Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_20-cv-01791/USCOURTS-cand-3_20-cv-01791-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:185 Employee Pension Plan

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE 

LABORERS HEALTH AND WELFARE 

TRUST FUND FOR NORTHERN 

CALIFORNIA, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

STUMP & SONS, INC.,

Defendant.

Case No. 20-cv-01791-JSC 

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE TO 

DEFENDANT

Plaintiffs Board of Trustees of the Laborers Health and Welfare Trust Fund for Northern 

California, et al., filed this ERISA action against Stump & Sons, Inc., alleging breach of a 

collective bargaining agreement that required Stump & Sons to pay monthly employee fringe 

benefit contributions to the trust funds administered by Plaintiffs. (Dkt. No. 1.) On May 21, 2020, 

Defendant filed an answer to the complaint pro se though Ms. Joann Morgan who indicates that 

Defendant cannot afford an attorney. (Dkt. No. 12 at 6-7.) However, a corporation cannot be 

represented by a non-attorney. See Civ. L.R. 3-9(b) (“A corporation, unincorporated association, 

partnership or other such entity may appear only through a member of the bar of this Court.”); see 

also Rowland v. California Men’s Colony, Unit II Men's Advisory Council, 506 U.S. 194, 202 

(1993) (“a corporation may appear in the federal courts only through licensed counsel”).

Defendant is advised that it must obtain counsel to represent it in this action. Accordingly, on or 

before June 25, 2020, counsel must make an appearance on Defendant’s behalf. Defendant

may contact the Legal Help Center, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, 15th Floor, Room 2796, Telephone 

No. (415)-782-8982, for free assistance. 

Plaintiffs’ motion for entry of default is held in abeyance pending appearance of counsel. 

Case 3:20-cv-01791-JSC Document 13 Filed 06/05/20 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

(Dkt. No. 10.) If no counsel appears on Defendant’s behalf by June 26, 2020, the Court will 

consider the motion for entry of default as default is the appropriate remedy for an unrepresented 

corporation. See United States v. High Country Broadcasting Co., Inc., 3 F.3d 1244, 1245 (9th 

Cir. 1993) (affirming district court’s entry of default judgment against the corporation when the 

corporation failed to retain counsel for the duration of the litigation and attempted to proceed 

through its unlicensed president and sole shareholder).

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 5, 2020

JACQUELINE SCOTT CORLEY

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:20-cv-01791-JSC Document 13 Filed 06/05/20 Page 2 of 2