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

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Alfred Green,

Plaintiff,

v. 

Corizon Health Services, et al.,

Defendants.

No. CV-18-00068-TUC-RM

ORDER 

Pending before the Court is Defendant Corizon Health Services, Inc.’s Motion for 

Leave to File a Reply to the Motion for Summary Judgment. (Doc. 83.) Also pending 

before the Court is Plaintiff’s “Request for Default Against Defendants” (Doc. 85) which 

shall be re-docketed as a Response to Defendant’s Motion for Leave to File a Reply.

On November 15, 2019, Defendant filed a Motion for Summary Judgment. (Doc. 

74.) Plaintiff filed a Response on December 23, 2019 (Doc. 80), and Defendant’s Reply 

was due on January 7, 2020 (see Doc. 76.) Defendant requested leave to file an untimely 

Reply on April 3, 2020. (Doc. 83.) Defendant states that its failure to file a timely Reply 

was an “inadvertent oversight.” (Id.) Defendant states that it was actively litigating the 

matter, as it had filed a motion for summary judgment and was intending to file a reply. 

(Id.) Plaintiff filed a “Request for Default Against Defendants” on April 14, 2020. (Doc. 

85.) Although Plaintiff’s filing is captioned “Request for Default,” upon reviewing the 

filing, the Court determines that it is a Response in opposition to Defendant’s Motion. 

Case 4:18-cv-00068-RM Document 87 Filed 04/27/20 Page 1 of 3
- 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

Plaintiff argues that “Defendants should not be able to shield their actions or inactions by 

using case citations when it is simply [] a legal and tactical advantage. Plaintiff makes 

this request[] just as, would have the defendant had the plaintiff failed to reply to 

summary judgment.” The Court infers that Plaintiff opposes Defendant’s request for 

leave to file a late reply.

A court may extend the time for a party to act “on motion made after the time has 

expired if the party failed to act because of excusable neglect.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(b). The 

determination of whether neglect is excusable is “an equitable one, taking account of all 

relevant circumstances surrounding the party’s omission.” Pioneer Inv. Servs. Co. v. 

Brunswick Assocs. Ltd. P'ship, 507 U.S. 380, 395 (1993). Such factors include “the 

danger of prejudice to the [opposing party], the length of the delay and its potential 

impact on judicial proceedings, the reason for the delay, including whether it was within 

the reasonable control of the movant, and whether the movant acted in good faith.” Id.

Where the failure to act was the result of excusable neglect, the Court is permitted to 

accept late filings caused by inadvertence, mistake, or carelessness. Id. at 388.

The Court finds that Defendant has shown that the untimely filing of the Reply 

was the result of excusable neglect. The Court has not yet issued a ruling on the Motion 

for Summary Judgment. Therefore, the three-month delay in filing the Reply has, if any, 

a slight impact on judicial proceedings and creates mild, if any, prejudice to Plaintiff. 

Although Plaintiff opposes the request, he has not shown that the late filing would cause 

prejudice or have a substantial impact on the proceedings. Moreover, there is no evidence 

that Defendant has acted in bad faith. Absent some countervailing factor not present here, 

a party’s late filing as a result of inadvertence or carelessness is properly characterized as 

excusable neglect and is therefore permissible under Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(b).

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

. . . .

Case 4:18-cv-00068-RM Document 87 Filed 04/27/20 Page 2 of 3
- 3 -

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

Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED that Defendant’s Motion for Leave to File a Reply to the 

Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 83) is granted. Defendant’s Lodged Proposed 

Reply to the Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 84) shall be filed as Defendant’s 

Reply to the Motion for Summary Judgment.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of Court shall re-docket Plaintiff’s 

“Request for Default Against Defendants” (Doc. 85) as a Response to the Motion for 

Leave to File a Reply.

Dated this 24th day of April, 2020.

Case 4:18-cv-00068-RM Document 87 Filed 04/27/20 Page 3 of 3