Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01679/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01679-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Curtis Renee Jackson
Plaintiff
D. Mendenhall
Defendant

Document Text:

1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CURTIS RENEE JACKSON, 

 Plaintiff,

 vs.

D. MENDENHALL,

 Defendant.

1:13-cv-01679-GSA-PC

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S 

REQUEST FOR ENTRY OF DEFAULT

AGAINST DEFENDANT MENDENHALL

(Doc. 20.)

I. BACKGROUND

Curtis R. Jackson (“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma 

pauperis with this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1983. This case now proceeds on 

Plaintiff’s original Complaint, filed on October 17, 2013, against sole defendant D. Mendenhall

(“Defendant”) for subjecting Plaintiff to excessive force in violation of the Eighth Amendment. 

(Doc. 1.) 

On March 13, 2015, Plaintiff filed a request for entry of default against Defendant. 

(Doc. 118.)

II. ENTRY OF DEFAULT 

Entry of default is appropriate as to any party against whom a judgment for affirmative 

relief is sought that has failed to plead or otherwise defend as provided by the Federal Rules of 

Civil Procedure and where that failure is shown by affidavit or otherwise. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 

55(a). Rule 12 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides, A[A] defendant must serve an 

answer within 21 days after being served with the summons and complaint; or if it has timely 

Case 1:13-cv-01679-SAB Document 21 Filed 03/17/15 Page 1 of 2
2

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

waived service under Rule 4(d), within 60 days after the request for a waiver was sent.@ Fed. 

R. Civ. P. 12(a)(1)(A). Under Rule 4(d), a defendant may waive service of a summons by 

signing and returning a waiver of service. Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(d). If a defendant fails to plead or 

otherwise defend an action after being properly served with a summons and complaint, default 

may be entered pursuant to Rule 55(a) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

III. DISCUSSION

Plaintiff argues that Defendant failed to file a timely response to the Complaint, because

Defendant was served with process on February 2, 2015, and did not file an answer within 

thirty days of the date of service. 

The record in this action shows otherwise. On February 16, 2015, Defendant signed a 

waiver of service, allowing him “60 days after 1/16/15” to file “an answer or motion under 

Rule 12.” (Doc. 15 at 1.) Therefore, Defendant had until March 20, 2015, to timely file an 

answer or Rule 12 motion.1 On March 5, 2015, Defendant filed a timely answer to the 

complaint. (Doc. 16.) Based on this record, there is no evidence that Defendant failed to plead 

or otherwise defend against the Complaint, and Plaintiff is not entitled to entry of default 

against Defendant on this ground.

IV. CONCLUSION

Based on the foregoing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Plaintiff’s request for entry of 

default against Defendant, filed on March 13, 2015, is DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 17, 2015 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

 

1 Pursuant to Rule 6(d), AWhen a party may or must act within a specified time after service and 

service is made under Rule 5(b)(2)(C), (D), (E), or (F), 3 days are added after the period would otherwise expire 

under Rule 6(a)). Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(d). The waiver granted Defendant sixty days after January 16, 2015 in which 

to file a timely answer or Rule 12 motion, which is March 17, 2015. Id. With three days added, Defendant’s 

deadline was March 20, 2015. 

Case 1:13-cv-01679-SAB Document 21 Filed 03/17/15 Page 2 of 2