Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_08-cv-03870/USCOURTS-cand-4_08-cv-03870-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 380
Nature of Suit: Other Personal Property Damage
Cause of Action: Petition for limitation of liability

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

OAKLAND DIVISION

CROSS LINK, INC.,

Petitioner,

 v.

PACIFIC GAS & ELECTRIC

COMPANY,

Claimant. 

No. C 08-3870 SBA

ORDER

On February 14, 2008, the Tug Orion (the “Orion”) was towing the Derek Barge Hagar (the

“Hagar”) and Derek Barge Valhalla (the “Valhalla”) when a crane boom on the Hagar’s deck struck

four of claimant’s power lines crossing the Sacramento River, in the turning basin in West

Sacramento. See Docket No. 1 ¶ 7. On August 13, 2008, petitioner Cross Link, Inc., the Orion’s

owner, filed a Complaint under Rule F of the Federal Supplemental Rules for Admiralty or Maritime

Claims and Asset Forfeiture Actions seeking exoneration from liability or a limitation on its liability

equal to the Orion’s assessed value. See Docket No. 1 at 1. On this same day, petitioner also filed a

Notice to Claimants of Exoneration from or Limitation of Liability (the “Notice”) [Docket No. 6] for

petitioner, and a proposed order directing the Clerk of the Court to issue the Notice. Petitioner,

however, did not e-file all its pleadings, which delayed their processing by the Clerk of the Court. 

See Docket No. 10. Further, its proposed order was never properly docketed. See Docket Entry

dated Aug. 13, 2008. On September 4, 2008, the Court requested venue information from petitioner. 

Docket No. 8. Petitioner provided this information on September 12, 2008. See Docket No. 9. 

On September 17, 2008, petitioner e-filed its proposed order. See Docket No. 11. In part,

the order proposes to publish the Notice in the Marin Independent Journal. Id. ¶ (4). The complaint,

however, states that due to damaging the power lines “Claimant PACIFIC GAS’ customers allegedly

lost power to their homes and businesses in West Sacramento and beyond, allegedly resulting from

the Incident.” Compl. ¶ 7. Under Rule F(4), a notice to claimants “shall be published in such

newspaper or newspapers as the court may direct once a week for four successive weeks prior to the

Case 4:08-cv-03870-SBA Document 12 Filed 09/22/08 Page 1 of 2
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date fixed for the filing of claims.” Petitioner has not indicated to the Court whether in terms of its

subscription and circulation base, the Marin Independent Journal is reasonably expected to reach

potential claimants for this matter. 

ACCORDINGLY, the Court DIRECTS petitioner to file a declaration within five days,

addressing this issue. Petitioner may also indicate a change in newspapers or the addition of more

newspapers with appropriate explanation.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

September 18, 2008 _________________________________

Saundra Brown Armstrong 

United States District Judge

Case 4:08-cv-03870-SBA Document 12 Filed 09/22/08 Page 2 of 2