Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_13-cv-01996/USCOURTS-caed-2_13-cv-01996-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 350
Nature of Suit: Motor Vehicle Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Personal Injury

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SUZETTE TIPPITT,

Plaintiff,

v.

RANDY BARNES, RAYANA HOPE 

BARNES and DOES 1 through 50,

Defendants.

TESORO CORPORATION, a California 

corporation,

Complainant in

Intervention,

v.

RANDY BARNES and RAYANA HOPE

BARNES, DOES 1 through 50, Inclusive,

Defendant in 

Intervention.

No. 2:13-cv-01996-TLN-KJN

ORDER DIRECTING SERVICE BY 

PUBLICATION

This matter is before the Court pursuant to Plaintiff Suzette Tippitt’s (“Plaintiff”) Motion 

for Service by Publication. (ECF No. 20.) Plaintiff seeks to issue notice by publication because 

all reasonably diligent efforts at service of notice have been unsuccessful. (ECF No. 20 at 3–4.) 

In support of her motion, Plaintiff offered the affidavit of Janice D. Dudensing, Plaintiff’s 

counsel. (ECF No. 20 at 3–4.) In her affidavit, Ms. Dudensing indicates that, through all 

reasonable diligence, she has been unable to locate Defendants Randy Barnes and Rayana Hope 

Barnes (“Defendants”) for service. (ECF No. 20 at 3–4.) 

Case 2:13-cv-01996-TLN-KJN Document 24 Filed 05/13/15 Page 1 of 2
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Pursuant to Local Rule 171, the Court is permitted to approve notice through publication. 

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure Rule 4(e) (“FRCP 4(e)”) provides that an individual must be 

served with notice pursuant to “state law for serving a summons in an action brought in courts of 

general jurisdiction in the state where the district court is located or where service is made.” Here, 

the Court will apply the law of the state of Nevada, the state in which service is made. The 

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure for Nevada District Courts Rule 4 (“Nevada Rule 4”) provide 

several requirements for service by publication. First, the form of notice must:

contain the name of the court and county and the names of the 

parties, be directed to the defendant, state the name and address of 

the plaintiff’s attorney ... and the time within which the defendant 

must appear and defend, and shall notify the defendant that failure 

to do so will result in a judgment by default against the defendant 

for the relief demanded in the complaint. When service of the 

summons is made by publication, the summons shall, in addition to 

any special statutory requirements, also contain a brief statement of 

the object of the action substantially as follows: “This action is 

brought to recover a judgment dissolving the contract of marriage 

(or bonds of matrimony) existing between you and the plaintiff,” or 

“foreclosing the mortgage of plaintiff upon the land (or other 

property) described in complaint,” or as the case may be.

Nevada Rule 4(b). Such notice must be published in the newspaper designated by the Court for a 

period of four weeks, at least once a week during that time. Nevada Rule 4(e)(1)(iii). 

The Court notes that the notice proposed by Plaintiff within her motion does not meet the 

requirements of either the notice form or the length of time required by law. Therefore, Plaintiff 

is instructed that published notice must conform to the requirements enumerated herein. Failure 

to meet these requirements will render the notice by publication ineffective.

The Court hereby grants Plaintiff’s request for service through publication and designates 

the Las Vegas Review-Journal as the newspaper in which the notice shall be published for a 

period of at least four weeks. The Court orders Plaintiff to submit a copy of the notice used in 

publication to this Court within 30 days of the date of this Order.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 12, 2015

Case 2:13-cv-01996-TLN-KJN Document 24 Filed 05/13/15 Page 2 of 2