SERVE D AUGUS T 3 , 201 0 U.S . DEPARTMEN T O FTRANSPORTATIO N

OFFIC E O FHEARING S - [ WASHINGTON , D.C . I N TH E MATTE RO F CLAR E ELAIN E SPEARIN G Responden t FA A DOCKE T NO . CP10EA000 3 DMSNo . FAA-2010-031 3 ADMINISTRATIV E LA WJUDGE' S DECISIO N GRANTIN G

MOTIO N FO RSUMMAR Y JUDGMEN T O n Jul y 15 , 2010 , th e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n (FAA) , b y counsel , mad e amotio n seekin g ajudgmen t o n th e pleadings . Th e motio n aske dm e t o hol d tha t th e Responden t

wa s i n defaul t

b y reaso n o f

he r failur e t o fil e an answe r

o r motio n directe dt o th e complaint , a s Responden t wa s require dt o d o unde r 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.209 , an dimpos e acivi l penalt y i n th e amoun t o f $1,100 . Th e motio n shal l b e treate da s amotio n for summary judgmen t

an dwil l b e granted . Th e FA A issuedaNotic e o f Propose dCivi l Penalt y o n Januar y 11 , 2010 . I t allege dth e Responden t

ha dviolate dsectio n 121.575(a ) o f th e Federa l Aviatio n Regulation s (FAR) , 1 4 C.F.R . § 121.575(a) , b y drinkin g an alcoholi c beverag e whic h sh e ha dcarrie dont o th e aircraf t aboar daflight

subjec t t o th e FAA' s jurisdiction . O n Apri l 6 , 2010 , Responden t submitte dalette r

i n respons e t o th e Notice . Respondent' s lette r mad e areques t

for ahearing . I t

als o se t fort hth e Respondent' s versio n o f

th e fact s an dliste dfiv e factor s for whic hsh e believe d supporte dmitigatio n o f

th e propose dpenalty . I n accordanc e with§ 13.208(a ) o f th e Procedura l Rules , 1 4 C.F.R . §13.208 , th e FA A filed acomplain t o n Apri l 15 , 2010 . Th e thir dpag e o f th e complain t include danot e statin g tha t "th e Rule s o f

Practic e provid e tha t

th e Responden t mus t file awritte n answe r

t o thi s Complaint.. . no t late r tha n 3 0 day s after

th e dat e show n o n th e Certificat e o f Service " an dcite d§ 13.20 9 o f th e Rules , 1 4 C.F.R . §13.209 , whic h set s fort hth e requirement s fo

r aformal writte n answer . O n May 14 , 201 0 I wa s assigne dt o th e proceedin g an do n May 17 , 201 0 I issue daPrehearin g Orde r Establishin g Procedures . P^agrap h4 o f tha t Orde r state dtha t

"th e Procedural Rule s requir e th e Responden t t o file an answe r

t o th e complain t

withi n 3 0 day s after

th e complain t

wa s served. " I t

i s clear , therefore , tha t

Responden t

Va s twic e give n expres s notic e tha t sh e wa s require dt o file awritte n answer . Nonetheless , sh e di dno t

d o so . Th e Complainan t ha s no w move dfor

a judgmen t i n it s favo r

basedo n th e languag e o f § 13.209(f

) o f th e Rules , 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.209(f) , whic hprovide s tha t arespondent' s "failur e t o file an answe r withou t goo dcaus e shal l b e deeme dan admissio n o f th e trutho f

eac hallegatio n containe d i n th e complaint. " Th e Complainant' s positio n i s well-taken , thoug hi t i s painfu l t o sa y so . Th e purpos e o f

pre-hearin g pleading s i s t o provid e t o eac hparty notic e o f th e positio n o f

th e othe r party , an di t

seem s clesi

r that th e Respondent' s Apri l 6 , 201 0 letter , whic hi s i n th e FAA' s file, provide dComplainant' s counse l wit h ampl e notic e o f

he r positio n with respec t

t o th e charge s brough t

agains t her . Nevertheless , i t

i s well-establishe da s amatte r o f agenc y polic y tha t

pre complain t v^itings , includin g response s t o notice s o f propose dcivi l penalty , d o no t satisf y th e requirement

for aformal writte n answer . Donal dM . Missirlian . FA A Orde r No . 97-19 , 199 7 WL30726 5 (May 23 , 1997 ) (citin g Florenc e L.Bamhill . FA A Orde r

No . 92-32 , 199 2 WL75316 1 (Ma y 5,1992)) . I hav e n o choic e excep t t o carr y ou t thi s well-establishe dpolicy , eve n thoug hI wouldotherwis e b e incline d t o excus e th e Respondent' s technica l default , particularl y i n ligh t o f th e fac t that sh e i s no t represente db y counse l i n thi s case . Consequently , I mus t

regar dth e trutho f

th e allegation s o f

th e cwnplain t

a s havin g bee n admitted . Th e complain t say s tha t o n Apri l 17 , 2009 , Clar e Elain e Spearing , th e Respondent , boarde dContinenta l Airline s Fligh t 166 0 fi-omBermud a t o Newark , Ne w Jersey . I t goe s on^t o stat e tha t

prio r t o boarding , Responden t ha d purchase dabottl e o f

champagn e tl^a

t sh e the n carrie dwithhe r aboar dth e aircraft . Onc e o n boar dth e aircraft , Responden t i s allege dt o hav e poure dhersel f aglas s o f th e champagn e sh e ha dcarrie do n board . A flight attendan t subsequentl y instructe dResponden t

t o refirai n fro mdrinkin g th e champagne . Ignorin g th e flight attendant' s request , th e complain t says . Responden t

proceede dt o drin k

th e champagn e sh e ha dpoured . These; fact s msdc e ou t aprim afaci e cas e tha t Responden t

violate d§ 121.575(a ) o f th e FAR , whic hprovide s tha t "[n] o perso n may drin k

an y alcoholi c beverag e aboar da n aircraf t unles s th e certificat e holde r operatin g th e aircraf

t ha s serve dtha t

beverag e t o him. "( : • « Th e complain t sough t t o asses s acivi l penalty o f $1,100 , an amoun t

whic hi s consisten t withth e guidanc e provide di n FA A Orde r No . 2150.3 . I n thes e circumstances , I grant th e FAA' s motio n fo

r judgment . Th e Responden t

i s assesse dacivi l penalt y o f $1,10 0 which , i n th e absence o f a n appea l t o th e Administrato r

o r revie w b y th e Administrato r o n hi s ow n motion , a s provide di n § 13.23 3 o f

th e Procedura l Rules , 1 4 C.F.R . § 13.233 , shal l b e pai dt o th e Federa l Aviatio n Administratio n forthwith . I T I S S O ORDERED . Isaa c D . Benki n Administrativ e La w Judg eF A A DOCKE T NO . CP10EA000 3 (Civi l Penalt y Action ) SERVIC ELIS T " I f ORIGINA L& ON ECOP Y I

«, < Federa l Aviatio nAdministratio n| | 80 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W . P Washington , D C 2059 1 V I Attention : Hearin g Docke t Clerk , AGC-43 0 Wilbu r Wrigh t Building—Suit e 2W1000 ^

O N ECOP Y Clar e Elain e Spearing , Responden t | | 70 3 Atlanti s | | 5 Parliamen t

Stree t l i Hamilto nHM1 2 ~ ' § Bermud aM • K 1 Christia nL . Lewerenz , Complainant' s Counse l >" ] Offic e o f th e Regiona l Counse l | l Federa l Aviatio nAdministratio ng | 1 Aviatio nPlaz aI f Jamaica , N Y 1143 4 f i TEL : 718-553-327 3 1 FAX : 718-995-569 9 f| | Th e Honorabl e Isaa c D . Benkin , Administrativ e La w Judg e f ? i Offic e o f Hearings , M-2 0 '^J . U.S . Departmen t

o f Transportatio n 120 0 Ne w Jerse y Avenue , S.E . Eas t Buildin g Groun dFloor , Roo mE12-32 0 Washington , D C 2059 0 TIEL : Attorney-Adviso r

202-366-213 9 Lega l Assistan t

202-366-213 2 FAX : 202-366-753 6

' Servic e wa s by U.S . Mail . Fo r servic e i n perso n o r b y expedite dcourier , us e th e following address : Federa l Aviation Administration , 60 0 Independenc e Avenue , S.W. , Wilbu r Wrigh t Building—^Suit

e 2W1000 , Washington , DC 20591 ; Attention : Hearin g Docket Clerk , AGC-430 .