Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-05227/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-05227-4/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Carpenters Pension Trust Fund for Northern California
Defendant
Gary Giannini
Plaintiff

Document Text:

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DISTRICT 

COURT

For the Northern District of California

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 Record citations are to documents in the Electronic Case File (“ECF”); pinpoint citations

are to the ECF-generated page numbers at the top of the documents.

C 14-05227 LB

ORDER

UNITED 

STATES 

DISTRICT 

COURT

For the Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

Northern District of California

San Francisco Division

GARY GIANNINI,

Plaintiff,

v.

CARPENTERS PENSION TRUST FUND

FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA,

Defendant.

_____________________________________/

No. C 14-05227 LB

ORDER EXTENDING THE

DEADLINE FOR PLAINTIFF TO

FILE A FIRST AMENDED

COMPLAINT AND CONTINUING

THE INITIAL CASE MANAGEMENT

CONFERENCE TO APRIL 23, 2015

[Re: ECF Nos. 19, 20]

Plaintiff Gary Giannini filed a breach of contract claim and a “failure to notify” claim against

Defendant Carpenters Pension Trust Fund for Northern California (the “Fund”) in state court. The

Fund removed the action to federal court moved to dismiss Mr. Giannini’s claims, arguing that they

are preempted under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). (Notice of

Removal, ECF No. 1; Motion, ECF No. 5.1

) On February 5, 2015, the court granted the Fund’s

motion and dismissed with prejudice Mr. Giannini’s breach of contract claim and his “failure to

notify” claim. (2/5/2015 Order, ECF No. 19.) However, because it was not clear whether it would

be futile to allow Mr. Giannini to allege a claim against the Fund under ERISA § 502(a)(1)(B), the

court dismissed without prejudice Mr. Giannini’s complaint and granted him leave to file a First

Amended Complaint that alleges a claim under ERISA § 502(a)(1)(B) by February 27, 2015. 

Case 3:14-cv-05227-LB Document 21 Filed 03/04/15 Page 1 of 3
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DISTRICT 

COURT

For the Northern District of California

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C 14-05227 LB

ORDER 2

Because he is proceeding pro se, the court reminded Mr. Giannini that he previously had been

provided with a copy of the district court's Handbook for Litigants Without a Lawyer. (See

12/24/2014 Order (Handbook attached).) It also informed Mr. Giannini that he may wish to seek

assistance from the Legal Help Center, a free service of the Volunteer Legal Services Program, by

calling 415-782-8982, or by signing up for an appointment on the15th Floor of the Federal

Courthouse in San Francisco, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California. 

On February 12, 2015, Mr. Giannini filed a letter saying that he does not understand the papers

he has received from the Fund’s attorneys and reiterating that all he is asking for is the money that

he paid into the Fund for almost 29 years. (2/12/2015 Letter, ECF No. 20.) He also asks the court to

review the papers attached to the letter, which, although they are not authenticated, appear to be (1)

a letter from Mr. Giannini to the Fund that is dated January 16, 2013 in which he informs the Fund

that he would like to appeal the Fund’s decision, (2) a letter from the Fund to Mr. Giannini dated

February 7, 2013 regarding his appeal, (3) a print-out of Mr. Giannini’s pension benefit calculation,

and (4) the Fund’s zone status and annual funding notice for plan year September 1, 2014 through

August 31, 2015. 

Mr. Giannini’s letter is not a First Amended Complaint, and he did not file one by the February

27, 2015 deadline for doing so. And without a First Amended Complaint, the documents he

submitted cannot be considered by the court. 

In light of Mr. Giannini’s pro se status, the court, for this time only, will give him additional time

to file a First Amended Complaint that alleges a claim under ERISA § 502(a)(1)(B). If he chooses

to do so, he must do so by March 19, 2015. If he does not, the court will dismiss his action without

prejudice for failure to prosecute it. 

The court also once again reminds Mr. Giannini that he has previously been provided with a

copy of the district court's Handbook for Litigants Without a Lawyer, and that he may wish to seek

assistance from the Legal Help Center. The court attaches the Handbook and the court’s February 5,

2015 order to this order, too.

Finally, in light of the court extending the time for Mr. Giannini to file a First Amended

Complaint, the court continues the March 5, 2015 initial case management conference to April 23,

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COURT

For the Northern District of California

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C 14-05227 LB

ORDER 3

UNITED 

STATES 

DISTRICT 

COURT

For the Northern District of California

2015 at 11:00 a.m. in Courtroom C, 15th Floor, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California

94102. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 4, 2015 _______________________________

LAUREL BEELER

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:14-cv-05227-LB Document 21 Filed 03/04/15 Page 3 of 3