Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-00489/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-00489-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 350
Nature of Suit: Motor Vehicle Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 28:1332fr Diversity-Fraud

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FILED 

SEP I 0 2018 

CLERK.US OIST1<1(;1 COURT 

SOUTHERl)l.Ql~TR,CT Of C.AclFORNIA 

BY (JI-{., DEPUTY 

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

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11 TIMOTHY ANDREW ROPER, 

12 Plaintiff, 

13 v. 

14 PHILIP YANNI, 

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Defendant. 

Case No.: 18cv489-WQH(KSC) 

ORDER IN RESPONSE TO 

PLAINTIFF'S MOTIONS FOR 

CLARIFICATION 

[Doc. Nos. 15 and 19] 

19 Before the Court are the following documents filed by plaintiff: ( 1) a Motion for 

20 Clarification and Early Neutral Evaluation Conference [Doc. No. 15]; and (2) a Motion for 

21 Clarification and Early Neutral Evaluation [Doc. No. 19]. In these Motions, plaintiff has 

22 requested that the Court set an Early Neutral Evaluation Conference or expedite the case 

23 m some way. 

24 Background 

25 As background, plaintiff's original Complaint was filed on March 7, 2018. [Doc. 

26 No. l]. A proof of service filed in the Court's record on March 19, 2018 indicates 

27 defendant was served in the action on March 15, 2018. [Doc. No. 3.] On March 26, 

28 2018, plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint. [Doc. No. 4.] 

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2 On April 11, 2018, defendant filed a Motion for Summary Judgment. [Doc. No. 

3 8.] Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(b) states that "a party may file a motion for 

4 summary judgment at any time until 30 days after the close of discovery." Fed.R.Civ.P. 

5 56(b). The District Court denied defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment on July 26, 

6 2018 but did not set a deadline for defendant to answer or otherwise respond to the First 

7 Amended Complaint. [Doc. No. 13.] 

8 Discussion 

9 Based on a review of the Court's docket, it appears that defendant's Motion for 

10 Summary Judgment was filed in lieu of an answer or one of the responsive motions 

11 permitted under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b). Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(a)(l)(A)(i)&(ii); 

12 Fed.R.Civ. P. 12(b)(l)-(6). Ifa defendant files a Rule 12(b) motion, Federal Rule 

13 12(a)(4) "alters" the time for the defendant to file a responsive pleading. Rule 

14 12(a)(4)(A) states as follows: "if the court denies the motion or postpones its disposition 

15 until trial, the responsive pleading must be served within 14 day after notice of the court's 

16 action .... " Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(a)(4)(A). The time to answer or otherwise respond is 

1 7 unclear when the defendant files a Motion for Summary Judgment rather than an answer 

18 or a Rule 12(b) motion. Fed.R.Civ.P. 12; Fed.R.Civ.P. 56. Under the circumstances 

19 presented, it therefore appears appropriate for the Court to set a deadline for the 

20 defendant to file an answer or otherwise respond to the First Amended Complaint. 

21 Conclusion 

22 Based on the foregoing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that defendant shall file and 

23 serve an answer or otherwise respond to the First Amended Complaint no later than 

24 September 24, 2018. If defendant does not file and serve an answer or otherwise respond 

25 to the First Amended Complaint by September 24, 2018, a default and a default judgment 

26 may be entered against defendant under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55 at plaintiffs 

27 request. 

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1 Plaintiff is advised that the Court will set an Early Neutral Evaluation Conference 

2 if the defendant files an answer. If the case does not settle at an Early Neutral Evaluation 

3 Conference, the Court will set a Case Management Conference and other deadlines in the 

4 case, including a deadline for the parties to participate in a Rule 26(f) Conference. 

5 IT IS SO ORDERED. 

6 Dated: September 7 , 2018 

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United States Magistrate Judge 

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18cv489-WQH(KSC) 

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