Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-02213/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-02213-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:1132 E.R.I.S.A.-Employee Benefits

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Frank Cissne and David Martin, in their

capacities as Trustees of the Operating

Engineers Local 428 Trust Funds, 

Plaintiffs, 

vs.

Sierra Grading and Paving Co., Inc., an

Arizona corporation, 

Defendant.

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No. CV-05-2213-PHX-DGC

ORDER

Plaintiffs have filed a motion for partial default judgment. Dkt. #21. For the reasons

set forth below, the Court will grant the motion in part and deny it in part.

I. Background.

Plaintiffs commenced this action by filing a complaint against Defendant on

July 26, 2005. Dkt. #1. The complaint alleges that Defendant has failed to make employee

benefit contributions to various trust funds in violation of certain collective bargaining

agreements. Id.

Defendant was served with process on August 10, 2005. Dkt. ##3-5. When

Defendant failed to respond to the complaint as required by the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure, Plaintiff filed an application for entry of default. Dkt. #8. The Clerk entered

Defendant’s default on January 26, 2006. Dkt. #10.

Case 2:05-cv-02213-DGC Document 23 Filed 04/03/07 Page 1 of 3
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II. Analysis.

In the instant motion, Plaintiffs request the Court to enter a partial default judgment

as follows: (1) for the amount of $7,911.46, which purportedly represents “contributions and

liquidated damages known to be due through January, 2007,” and (2) for an order requiring

Defendant to produce the payroll records necessary for Plaintiffs to “determine whether all

outstanding contributions have been paid.” Dkt. #21 at 5.

“A judgment by default shall not be different in kind from or exceed in amount that

prayed for in the demand for judgment.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(c); see Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(d) (“In

all cases a judgment by default is subject to the limitations of Rule 54(c).”); Fed. R. Civ. P.

8(a)(3) (requiring a complaint to contain “a demand for judgment for the relief the pleader

seeks”). The Court will grant Plaintiffs’ request for a partial default judgment ordering

Defendant to produce necessary payroll records because Plaintiffs explicitly sought such

relief in their complaint. See Dkt. #1 at 4. Plaintiff shall submit a proposed form of

judgment by April 27, 2007.

The Court will deny Plaintiffs’ request for a judgment in the amount of $7,911.46.

Plaintiffs did not request this amount, or any other specific amount of damages, in the

complaint. Rather, Plaintiffs sought “leave to amend the [c]omplaint, upon completion of

the audit, to set forth the precise amounts of contributions and liquidated damages due and

owing to the Plaintiffs.” Dkt. #1 at 4.

The Court will grant Plaintiffs leave to file an amended complaint setting forth the

precise amount of damages they seek to recover in this action. Given the fact that this case

is more than 20 months old, any amended complaint shall be filed by May 18, 2007. If an

amended complaint is not filed by that date, the case will be terminated without further

notice.

If Plaintiffs file an amended complaint and Defendant fails to file a responsive

pleading as required by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Plaintiffs shall seek the entry

of default against Defendant within 14 days of the date the responsive pleading was due.

Plaintiffs shall then seek a default judgment on the amended complaint within 30 days of the

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date of Defendant’s default. 

IT IS ORDERED:

1. Plaintiffs’ motion for partial default judgment (Dkt. #21) is granted in part

and denied in part as set forth in this order.

2. Plaintiffs shall submit a proposed form of judgment by April 27, 2007.

3. Plaintiffs shall have until May 18, 2007 to file an amended complaint.

4. The Clerk shall terminate this action if Plaintiff does not file an amended

complaint.

5. If Defendant fails to file a responsive pleading to an amended complaint as

required by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Plaintiffs shall promptly seek the entry of

default and a default judgment against Defendant as set forth in this order. 

DATED this 2nd day of April, 2007.

Case 2:05-cv-02213-DGC Document 23 Filed 04/03/07 Page 3 of 3