Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-04175/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-04175-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Kevin Dorn
Defendant
IO Group, Inc.
Plaintiff
Martin Tanguay
Defendant
Joseph Quainter
Defendant

Document Text:

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PLAINTIFF’S AMENDED MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE 

REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO TAKE EARLY DISCOVERY 

C-04-4175 (EDL) 

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GILL SPERLEIN (172887) 

THE LAW OFFICE OF GILL SPERLEIN 

584 Castro Street, Suite 849 

San Francisco, California 94114 

Telephone: (415) 487-1211 X32 

legal@titanmedia.com 

Attorney for Plaintiff 

IO GROUP, INC. 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION 

IO GROUP, INC., a California corporation, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

MARTIN TANGUAY also known as 

KEVIN DORN, an individual, and 

JOSEPH QUAINTER, an individual, 

 Defendants. 

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CASE NO.: C-04-4175 (EDL) 

PLAINTIFF’S AMENDED 

MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE 

REQUEST PURSUANT TO LOCAL RULE 7-

10 (b) FOR LEAVE TO TAKE DISCOVERY 

PRIOR TO RULE 26 CONFERENCE; AND 

[PROPOSED] ORDER 

 Pursuant to Local Rule 7-10 (b), plaintiff seeks leave to take limited discovery prior to a 

Rule 26 conference for the reasons set forth herein, and in the Declaration of Gill Sperlein in 

Support of Plaintiff’s Miscellaneous Administrative Request Pursuant filed on September 1, 2005.

When plaintiff’s counsel appeared for the case management conference on September 27, 2005, 

the court indicated it would grant this request provided the information requested in the subpoenas 

was limited to names, street addresses, telephone numbers and alias, if any. The proposed 

subpoenas submitted herewith comply with the Court’s limitations. 

Case 3:04-cv-04175-SC Document 25 Filed 09/28/05 Page 1 of 8
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PLAINTIFF’S AMENDED MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE 

REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO TAKE EARLY DISCOVERY 

C-04-4175 (EDL) 

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INTRODUCTION AND FACTUAL BACKGROUND 

 Plaintiff is a photography and production studio located in San Francisco, California. 

Sperlein Declaration in Support of Plaintiff’s Miscellaneous Administrative Request for Leave to 

Take Early Discovery1

 at ¶2. Plaintiff alleged in its original Complaint that Defendant Kevin 

Dorn, an individual believed to be living in Quebec, Canada, owned or operated a website 

identified by the domain name www.kevscave.com by and through which plaintiff’s copyrighted 

works were infringed.

Because plaintiff was unsure as to the accuracy of the name or address of the defendant, 

plaintiff requested leave to take early discovery in the form of third-party subpoenas. This Court 

granted leave, and plaintiff served the subpoenas. Sperlein Declaration at ¶4. From information 

obtained in response to one of plaintiff’s subpoenas, plaintiff learned that income generated by the 

infringing website was being paid directly to a Florida resident by the name of Joseph Quainter. 

Id. at ¶5. Plaintiff amended its complaint to include Joseph Quainter as a defendant and began the 

process of serving the Summons and First Amended Complaint on Mr. Quainter in Florida. Id. at 

¶6. Quainter refused certified delivery through U.S. mail. Id. at ¶7. Plaintiff than attempted 

personal service, but quickly discovered the address it obtained for Mr. Quainter is actually a PMB 

rather than a true street address. Id. at ¶8. Plaintiff now seeks leave to take additional early 

discovery in the form of two subpoenas: one to USAbox and one to CCBill, in order to obtain the 

true and proper street address for Mr. Quainter. 

 

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 Plaintiff relies on the Declaration of Gill Sperlein in Support of Plaintiffs Miscellaneous 

Administrative Request for Leave to Take Early Discovery filed on September 1, 2005. The facts 

have not changed. The only change in this Amended Request is to limit the information sought in 

the two proposed subpoenas. 

Case 3:04-cv-04175-SC Document 25 Filed 09/28/05 Page 2 of 8
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PLAINTIFF’S AMENDED MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE 

REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO TAKE EARLY DISCOVERY 

C-04-4175 (EDL) 

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Federal law provides for such relief in cases with facts similar to those set forth herein. 

ARGUMENT 

Federal Rules allow for discovery prior to a Rule 26 conference when good cause is 

shown. See Semitool, Inc. v. Tokyo Electronic America, Inc., 208 F.R.D. 273, 275-76 (N.D. Cal. 

2002).

More specifically, courts have recognized that,”[s]ervice of process can pose a special 

dilemma for plaintiffs in cases like this in which the tortuous activity occurred entirely on-line.”

Columbia Ins. Co. v. Seescandy.com, 185 F.R.D. 573, 577 (N.D. Cal. 1999). Accordingly, courts 

have developed the following factors to consider when granting motions for expedited discovery 

to identify anonymous Internet users: (1) whether the plaintiff can identify the missing party with 

sufficient specificity such that the Court can determine that defendant is a real person or entity 

who could be sued in federal court; (2) all previous steps taken by the plaintiff to identify the Doe 

defendant; and (3) whether the plaintiff’s suit could withstand a motion to dismiss. Id. at 578-80.

Each of these factors resolves in favor of granting plaintiff’s requested relief. 

 First, plaintiff has sufficiently identified an individual who is a real person who can be 

sued in Federal Court. Plaintiff filed this action against the person to whom an infringing website 

was registered. Sperlein at ¶3. Through early discovery permitted by order of this Court plaintiff 

learned that income from the infringing website was paid directly to Joseph Quainter. Id. at ¶5.

Plaintiff added Joseph Quainter as a defendant by filing a First Amended Complaint. Id. at ¶6.

Plaintiff informally sent a copy of the Summons and Complaint to Mr. Quainter. That package 

was received and signed for, however, when plaintiff attempted to send a certified copy the 

package was refused. Id. at ¶7. The person clearly exists and is receiving mail through a PMB. 

Plaintiff simply needs to identify the proper street address for the defendant. 

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C-04-4175 (EDL) 

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There is no doubt Joseph Quinter is an identifiable individual. 

 Second, plaintiff took specific steps to obtain the address for Joseph Quainter. Plaintiff 

searched on-line directories. Those directories locate a Joseph Quainter in Florida, but indicate 

that his name and address are unpublished. Id. at ¶9. Plaintiff has no e-mail address or phone 

number for Quainter [Id. at ¶10] and now Quainter is rejecting letters from plaintiff. Plaintiff has 

no other means of discovering the true and proper address of Joseph Quainter. Id. at ¶7. 

 Third, plaintiff has asserted a prima facia claim for direct copyright infringement in its 

First Amended Complaint that can withstand a motion to dismiss. Specifically, plaintiff has 

alleged that a) it owns and has registered the copyrights in the works at issue and b) the defendant 

copied or distributed those copyrighted works without plaintiff’s authorization. See Complaint. 

These allegations state a claim for copyright infringement. See 17 U.S.C. § 106(1)(3); A&M

Records, Inc. v. Napster, Inc., 239 F.3d 1004, 1014-15 (9th Cir. 2001). 

When outlining the above factors, the Columbia Court noted that in cases where injured 

parties are likely to find themselves chasing unidentified tortfeasors from Internet service provider 

(ISP) to ISP, the traditional enforcement of strict compliance with service requirements should be 

tempered by the need to provide injured parties with a forum in which they may seek redress for 

grievances. Columbia, 185 F.R.D. at 579. 

An analysis of the factors clearly demonstrates plaintiff’s legitimate interest in identifying 

the address of the individual who infringed upon its copyrighted works. Moreover, Mr. Quainter 

will have the opportunity to oppose the subpoenas and to raise any objections before the issuing 

courts, prior to the return date of the subpoenas. The Summons and First Amended Complaint 

were delivered to Mr. Quainter’s box at USAbox [Sperlein at ¶7], therefore he has actual notice he 

has been named as a defendant in this action. He has already had ample time to consult an 

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C-04-4175 (EDL) 

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attorney, and will have additional time after the subpoenas are served and prior to a response 

becoming due. 

In addition to the three factors discussed above, Courts have indicated that a plaintiff 

requesting early discovery to identify defendants should justify specific requests and explain how 

such requests “will lead to identifying information about defendant that would make service of 

process possible. See Columbia 185 F.R.D. at 580; Gillespie v. Civiletti, 629 F. 2d 637, 642 (9th

Cir.1980).

USAbox subpoena -

As stated earlier, USAbox provides a PMB to Defendant Joseph Quainter. USAbox is 

required by law to keep a record of mail recipients’ true address and can easily provide that 

information to plaintiff. 

Plaintiff requests leave to subpoena USAbox to obtain information limited to identifying 

name, street address, telephone numbers and aliases, if any, for Joseph Quainter or any other 

person renting or leasing Box 5141 from USABox, 8345 66th Street, Miami, FL during the period 

10/1/03 to 7/31/05. The proposed subpoena is attached hereto as Exhibit A. 

CCBill Subpoena –

In response to plaintiff’s first round of subpoenas, plaintiff learned that commissions for 

the infringing website were being paid to Joseph Quainter and that some of these commissions 

were being paid through the transactional processor CCBill. Sperlein at ¶11. In other words, 

CCBill is the company that actually drafted checks and sent them to Quainter. Therefore, CCBill 

also may have an address for Joseph Quainter. 

Plaintiff requests leave to subpoena CCBill to obtain information limited to “Records 

identifying the name, street address, telephone number and alias, if any, for the CCBill affiliate 

Case 3:04-cv-04175-SC Document 25 Filed 09/28/05 Page 5 of 8
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PLAINTIFF’S AMENDED MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE 

REQUEST FOR LEAVE TO TAKE EARLY DISCOVERY 

C-04-4175 (EDL) 

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associated with the following account: CCBill Affiliate ID 585369; Affiliate Registered Name: 

Joseph Quainter; Affiliate URL: kevscave.com; and Email address: kevscave.com or 

kevindorn@ureach.com.” The proposed subpoena is attached hereto as Exhibit B. 

III. CONCLUSION

 For the forgoing reasons, plaintiff respectfully submits that the Court should grant 

plaintiff’s request and enter an order substantially in the form of the attached Proposed Order. 

Dated: September 27, 2005 Respectfully submitted, 

/s/ Gill Sperlein

 _______________________________ 

GILL SPERLEIN 

Attorney for Plaintiff IO GROUP, INC. 

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[PROPOSED] ORDER

 Having considered Plaintiff’s Miscellaneous Administrative Request Pursuant to Local 

Rule 7-10 (b) for Leave to Take Discovery Prior to Rule 26 Conference and finding good cause 

therefore,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, that plaintiff be granted leave to take early discovery.

Plaintiff may seek the name, address, telephone number and any alternative names for Joseph 

Quainter by subpoenaing the information from USAbox in Miami, Florida and CCBill in Pheonix, 

Arizona, employing subpoenas in substantially the same form as those appearing as Exhibit A and 

B to Plaintiff’s Miscellaneous Administrative Request. 

Dated:___________________________ _____________________________ 

 ELIZABETH LAPORTE 

 United States District Judge 

September 28, 2005

U

NITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

IT IS SO ORDERED

Judge Elizabeth D. Laporte

Case 3:04-cv-04175-SC Document 25 Filed 09/28/05 Page 7 of 8
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

 I am over 18 years of age, am employed in the county of San Francisco, at 69 Converse 

Street, San Francisco, California, 94103. I am readily familiar with the practice of this office for 

collection and processing of correspondence for mailing with United States Postal Service and 

correspondence is deposited with United States Postal Service that same day in the ordinary 

course of business. 

 Today I served the attached: 

x PLAINTIFF’S AMENDED MISCELLANEOUS ADMINISTRATIVE REQUEST 

PURSUANT TO LOCAL RULE 7-10 (b) FOR LEAVE TO TAKE DISCOVERY PRIOR TO 

RULE 26 CONFERENCE; AND [PROPOSED] ORDER 

by causing a true and correct copy of the above to be placed with United States Postal Service 

delivery in a sealed envelope with first class postage prepaid, addressed as follows: 

Martin Tanguay aka Kevin Dorn 

1804 Boul Le Corbusier, Suite 191 

Laval, Quebec H7S 2N3 

CANADA

Joseph Quainter 

8345 NW 66th Street, #5141 

Miami, FL 33166 

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct and that this 

declaration was executed on September 27, 2005.

 /s/ Eric Burford 

 Eric Burford 

I hereby attest that this is the declaration of Eric Burford and the original with Eric 

Burford’s holographic signature is on file for production for the Court if so ordered, or for 

inspection upon request by any party. Pursuant to the laws of the United States, I declare under 

penalty of perjury the foregoing is true and correct. 

/s/ Gill Sperlein 

Dated: September 27, 2005 __________________________

 GILL SPERLEIN, 

 Counsel for Plaintiff Io Group, Inc. 

 

Case 3:04-cv-04175-SC Document 25 Filed 09/28/05 Page 8 of 8