Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-00943/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-00943-16/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

RICHARD GIDDENS, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

SUISUN CITY, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:14-cv-0943 AC TLN (PS) 

ORDER 

 Plaintiff is proceeding pro se in this case. The case was accordingly referred to the 

undersigned by E.D. Cal. R. (“Local Rule”) 302(c)(21). Plaintiff has filed a second “Motion for 

Default Judgment” against Brandon Jamal Bluford. ECF No. 67; see ECF No. 52. 

 Plaintiff’s motion is defective, because it was not preceded by the entry of a “default” by 

the Clerk of the Court pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a). The court advised plaintiff of this same 

defect when he filed his first motion for default judgment. See ECF No. 53. Plaintiff should not 

file another motion for default judgment unless and until the Clerk of the Court has entered a 

“default.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a), (b)(2); see Eitel v. McCool, 782 F.2d 1470, 1471 (9th Cir. 1986) 

(distinguishing Clerk’s entry of default under Rule 55(a) from court’s entry of default judgment 

under Rule 55(b)). 

 Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that 

1. Plaintiff’s second Motion for Default Judgment (ECF No. 67), is DENIED without 

Case 2:14-cv-00943-TLN-AC Document 69 Filed 01/27/17 Page 1 of 2
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prejudice to its renewal in proper form; and 

2. The hearing on this motion, currently scheduled for February 1, 2017, is VACATED. 

DATED: January 27, 2017 

Case 2:14-cv-00943-TLN-AC Document 69 Filed 01/27/17 Page 2 of 2