Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_13-cv-04820/USCOURTS-cand-5_13-cv-04820-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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Order Denying Motion for Entry of Default Judgment

P:\PRO-SE\RMW\CR.13\Williams820deny-default.wpd

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JAMES E. WILLIAMS, 

Plaintiff,

 v.

R. MACK,

Defendant. 

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No. C 13-4820 RMW (PR)

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR

ENTRY OF DEFAULT JUDGMENT

(Docket No. 19)

Plaintiff, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, filed a civil rights complaint pursuant to 42

U.S.C. § 1983. On February 18, 2014, the court ordered service of plaintiff’s civil rights

complaint upon defendant. (Docket No. 6.) A notice of lawsuit and request for waiver of

service of summons was mailed to the defendant at Salinas Valley State Prison (“SVSP’). On

March 3, 2014, service documents sent to defendant at SVSP, were returned as undeliverable.

(Docket No. 9.) In the interest of justice, the court requested that the SVSP Litigation

Coordinator provide to the court the current employment status for defendant and any available

forwarding addresses, or notice that such information is not available. (Docket No. 13.) On

August 27, 2014, SVSP Litigation Coordinator K. McKelroy filed a notice with the court

indicating that the institution had been “in recent contact with R. Mack” and that the summons

and complaint should be resent to the institution. (Docket No. 14.) Given this information, the

(),/('

Case 5:13-cv-04820-RMW Document 26 Filed 06/02/15 Page 1 of 3
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Order Denying Motion for Default Judgment

P:\PRO-SE\RMW\CR.13\Williams820deny-default.wpd 2

court directed the clerk of the court to serve defendant R. Mack at SVSP. (Docket No. 15.) 

Defendant filed an executed waiver of service on January 26, 2015. (Docket No. 20.)

On January 15, 2015, plaintiff filed a “motion to the court demanding that the Defendant

file a disposition motion or face default.” (Docket No. 19.) Rule 55(a) of the Federal Rules of

Civil Procedure requires that the clerk of the court enter default “when a party against whom a

judgment for affirmative relief is sought has failed to plead or otherwise defense, and that failure

is shown by affidavit or otherwise.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a). Rule 55(b)(2) provides that the court

may grant a default judgment after default has been entered by the clerk of the court. Default

judgments are generally disfavored, and “[c]ases should be decided upon their merits whenever

reasonably possible.” Eitel v. McCool, 782 F.2d 1470, 1472 (9th Cir. 1986).

Given the facts as stated above, defendant had not been served at the time plaintiff filed

his motion requesting default. Defendant has now filed an executed waiver of service, clearly

demonstrating his intent to defend against plaintiff’s claims. Accordingly, plaintiff’s motion is

DENIED.

This order terminates docket number 19.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: RONALD M. WHYTE 

United States District Judge

Case 5:13-cv-04820-RMW Document 26 Filed 06/02/15 Page 2 of 3
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JAMES E. WILLIAMS,

Plaintiff,

 v.

MACK, et al,

Defendant. /

Case Number: CV13-04820 RMW 

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the Office of the Clerk, U.S. District

Court, Northern District of California.

That on June 2, 2015, I SERVED a true and correct copy(ies) of the attached, by placing said

copy(ies) in a postage paid envelope addressed to the person(s) hereinafter listed, by depositing

said envelope in the U.S. Mail, or by placing said copy(ies) into an inter-office delivery

receptacle located in the Clerk's office.

James E. Williams V-54214

D-5-103

Kern Valley State Prison

PO Box 5104

Delano, CA 93216

Dated: June 2, 2015

Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: Jackie Lynn Garcia, Deputy Clerk

Case 5:13-cv-04820-RMW Document 26 Filed 06/02/15 Page 3 of 3