Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-07165/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-07165-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 360
Nature of Suit: Other Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 15:1681 Fair Credit Reporting Act

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

LATONYA RENA FINLEY,

Plaintiff,

v.

TRANSUNION, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No.17-cv-07165-HSG 

ORDER DENYING DEFENDANTS’ 

MOTIONS TO STRIKE; VACATING 

JULY 11, 2018 HEARING AND CASE 

MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE 

Re: Dkt. Nos. 25, 36, 57, 58

Plaintiff LaTonya Finley filed the initial Complaint in this action on December 18, 2017. 

Dkt. No. 1 (“Complaint”).

On March 29, 2018, Defendants Equifax Information Services, LLC (“Equifax”) and 

Experian Information Solutions, Inc. (“Experian”) jointly filed a motion to dismiss. Dkt. No. 25. 

Defendant Trans Union, LLC (“Trans Union”) filed a notice of joinder in Equifax’s and 

Experian’s motion on April 2, 2018. Dkt. No. 37. That same day, Defendant Plaza Services, LLC 

(“Plaza”) filed a separate motion to dismiss, Dkt. No. 36, which Defendant Southwest Credit 

Systems, L.P. (“Southwest”) later moved to join on April 10, 2018, Dkt. No. 38.1 

After Defendants filed their respective replies, Plaintiff filed an amended complaint on 

April 27, 2018. Dkt. No. 51 (First Amended Complaint, or “FAC”). Plaintiff was not entitled to 

file the FAC as of right, since she filed it after the 21-day deadline set forth in Federal Rule of 

Civil Procedure 15(a)(1). Nor did Plaintiff obtain the Court’s or Defendants’ leave to amend. See 

Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(2). Accordingly, on May 11, 2018, Trans Union, Equifax, Experian, and 

Southwest jointly moved to strike the FAC. Dkt. No. 57. Also on May 11, Plaza separately 

 

1 On March 30, 2018, Plaintiff and Defendant LVNV Funding, LLC filed a stipulation dismissing 

the action as to LVNV with prejudice. Dkt. No. 33.

Case 4:17-cv-07165-HSG Document 75 Filed 06/26/18 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

moved to strike the FAC or, in the alternative, dismiss. See Dkt. No. 58. All Defendants moved 

to strike the FAC on the grounds that Plaintiff failed to obtain leave to amend before filing. See

Dkt. No. 57 at 5; Dkt. No. 58 at 5.

While it is true that Plaintiff’s amendment was improper, it is also true that courts “should 

freely give leave [to amend] when justice so requires.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(3). It would not 

serve justice (or efficiency) for this Court to dismiss a pro se plaintiff’s FAC on this technical

ground, particularly where Defendants have failed to describe any prejudice that would result from 

the Court construing the improperly-filed FAC as the operative complaint. Plaintiff is reminded 

that any further amendment requires prior leave of Court or the agreement of all Defendants.

Accordingly, the motion to strike by Trans Union, Equifax, Experian, and Southwest is 

DENIED. The motion to strike by Plaza is DENIED IN PART, to the extent it seeks to strike the 

FAC. The Court defers ruling on Plaza’s alternative argument to dismiss the FAC. Furthermore, 

the Court takes the pending motions to dismiss (Docket Numbers 25, 36, and 58) under 

submission and VACATES the hearing and case management conference set for July 11, 2018. A 

written order will issue.

Last, the Court advises Plaintiff that the Legal Help Center at both the San Francisco and 

Oakland Federal Courthouses provides free information and limited-scope legal advice to pro se 

litigants in civil cases. Services are provided by appointment only. An appointment may be 

scheduled by either: (1) signing up in the appointment book located outside the door of 

the Legal Help Center in San Francisco or Oakland, or (2) calling (415) 782-8982. The Court 

strongly encourages Plaintiff to take advantage of this resource.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated:

HAYWOOD S. GILLIAM, JR.

United States District Judge

6/26/2018

Case 4:17-cv-07165-HSG Document 75 Filed 06/26/18 Page 2 of 2