Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_18-cv-02274/USCOURTS-azd-2_18-cv-02274-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 555
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Prison Condition
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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WO KAB

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Bennett Laquan Williams,

Plaintiff, 

v. 

Betty Ulibarri, et al.,

Defendants.

No. CV 18-02274-PHX-MTL (DMF)

ORDER

Plaintiff Bennett Laquan Williams, who is currently confined in the Arizona State 

Prison Complex-Eyman, brought this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 

Pending before the Court are: (1) Plaintiff’s Motion Demand for Judgment pursuant to 

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 54(c) (Doc. 32); (2) Plaintiff’s Motion for Entry Default 

Judgment (Doc. 34); (3) Plaintiff’s Notices to Expand Record Pursuant to Rule 5(E)(2) 

(Docs. 36 and 37); (4) Plaintiff’s Motion for Status on the Case/and to Confirm Entry 

Default Judgment by the Clerk of the Court (Doc. 38); (5) Plaintiff’s Motion to Stay 

Proceedings (Doc 39); (6) Plaintiff’s Motion for Entry Default Judgment (Doc. 40); and 

(7) Plaintiff’s Motion to Confirm and Expedite Entry Default Judgment and w/ Amount 

(Doc. 42). 

I. Background

On screening of Plaintiff’s Second Amended Complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 

1915A(a), the Court determined that Plaintiff stated a First Amendment access-to-thecourts claim against Defendant Ulibarri in Count One, and directed Defendant Ulibarri to 

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answer Count One. (Doc. 23.) The Court dismissed the remaining claims and defendants. 

(Id.) Defendant Ulibarri returned a Waiver of the Service of Summons on August 10, 

2019. (Doc. 27.) The waiver indicates that Defendant Ulibarri understood that she was to 

file and serve an answer within 60 days of August 2, 2019. (Id.) To date, Defendant 

Ulibarri has not answered the Second Amended Complaint or otherwise appeared in this 

action.

II. Plaintiff’s Motions for Default and Motion to Stay

Pursuant to Rule 55(a), “[w]hen a party against whom a judgment for affirmative 

relief is sought has failed to plead or otherwise defend, and that failure is shown by affidavit 

or otherwise, the clerk must enter the party’s default.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a). Because 

Defendant Ulibarri has failed to appear in this action, the Court will direct the Clerk of the 

Court to enter default against Defendant Ulibarri. 

Because default has not been entered, Plaintiff’s Motions for Default Judgment are 

premature. Moreover, Plaintiff has filed five motions regarding default, and has filed 

another Motion requesting that the Court stay ruling on Plaintiff’s motions for default, but 

filed other requests for default after that Motion. Plaintiff must not seek duplicative relief 

in multiple motions. If Plaintiff wants to know the status of a particular motion, he may 

file a Motion seeking the status of that motion. Here, because Plaintiff has filed Motions 

seeking duplicative relief and has sought to “stay” the ruling on some of those motions, it 

is confusing and cumbersome for the Court to attempt to sort through the Motions. If 

Plaintiff seeks default judgment against Defendant Ulibarri, he must do so in one Motion 

that complies with Rule 55(b)(2) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

Accordingly, Plaintiff’s Motions seeking default will be granted to the extent the 

Court will direct the Clerk of the Court to enter default against Defendant Ulibarri, but will 

otherwise be denied. Plaintiff’s Motion to Stay will likewise be denied. 

III. Plaintiff’s Notices to Expand the Record

Plaintiff appears to seek to enter evidence into the record pursuant to “Rule 5(E)(2).” 

(Docs. 36, 37.) Plaintiff does not state what Rule 5(E)(2) is or where it can be located, and 

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the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure contain no such rule. The Court will accept evidence 

if it is attached to a procedurally-appropriate motion, but will otherwise not review 

evidence attached to Notices filed in the docket. Accordingly, Plaintiff’s Notices will be 

denied. 

IT IS ORDERED:

(1) The reference to the Magistrate Judge is withdrawn as to: (1) Plaintiff’s 

Motion Demand for Judgment pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 54(c) (Doc. 32);

(2) Plaintiff’s Motion for Entry Default Judgment (Doc. 34); (3) Plaintiff’s Notices to 

Expand Record Pursuant to Rule 5(E)(2) (Docs. 36 and 37); (4) Plaintiff’s Motion for

Status on the Case/and to Confirm Entry Default Judgment by the Clerk of the Court (Doc. 

38); (5) Plaintiff’s Motion to Stay Proceedings (Doc 39); (6) Plaintiff’s Motion for Entry 

Default Judgment (Doc. 40); and (7) Plaintiff’s Motion to Confirm and Expedite Entry 

Default Judgment and w/ Amount (Doc. 42). 

(2) Plaintiff’s Motion Demand for Judgment pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil 

Procedure 54(c) (Doc. 32); Plaintiff’s Motion for Entry Default Judgment (Doc. 34);

Plaintiff’s Motion for Status on the Case/and to Confirm Entry Default Judgment by the 

Clerk of the Court (Doc. 38); Plaintiff’s Motion for Entry Default Judgment (Doc. 40); and 

Plaintiff’s Motion to Confirm and Expedite Entry Default Judgment and w/ Amount (Doc. 

42) are granted in part and denied in part as follows:

(a) The Clerk of the Court must enter default against Defendant 

Ulibarri;

(b) the motions are otherwise denied. 

(3) Plaintiff’s Notices to Expand Record Pursuant to Rule 5(E)(2) (Docs. 36 and 

37) are denied. 

(4) Plaintiff’s Motion to Stay Proceedings (Doc 39) is denied. 

(5) The Clerk of the Court must mail a copy of this Order and the entry of default 

to: (1) the address Plaintiff listed for Defendant Ulibarri on the service packet (Doc. 27 at 

1); (2) the alternate address Plaintiff listed for Defendant Ulibarri on the service packet 

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(id.); and (3) the address listed by Defendant Ulibarri on the Waiver of the Service of 

Summons (Doc. 27 at 2.) 

Dated this 10th day of February, 2020.

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