Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_06-cv-05532/USCOURTS-cand-4_06-cv-05532-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Petition for Removal

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

OAKLAND DIVISION

RODERICK HERBERT,

Plaintiff,

 v.

STATE FARM MUT. AUTOMOBILE

INS. CO., et al.,

Defendants. 

No. C 06-5532 SBA

ORDER

[Docket No . 17]

Before the Court is defendant State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.’s (State Farm)

motion for leave to file an amended answer [Docket No. 17] pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure

15(a). State Farm seeks to amend its answer to include two additional affirmative defenses regarding

the insurance policy predicated on the alleged material misrepresentations made by the plaintiff in

procuring the policy. 

The present motion was filed on February 6, 2007. No opposition to the motion has been

submitted and it may therefore be treated as unopposed. See N.D. CAL. CIV. R. 7-3 (“Any opposition

to a motion must be served and filed not less than 21 days before the hearing date”). 

Furthermore, the motion appears well-taken on the merits. Under Rule 15(a), “a party may

amend the party’s pleading only by leave of court or by written consent of the adverse party; and leave

shall be freely given when justice so requires.” Such leave to amend under Rule 15(a) is liberally

extended unless the amendment (1) prejudices the opposing party; (2) is sought in bad faith; (3)

produces an undue delay in litigation; or (4) is futile. See AmerisourceBergen Corp. v. Dialysist West,

Inc., 465 F.3d 946, 951 (9th Cir. 2006); Eminence Capital, LLC v. Aspeon, Inc., 316 F.3d 1048, 1051-52

(9th Cir. 2003) (per curiam). There is no indication that any of these factors are applicable.

Accordingly, State Farm’s motion for leave to file an amended answer [Docket No. 17] is

GRANTED. 

Case 4:06-cv-05532-SBA Document 24 Filed 04/05/07 Page 1 of 2
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IT IS SO ORDERED.

April 4, 2007 _________________________________

Saundra Brown Armstrong 

United States District Judge

Case 4:06-cv-05532-SBA Document 24 Filed 04/05/07 Page 2 of 2