Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-02980/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-02980-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Contract Dispute

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

VERTAMEDIA LLC,

Plaintiff,

v.

BITESIZE NETWORKS, INC. f/k/a/ 

MEVIO, INC.,

Defendant.

Case No. 14-cv-02980-KAW 

ORDER REQUIRING SUPPLEMENTAL 

BRIEFING; CONTINUING MOTION 

HEARING

Re: Dkt. No. 15

Plaintiff Vertamedia LLC has moved for default judgment against Bitesize Networks, Inc. 

Upon initial review of the complaint and the moving papers, there are a number of issues Plaintiff 

has not sufficiently addressed. Accordingly, Plaintiff shall address the following issues in a 

supplemental brief on not more than 25 pages:

(1) Plaintiff moves for default judgment against Bitesize Networks, though the conduct of 

another company, Mevio, Inc. is the subject of the complaint. Plaintiff has neither 

alleged nor briefed why it is appropriate to enter default judgment against Bitesize 

Networks in this case.

(2) Plaintiff, a Nevada limited liability company, has not identified the citizenship of any 

of its members. Without allegations in the complaint that address this, the Court is 

unable to determine whether it has subject matter jurisdiction over this action. See 

Johnson v. Columbia Properties Anchorage, LP, 437 F.3d 894, 899 (9th Cir. 2006) 

("An LLC is a citizen of every state of which its owners/members are citizens."). 

Plaintiff shall therefore brief why the allegations in the complaint are sufficient to 

satisfy the Court that subject matter jurisdiction exists in this case.

(3) Plaintiff served a copy of the summons and complaint on a production manager of 

Case 3:14-cv-02980-WHO Document 17 Filed 03/31/15 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

Bitesize Networks, not Mevio, Inc., and did so by substituted service. Plaintiff shall

brief whether substituted service on a production manager of Bitesize Networks is 

proper in this case.

(4) The billing records submitted in connection with the motion indicate that there may 

have been communications between Plaintiff's counsel and Defendant's counsel. See, 

e.g., Goldstein-Gureff Decl., Dkt. No. 15-4 ("drafted the response letter to the opposing 

counsel . . . drafted the instructional letter to the opposing counsel . . . communications 

with opposing counsel re service of process . . . communications with opposing party.") 

Plaintiff shall brief whether these communications constitute an appearance by 

Defendant, which entitles it to notice of the motion for default judgment. Fed. R. Civ. 

P. 55(b)(2); see Civic Ctr. Square v. Ford (In re Roxford Foods), 12 F.3d 875, 879 (9th 

Cir. 1993) ("[N]otice is only required where the party has made an appearance. The 

appearance need not necessarily be a formal one. . . . In limited situations, informal 

contacts between the parties have sufficed when the party in default has thereby 

demonstrated a clear purpose to defend the suit.") (internal quotations and citations 

omitted). 

(5) Plaintiff requests attorneys' fees in its motion for default judgment but it has not 

specified the legal basis that authorizes such an award in this case.

(6) Plaintiff shall address the factors set forth in Eitel v. McCool, 782 F.2d 1470, 1471-72 

(9th Cir. 1986), which this Court must consider in order to determine whether default 

judgment may be entered in this case.

Plaintiff shall file its supplemental brief within 21 days of this order. The motion hearing 

currently set for April 2, 2015 is continued to May 21, 2015.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: 03/31/15

______________________________________

KANDIS A. WESTMORE

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:14-cv-02980-WHO Document 17 Filed 03/31/15 Page 2 of 2