Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_09-cv-01586/USCOURTS-caed-1_09-cv-01586-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 290
Nature of Suit: Other Real Property Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DONNA LYNN MAYS and RONALD )

MAYS, )

)

Plaintiffs, )

v. )

)

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASS. as Trustee )

for the Specialty Underwriting and )

Residential Financial Mortgage Loan )

Asset Backed Certificates Series )

2006-AB3, et. al., )

)

)

Defendants. )

____________________________________)

1:09-CV-1586 AWI SMS

ORDER DISMISSING

DEFENDANTS FOR UNDER

FEDERAL RULE OF CIVIL

PROCEDURE 4(m)

On January 20, 2010, as part of the order on a motion to dismiss, the Court ordered

Plaintiffs to show cause in writing why Defendants Right Away Mortgage, Inc., T.D. Service

Co., Loanleaders of America, Inc., Nova Home Loans, Chicago Title Co., LSI Title Co., Brian

Bakkebo, Kealli Maeda, and “Art” should not be dismissed for violation of Rule of Civil

Procedure 4(m). See Court’s Docket Doc. No. 27. Plaintiffs have failed to file any response,

timely or otherwise, to the order to show cause. 

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However, on January 25, 2010, Plaintiffs filed a notice of bankruptcy, which indicates that they have filed

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Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. See id. at Doc. No. 28. Plaintiffs’ filing of a notice of bankruptcy does not respond to the

order to show cause. This is so because the automatic bankruptcy stay does not apply to claims brought “by” a

debtor, rather it applies to claims brought “against” a debtor. See 11 U.S.C. § 362(a)(1); Crosby v. Monroe County,

394 F.3d 1328, 1331 n.2 (11th Cir. 2004); Parker v. Bain, 68 F.3d 1131, 1137-38 (9th Cir. 1995); Martin-Trigona v.

Champion Fed. Sav. & Loan Ass’n, 892 F.2d 575, 577 (7th Cir. 1989); Cobb v. Aurora Loan Servs., LLC, 408 B.R.

351, 355 (E.D. Cal. 2009). There are no counterclaims made by any of the Defendants against Plaintiffs. Cf. Parker,

68 F.3d at 1137. Since this lawsuit involves only claims initiated “by” Plaintiffs, the automatic bankruptcy stay does

not apply. See Crosby, 394 F.3d at 1331 n.2; Parker, 68 F.3d at 1137-38; Martin-Trigona, 892 F.2d at 577.

Case 1:09-cv-01586-AWI -SMS Document 30 Filed 02/05/10 Page 1 of 2
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Without an extension from the Court, the time in which to serve a defendant with process

is 120 days. See Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 4(m). Under Rule 4(m), “if process is not served within 120

days after the filing of the complaint, and the plaintiff cannot show good cause why service was

not made within that time, the action is subject to dismissal without prejudice upon the court’s

own initiative with notice to the plaintiff.” Hason v. Medical Bd., 279 F.3d 1167, 1174 (9th Cir.

2002). In the case of a removed action, the 120 day period to serve process runs from the date of

removal to federal court, it does not run from the date that the action was filed in state court. 

Cowen v. American Med. Sys., 411 F.Supp.2d 717, 721 (E.D. Mich. 2006); Baumeister v. New

Mexico Comm’n for the Blind, 409 F.Supp.2d 1351, 1352-53 (D. N.M. 2006); McKinnis v.

Hartford Life, 217 F.R.D. 359, 360 (E.D. Pa. 2003); Randolph v. Hendry, 50 F.Supp.2d 572, 579

(S.D. W. Va. 1999). 

The case at bar was removed to this Court on September 8, 2009. More than 120 days

have elapsed from the date of removal. There is no indication that Defendants Right Away

Mortgage, Inc., T.D. Service Co., Loanleaders of America, Inc., Nova Home Loans, Chicago

Title Co., LSI Title Co., Brian Bakkebo, Kealli Maeda, or “Art” have been served with process. 

Plaintiffs have failed to show cause why these defendants should not be dismissed pursuant to

Rule 4(m). It is appropriate to dismiss these defendants. See Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 4(m); Hason, 279

F.3d at 1174.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Defendants Right Away Mortgage, Inc.,

T.D. Service Co., Loanleaders of America, Inc., Nova Home Loans, Chicago Title Co., LSI Title

Co., Brian Bakkebo, Kealli Maeda, and “Art” are DISMISSED from this case pursuant to Federal

Rule of Civil Procedure 4(m).

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 5, 2010 /s/ Anthony W. Ishii 

0m8i78 CHIEF UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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