Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_04-cv-05193/USCOURTS-cand-4_04-cv-05193-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Teena Alvarado
Respondent
Burchell Enterprises, Inc.
Petitioner
Jennifer Mogg
Respondent

Document Text:

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

In the Matter of Petitioner BURCHELL

ENTERPRISES, INC. as Owners of F/V

MARIAN ANN for Exoneration from and/or

Limitation of Liability

 /

No. 04-5193 SBA

ORDER

This matter comes before the Court on Petitioner Burchell Enterprises, Inc.’s ("Petitioner" or

“Burchell”) Request for Entry of Default against all non-appearing claimants. Having read and considered

the arguments presented by the parties in their papers, the Court finds this matter appropriate for

disposition without a hearing. The Court HEREBY GRANTS Petitioner’s Request.

BACKGROUND

On September 22, 2004, the F/V MARIAN ANN, a commercial fishing vessel owned by

Petitioner Burchell, vanished off the coast of California. Neither her wreck nor her crew, consisting of

William Burchell, John Mogg, and Mauricio Alvarado, have been found.

On December 13, 2004, Petitioner Burchell filed an Amended Complaint for exoneration from

and/or limitation of liability pursuant to 46 U.S.C. § 183 and Rule F of the Supplemental Rules of Civil

Procedure for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims ("Admiralty Rules"). By Order of this Court,

entered on December 13, 2004, the Court set January 12, 2005 as the deadline for the filing of claims and

answers in the limitation proceeding. The Court also directed the Clerk of Court to provide notice to all

claimants of the January 12, 2005 deadline in accordance with Rule F(4) of the Admiralty Rules. In cases

involving death, Rule F(4) requires that the notice be: (1) mailed to all decedents’ last known addresses;

and (2) published once a week for four consecutive weeks prior to the deadline date. 

On December 22, 2004, Petitioner’s counsel mailed the court-approved “Notice to Claimants of

Filing of Limitation Proceeding” (“Notice”) and all other related court documents to decedents at their last

known addresses. (Lovell Decl. at ¶ 2, Exs. A-C.) The decedents and known claimants are William

Burchell, John Mogg, and Mauricio Alvarado. (Id.) From December 6, 2004 to January 5, 2005,

Case 4:04-cv-05193-SBA Document 28 Filed 05/16/05 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Petitioner caused the Notice to be published in The Recorder in San Francisco, California at least four

times. (Lovell Decl. at Ex. D.) 

On January 13, 2005, Teena Alvarado and Jennifer Mog appeared by filing claims and answers.

As of the date of this Order, no claimants on behalf of William Burchell have filed an answer or a claim. 

Moreover, no other claimant has filed a claim or answer.

Petitioner now requests that this Court enter default pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure

55(a) against all non-appearing claimants. 

LEGAL STANDARD 

“Entry of default is the essential first step to obtaining a default judgment for failure to respond.” 

William W. Schwarzer, A. Wallace Tashima, James M. Wagstaffe, FEDERAL CIVIL PROCEDURE BEFORE

TRIAL § 6:36, at 6-7 (2003). Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55(a), default shall be entered “when

a party against whom a judgment for affirmative relief is sought has failed to plead or otherwise defend as

provided by these rules and that fact is made to appear by affidavit or otherwise.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a). 

If a claimant fails to respond as required, it is not entitled to any further notice before default is entered. 

Hawaii Carpenters’ Trust Funds v. Stone, 794 F.2d 508, 512 (9th Cir. 1986). Normally, the clerk of

the Court will enter default without any action being taken by a court. See, e.g., Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a)

(“[T]he clerk shall enter the party’s default.”) (emphasis added). However, a default may also be entered

by a court. See, e.g., Breuer Elec. Mfg. v. Toronado Sys. of America, 687 F.2d 182, 185 (7th Cir.

1982).

DISCUSSION

In the instant case, Petitioner has satisfied the procedural requirements for entry of default against all

non-appearing claimants pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55(a). Specifically, Petitioner’s

counsel has submitted a declaration and corresponding proof of his compliance with the service and notice

requirements of Rule F(4) of the Admiralty Rules. Additionally, the Clerk of the Court issued notice on

December 13, 2004, instructing all claimants to file their claims and serve Petitioner’s attorney with the

same on or before January 12, 2005. Thereafter, Petitioner mailed a copy of the notice to all decedents’

last known addresses and caused the notice to be published four times in The Recorder. (Lovell Decl. at

¶¶ 2-3, Exs. A-D.)

Case 4:04-cv-05193-SBA Document 28 Filed 05/16/05 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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The time allowed by the Court for responding, namely January 12, 2005, has expired. The only

claims and answers filed with the Court are those of Teena Alvarado and Jennifer Mogg. Although Teena

Alvarado and Jennifer Mogg filed their claims and answers on January 13, 2005, one day after the January

12, 2005 deadline that this Court set, no default will be entered against them. The Court may properly

decline to enter default against a claimant if that claimant has filed a response indicating its intent to defend

the action. See, e.g., Mitchell v. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., 294 F.3d 1309, 1317 (11th Cir.

2002). Even a late-filed responsive pleading may prevent the entry of default. Id.

However, all other potential claimants, including but not limited to any claimants for William

Burchell, have failed to file a pleading or claim as permitted by law. Consequently, the Court GRANTS

Petitioner’s Request for Entry of Default against all non-appearing claimants. 

CONCLUSION

The Court GRANTS Petitioner’s Request for Entry of Default against all non-appearing claimants

pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55(a). The Court DIRECTS the clerk of the Court to enter

default against "all non-appearing claimants, including but not limited to any claimants for William Burchell." 

The Clerks’s entry of default shall also specifically state that “default shall not be entered against Teena

Alvarado and Jennifer Mogg,” as both appeared in this action on January 13, 2005.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

 /s/ Saundra Brown Armstrong 

Dated: 5-16-05 SAUNDRA BROWN ARMSTRONG

United States District Judge

Case 4:04-cv-05193-SBA Document 28 Filed 05/16/05 Page 3 of 3