Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_08-cv-00405/USCOURTS-caed-1_08-cv-00405-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Community Hospitals of Central California
Defendant
Community Medical Centers Employee Benefit Plan
Defendant
Sun Life Assurance Company
Defendant
Sun Life Financial
Defendant
Laura Williams
Plaintiff

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

LAURA WILLIAMS, )

)

Plaintiff, )

)

v. )

)

SUN LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY )

OF CANADA, SUN LIFE FINANCIAL, )

COMMUNITY HOSPITALS OF )

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA dba )

COMMUNITY MEDICAL CENTERS )

EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN and )

DOES 1 through 10, )

)

Defendants. )

____________________________________)

1:08-cv-0405 AWI DLB

ORDER DISMISSING SUN

LIFE FINANCIAL AND

COMMUNITY HOSPITALS OF

CENTRAL CALIFORNIA dba

COMMUNITY MEDICAL

CENTERS EMPLOYEE

BENEFIT PLAN 

On April 4, 2008, Plaintiff filed a notice of voluntary dismissal with prejudice of

Defendant Sun Life Financial and Defendant Community Hospitals of Central California dba

Community Medical Centers Employee Benefit Plan under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure

41(a)(1).

In Wilson v. City of San Jose, the Ninth Circuit explained:

Under Rule 41(a)(1), a plaintiff has an absolute right to voluntarily dismiss his

action prior to service by the defendant of an answer or a motion for summary

judgment. Concha v. London, 62 F.3d 1493, 1506 (9th Cir. 1995) (citing

Hamilton v. Shearson-Lehman American Express, 813 F.2d 1532, 1534 (9th Cir.

1987)). A plaintiff may dismiss his action so long as the plaintiff files a notice of

dismissal prior to the defendant’s service of an answer or motion for summary

Case 1:08-cv-00405-AWI-DLB Document 8 Filed 04/08/08 Page 1 of 2
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judgment. The dismissal is effective on filing and no court order is required. Id.

The plaintiff may dismiss some or all of the defendants, or some or all of his

claims, through a Rule 41(a)(1) notice. Id.; Pedrina v. Chun, 987 F.2d 608, 609-

10 (9th Cir. 1993). The filing of a notice of voluntary dismissal with the court

automatically terminates the action as to the defendants who are the subjects of

the notice. Concha, 62 F.2d at 1506. Unless otherwise stated, the dismissal is

ordinarily without prejudice to the plaintiff's right to commence another action for

the same cause against the same defendants. Id. (citing McKenzie v. DavenportHarris Funeral Home, 834 F.2d 930, 934-35 (9th Cir. 1987)). Such a dismissal

leaves the parties as though no action had been brought. Id.

Wilson v. City of San Jose, 111 F.3d 688, 692 (9th Cir. 1997).

No answers to Plaintiff’s complaint and no motions for summary judgment have been

filed in this case and it appears that no such answers or summary judgment motions have been

served. Because Plaintiff has exercised her right to voluntarily dismiss her complaint under Rule

41(a)(1) against Defendant Sun Life Financial and Defendant Community Hospitals of Central

California dba Community Medical Centers Employee Benefit Plan, this case has terminated as

to Defendant Sun Life Financial and Defendant Community Hospitals of Central California dba

Community Medical Centers Employee Benefit Plan. See Wilson, 111 F.3d at 692.

Therefore, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that this action is DISMISSED as to Defendant

Sun Life Financial and Defendant Community Hospitals of Central California dba Community

Medical Centers Employee Benefit Plan in light of the Plaintiff’s Rule 41(a)(1) Notice of

Dismissal. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 7, 2008 /s/ Anthony W. Ishii 

0m8i78 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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