Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_12-cv-03929/USCOURTS-cand-3_12-cv-03929-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Other Contract

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MICHAEL JAY DEMARTINI, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

THOMAS CHRISTOPHER JOHNS, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 12-cv-03929-JCS 

ORDER GRANTING MOTION TO 

ALTER OR AMEND JUDGMENT

Re: Dkt. No. 88

On November 13, 2015, the Court granted the DeMartinis’ Petition to Confirm Award of 

Arbitrator and Enter Judgment and ordered that “[j]udgment shall be entered in favor of the 

DeMartinis on the July 30, 2014 Malpractice Award in the amount of $177,100.00 plus 

prejudgment interest from June 30, 2011 at the California statutory rate.” Docket No. 86. 

Defendants now ask the Court to amend the judgment pursuant to Rule 59(e) of the Federal Rules 

of Civil Procedure to reflect that starting date for the prejudgment interest calculation should be 

July 30, 2014 rather than June 30, 2011. See Docket No. 88 (“Motion”). Having reviewed the 

parties’ briefs and relevant law, the Court finds that the date stated in its previous order and 

judgment is clearly erroneous and therefore GRANTS the Motion. See Turner v. Burlington N. 

Santa Fe R. Co., 338 F.3d 1058, 1063 (9th Cir. 2003) (holding that a motion to alter or amend 

judgment under Rule 59(e) should be granted where “necessary to correct manifest errors of law 

or fact upon which the judgment is based”). The correct starting date for calculating prejudgment 

interest on an arbitration award is the date of the award itself. See Cal. Civ. Code section 3287(a). 

The DeMartinis have not pointed to any authority that would permit an award of prejudgment 

interest that predates the arbitration award and the Court finds none. 

The motion hearing scheduled for January 8, 2016 at 9:30 am is vacated. The Clerk is 

Case 3:12-cv-03929-JCS Document 91 Filed 12/22/15 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

instructed to enter an amended judgment in favor of the DeMartinis on the July 30, 2014 

Malpractice Award in the amount of $177,100.00 plus prejudgment interest from July 30, 2014 at 

the California statutory rate.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 22, 2015

______________________________________

JOSEPH C. SPERO

Chief Magistrate Judge

Case 3:12-cv-03929-JCS Document 91 Filed 12/22/15 Page 2 of 2