Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00886/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00886-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
JT USA, Inc.
Defendant
JT USA, LLC
Defendant
Mary Dawn Pascale
Plaintiff

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1

 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

----oo0oo----

MARY DAWN PASCALE,

NO. CIV. S-05-0886 WBS KJM

Plaintiff,

v. ORDER

RE: MOTION TO SUBSTITUTE PARTY

JT USA, INC. and DOES 1-50,

Defendants.

----oo0oo---- 

Plaintiff moves the court for an order pursuant to

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 25(c) to substitute JT USA, LLC

(“JT LLC”) as a defendant in place of DOE 1. Plaintiff contends

that the substitution is necessary because defendant JT USA INC

(“JT INC”) has become JT LLC, a limited liability corporation,

and now refuses to accept service as JT INC. The requested

substitution appears to be appropriate. However,“motions to

amend a complaint to substitute a named defendant for a Doe

defendant are governed by [Federal] Rule [of Civil Procedure]

15,” and not Rule 25(c). Butler v. Robar Enters., Inc., 208

F.R.D. 621, 622 (C.D. Cal. 2002). Rule 15(a) provides that “[a]

party may amend the party’s pleading once as a matter of course

Case 2:05-cv-00886-WBS -KJM Document 9 Filed 08/25/05 Page 1 of 2
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at any time before a responsive pleading is served. . . .” 

Because service has not been received, no responsive pleading has

been filed in this action. Nor has plaintiff previously amended

her pleading. Therefore, pursuant to Rule 15(a), plaintiff is

free to amend her complaint to add JT LLC as a named defendant if

she wishes.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that plaintiff’s motion to

substitute JT USA LLC as a defendant in place of DOE 1 be, and

the same hereby is, GRANTED in that plaintiff may amend her

complaint to add JT LLC as a named defendant. 

DATED: August 24, 2005

Case 2:05-cv-00886-WBS -KJM Document 9 Filed 08/25/05 Page 2 of 2