Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_15-cv-02021/USCOURTS-casd-3_15-cv-02021-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 625
Nature of Suit: Drug Related Seizure of Property
Cause of Action: 21:0881 Forfeiture Property - Drugs

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff(s),

CASE NO. 15cv2021-LAB (JLB)

ORDER STRIKING CLAIM

vs.

$10,924.00 IN U.S. CURRENCY,

Defendant(s).

On October 19, claimant David Andrew Perez, who is represented by counsel, filed

a verified claim. The claim was signed by Perez only, however, and not also signed by his

counsel. Under Fed. R. Civ. P. 11(a). Specifically, that rule requires every pleading, written

motion, or other paper to be signed by at least one attorney of record. Only if the party is

unrepresented is the party’s own signature sufficient under the rule. In the case of a verified

complaint, both the party and counsel must sign. See Business Guides, Inc. v. Chromatic

Communications enterprises, Inc., 498 U.S. 533, 542 (1991) (parsing Rule 11(a)’s signature

requirements, and noting that both attorney and represented party were required to sign). 

See also, e.g. Methode Electronics, Inc. v. Adam Technologies, Inc., 371 F.3d 923, 924 (7th

Cir. 2004) (noting that verified complaint was signed both by plaintiff and by its counsel).

On October 20, the Court issued an order accepting the claim for filing, but ordering

Perez’s counsel to promptly correct the Rule 11 violation by either filing an amended claim 

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or a supplement to the claim, adding the attorney’s signature. “If this is not promptly

corrected,” the order cautioned, “the claim will be stricken.”

Since then Perez’s counsel has filed nothing, and has taken no steps to correct the

Rule 11 violation the Court drew his attention to. Under Rule 11(a), “The court must strike

an unsigned paper unless the omission is promptly corrected after being called to the

attorney's or party's attention.” Perez’s claim (Docket no.5) is therefore ORDERED

STRICKEN from the docket.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: February 24, 2016

HONORABLE LARRY ALAN BURNS

United States District Judge

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