Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_08-cv-00126/USCOURTS-caed-1_08-cv-00126-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Harris Fresh, LLC
Plaintiff
Williams Ag Commodities Brokerage, Inc.
Defendant

Document Text:

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

HARRIS FRESH, LLC, )

)

Plaintiff, )

v. )

)

WILLIAMS AG COMMODITIES

BROKERAGE, INC., )

)

Defendant. )

)

 )

1:08-cv-00126-LJO-SMS

ORDER DISREGARDING AND

TERMINATING PLAINTIFF’S

APPLICATION FOR DEFAULT JUDGMENT

WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO PLAINTIFF’S

REFILING THE MOTION AND SETTING

IT FOR HEARING (DOC. 10)

INFORMATIONAL ORDER TO PLAINTIFF

RE: REQUIREMENTS FOR A MOTION FOR

DEFAULT JUDGMENT

Plaintiff is proceeding with a civil action in this Court.

The matter has been referred to the Magistrate Judge pursuant to

28 U.S.C. § 636(b) and Local Rules 72-302(c)(1) and 72-303.

I. Disregarding Plaintiff’s Application for Default Judgment

On April 16, 2008, Plaintiff filed an application for

default judgment by the Court, which has been reviewed by the

Court. It appears that the Court will need to determine the

amount of reasonable attorney’s fees sought to be included in the

judgment, and may further need to determine the amount otherwise

owing to the Plaintiff.

Plaintiff’s motion was not set for a hearing. A court may

strike a document that does not conform to the formal

requirements of the pertinent rules of court. Fed. R. Civ. P.

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12(f); Transamerican Corp. v. National Union Fire Ins. Co. of

Pittsburgh, Pa., 143 F.R.D. 189, 191 (N.D. Ill. 1992).

Local Rule 78-230(b) provides that except as otherwise

provided in the rules or as ordered or allowed by the Court, all

motions shall be noticed on the motion calendar of the assigned

Judge or Magistrate Judge, and shall be set for hearing.

Plaintiff’s application for default judgment was not in

conformity with the local rules because it was not set for

hearing. Further, it did not contain briefing required by the

Court.

Accordingly, Plaintiff’s application for default judgment,

filed on April 16, 2008, IS DISREGARDED AND TERMINATED, without

prejudice to Plaintiff’s refiling the motion and setting it for

hearing.

II. Informational Order to Plaintiff

Because claims that are legally insufficient are not

established by a party’s default, a court in considering an

application for default judgment must determine whether the

claims upon which a plaintiff seeks a default judgment are

legally sufficient. An application for a default judgment

qualifies as a motion pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 7(b)(1) and

Local Rule 1-101(19), and it should include briefs pursuant to

Local Rule 78-230(b). Thus, when seeking a default judgment, a

plaintiff should provide the Court with points and authorities

containing citations to authority showing that the Plaintiff’s

claim or claims include allegations of all the necessary elements

required for entitlement to relief. It is the party’s burden to

demonstrate to the Court that under the pertinent law, the

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Plaintiff’s claims, as alleged, are legally sufficient.

If a party states multiple claims but judgment is sought on

only some of them, or a party seeks judgment against fewer than

all of the parties, and the moving party does not notify the

Court that the other claims and/or parties have been or will be

dismissed, then the moving party should specify in the

application the claims upon which, and the parties against whom,

judgment is sought. Further, the party should provide authority

and argument sufficient to support both a request that the Court

make a finding pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 54(b) that there is no

just cause for delay, and a direction that a final judgment on

some of the claims and/or against some of the parties should be

entered.

Likewise, the plaintiff should supply the Court with all

pertinent and necessary legal authority pursuant to which it is

appropriate to enter judgment against a particular party based

upon the allegations of the party’s standing, status, agency,

participation, or other alleged basis for liability of the

particular party.

Generally, the scope of proceedings on an application for

default judgment involves a determination of damages, which

Plaintiff must prove by evidence, whether by affidavits where an

evidentiary hearing is waived, Davis v.Fendler, 650 F.2d 1154,

1161-62 (9th Cr. 1981), or by evidence, Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(b)(2).

The Court thus anticipates that a party seeking a default

judgment will provide the Court with evidence sufficient to prove

the amount of any damages or recovery sought. Depending on the

circumstances, a plaintiff may be required to inform the Court of

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what remedy or remedies the plaintiff has elected if an election

of remedies is required under the law, and a plaintiff may need

to provide evidence of any tender or other precondition to

recovery. The party should also provide the Court with legal

authority in support of the measure and propriety of damages

sought to be recovered, or of the propriety of nature and extent

of relief sought. Depending on the claims made by the plaintiff,

this may include informing the Court of the source of the law

governing the measure of damages, including interest (i.e.,

federal or state), providing statutory and case law defining the

appropriate measure of damages and interest and method of

computation of any interest sought, and providing the Court with

the law and an analysis of the pertinent facts regarding any

election of remedies that the plaintiff has made or must make. If

multiple remedies are sought, the plaintiff should establish by

citation of authority that the plaintiff is entitled to

cumulative remedies and that the remedies are not inconsistent.

If attorney’s fees and costs are sought, authority for such

recovery must be submitted. If attorney’s fees or costs are

sought, authority for such recovery must be submitted. 

A judgment by default shall not be different in kind from or

exceed in amount that prayed for in the demand for judgment. Fed.

R. Civ. P. 54(c). Thus, a party seeking default judgment should

demonstrate to the Court that the relief sought is within the

prayer of the party’s complaint.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 18, 2008 /s/ Sandra M. Snyder 

icido3 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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