall impose a further stay until November 7, 2008. See 50 U.S.C. App. 522(d). At that time, if

PFC Lau has not entered an appearance pro se or through counsel, the Court shall lift the stay

and shall appoint counsel to represent PFC Lau. Id. § 522(d)(2). Plaintiffs shall serve a copy of

this Order on PFC Lau.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 18, 2008 

JEFFREY S. WHITE

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 4:07-cv-04946-JSW Document 80 Filed 06/18/08 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MEI-FANG LISA ZHANG et al,

Plaintiff,

 v.

WEI-MAN RAYMOND TSE et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV07-04946 JSW 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S.

District Court, Northern District of California.

That on June 18, 2008, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing

said copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by

depositing said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office

delivery receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

Molly Lau

Department of the Army

A FSC, 70th BSB

UNIT #15096

Camp Casey, APO AP 96224

Run Ping Zhou

South China Investment Inc.

3567 Kimberly Road

Cameron Park, CA 95682

Dated: June 18, 2008

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: Jennifer Ottolini, Deputy Clerk

Case 4:07-cv-04946-JSW Document 80 Filed 06/18/08 Page 3 of 3