Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-03268/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-03268-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 380
Nature of Suit: Other Personal Property Damage
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Personal Property

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ORDER (No. 3:15-cv-03268-LB) 

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United States District Court 

Northern District of California 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

San Francisco Division 

LEVEL 3 COMMUNICATIONS, LLC,

Plaintiff, 

v. 

K.J. WOODS CONSTRUCTION, INC., 

Defendant. 

Case No. 15-cv-03268-LB 

ORDER (1) ALLOWING PLAINTIFF 

TO SERVE DEFENDANT VIA THE 

SECRETARY OF STATE, (2) 

EXTENDING THE DEADLINE BY 

WHICH PLAINTIFF MUST SERVE 

DEFENDANT, AND (3) CONTINUING 

THE CASE MANAGEMENT 

CONFERENCE 

Re: ECF Nos. 14, 15 

Level 3 Communications, LLC (“Level 3”) sued K.J. Woods Construction Inc. (“KJN”) but so 

far has been unable to serve it with the complaint and summons. Level 3 moves for permission to 

serve KJN via the California Secretary of State. (Motion 1, ECF No. 15.) It also moves to extend 

its deadline for doing so. (Motion 2, ECF No. 14.) The court grants both motions. 

Rule 4(h)(1)(A) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that service on a corporation 

may be made in the manner prescribed by Rule 4(e)(1). Rule 4(e)(1), in turn, authorizes service in 

any manner permitted by the state where the district court is located. California Code of Civil 

Procedure § 416.10 provides that a corporation may be served by the procedures set forth in 

California Corporations Code § 1702. California Corporations Code § 1702 provides that if a 

plaintiff is unable, with reasonable diligence, to serve a corporation by other methods for serving a 

Case 3:15-cv-03268-LB Document 16 Filed 12/04/15 Page 1 of 2
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ORDER (No. 3:15-cv-03268-LB) 

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United States District Court 

Northern District of California 

corporation under California law, 

the court may make an order that the service be made upon the corporation by 

delivering by hand to the Secretary of State, or to any person employed in the 

Secretary of State’s office in the capacity of assistant or deputy, one copy of the 

process for each defendant to be served, together with a copy of the order 

authorizing such service. Service in this manner is deemed complete on the 10th 

day after delivery of the process to the Secretary of State. 

Level 3 submitted an affidavit describing its efforts to find and serve KJW. (Proszek Affidavit, 

ECF No. 15-1.) Level 3’s process server made multiple attempts to serve KJN at the address 

registered with the California Secretary of State, provided to the California Contractors State 

License Board, and which was on the letterhead of a letter that KJN sent to Level 3. The office at 

that address was always locked, and no one was ever there. Level 3 called the telephone number 

listed on KJN’s website, but no one answered, and no one responded to the voicemails left. Level 

3 discovered a residential address related to KJN, and the process server made several attempts to 

serve KJN there, but the process server eventually was informed that the individuals associated 

with KJN had moved. Finally, Level 3 contacted the San Francisco Department of Public Works 

to discover any other addresses, but the DPW had only those that Level 3 already tried. 

Based on the affidavit submitted, the court finds that Level 3 has been unable to serve KJN 

despite reasonable efforts to do so. Accordingly, the court grants Level 3’s motion to allow it to 

serve KJN pursuant to California Corporations Code § 1702(a). Once Level 3 does so, it must file 

an executed summons and supporting affidavit showing that it served KJN in this manner. 

In light of this process, the court also extends the deadline for Level 3 to serve KJN to 

February 2, 2016 and continues the initial case management conference from December 10, 2015 

to February 18, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. in Courtroom C. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: December 4, 2015 

______________________________________ 

LAUREL BEELER 

United States Magistrate Judge 

Case 3:15-cv-03268-LB Document 16 Filed 12/04/15 Page 2 of 2