Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_19-cv-00031/USCOURTS-cand-5_19-cv-00031-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 370
Nature of Suit: Other Fraud
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Fraud

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

OMNI FINANCIAL, LLC,

Plaintiff,

v.

GLOBAL PETROLEUM, LLC, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 19-cv-00031-BLF 

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S EX 

PARTE APPLICATION FOR ENTRY 

OF JUDGMENT AGAINST 

DEFENDANTS GLOBAL 

PETROLEUM, LLC AND SUZETTE 

JEREZ PURSUANT TO STIPULATION 

AND ORDER

[Re: ECF 27]

On January 2, 2019, Plaintiff Omni Financial, LLC (“Omni”) filed this action against 

Defendants Global Petroleum, LLC (“Global”), Suzette Jerez (“Jerez), Edward Forte (“Forte”), 

and Precise Construction & Dismantlement Systems, Inc. (“Precise”). Compl., ECF 1. 

Omni thereafter entered into a Stipulation for Entry of Judgment upon Default 

(“Stipulation”) with Defendants Global and Jerez only, providing for settlement of the action 

under the conditions that Defendants Global and Jerez would: (a) provide Omni with proof of 

funds on or before February 8, 2019; (b) provide Omni with certain documents on or before 

February 8, 2019; (c) make a first payment to Omni in the amount of $1,500,000 on or before 

February 18, 2019; (d) make a second payment to Omni in the amount of $500,000 on or before 

April 18, 2019; and (e) make a third payment to Omni in the amount of $500,000 on or before 

June 18, 2019. See Stipulation p. 5 ¶ 4, ECF 20. The parties stipulated that in the event 

Defendants Global and Jerez defaulted on any of the above obligations, Omni would be entitled to 

enter judgment against Defendants Global and Jerez on an ex parte basis in the amount of the 

outstanding payments due plus reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in prosecuting the 

action or enforcing the Stipulation. Stipulation p. 6 ¶ 6, ECF 20. The Court approved the 

Case 5:19-cv-00031-BLF Document 29 Filed 02/27/19 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

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Stipulation in an order issued February 5, 2019. See Order Approving Stipulation, ECF 21.

On February 15, 2019 and February 19, 2019, Omni submitted an ex parte application for 

entry of judgment and supporting documentation, asserting that Defendants Global and Jerez have 

defaulted on their obligations under the Stipulation. See Ex Parte Application, ECF 27; Suppl. 

Decl. of Matthew G. Backowski, ECF 28. Omni provides evidence that Defendants Global and 

Jerez neither provided required documents by February 8, 2019, nor made their first payment of 

$1,500,000 by February 18, 2019. See Backowski Decl. ¶¶ 6-8, ECF 27-3; Supplemental 

Backowski Decl. ¶¶ 4-6, ECF 28. Omni therefore seeks, under the terms of the Stipulation

approved by the Court, a default judgment against Defendants Global and Jerez in the amount of 

$2,500,000 plus reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.

Omni seeks attorneys’ fees in the amount of $33,331.25 and costs in the amount of 

$1,052.49, for a total award of attorneys’ fees and costs in the amount of $34,383.74. Omni’s fees 

and costs are documented in the declaration Omni’s counsel, Matthew G. Backowski. See

Backowski Decl., ECF 27-3. The Court finds the rates charged by Mr. Backowski ($300 per 

hour), his associate Stephanie Kokka ($150 per hour), and his paralegal Conni Youngman ($125 

per hour) to be reasonable. See Backowski Decl. ¶ 11. The Court also finds the 154.9 hours 

expended on this action, which are documented by task and billing rate, to be reasonable. See

Backowski Decl. Exh. C. The Court notes that the parties’ Stipulation, as approved by the Court, 

provides for an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in litigating the action as a 

whole, including enforcing the Stipulation and/or resulting Judgment. See Order Approving 

Stipulation p. 6 ¶ 9, ECF 21. 

Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Omni’s ex parte application for entry of judgment. The 

Court will issue a Judgment Pursuant to Stipulation and Order in the amount of $2,534,383.74 

concurrently with the present order.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 27, 2019

______________________________________

BETH LABSON FREEMAN

United States District Judge

Case 5:19-cv-00031-BLF Document 29 Filed 02/27/19 Page 2 of 2