Source: http://il.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20040715_0001369.NIL.htm/qx
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 15:05:44+00:00

Document:
CRACKER BARREL RESTAURANT # 221, Defendant.
This matter comes before the Court on Defendant CBOCS West's ("Cracker Barrel") motion to dismiss pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 4(m), 12(b)(4), and 12(b)(5). For the reasons set forth below, the motion is denied.
Plaintiff Hedrick Humphries ("Humphries") brings this case pursuant to Title VII and 42 U.S.C. § 1981, alleging discrimination on account of race and color by his former employer, Cracker Barrel. It is unnecessary to delve into the substantive facts of the case in order to decide the motion before the Court. Given the nature of the motion, however, the procedural history of the claim is critical. Humphries filed his complaint pro se on June 2, 2003. At that time, he also sought to proceed in forma pauperis ("IFP") pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(d) and asked the Court to appoint an attorney for him under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(1). On June 25, 2003, we denied IFP status due to his $36,000 annual income and his failure to specify what amount of that figure was devoted to supporting his dependents. We also declined to appoint counsel, in part because Humphries failed to demonstrate reasonable attempts to obtain legal assistance.
On October 14, 2003, Humphries renewed his IFP petition, supplying an amended application containing information about his monthly obligations. We noted a contradiction between his stated $1100 monthly mortgage payment and a $350 monthly car payment and his claim elsewhere in the petition that he owned no real estate or automobiles. These inconsistencies convinced us that Humphries was not indigent, mandating a denial of IFP status. Additionally, we warned Humphries that lack of candor in making representations to a court can lead to dismissal of an entire complaint with prejudice.
Around the time of the second denial, Humphries attempted to personally serve Cracker Barrel by mailing a copy of the complaint to the restaurant at which he worked, addressed to the Legal Department. On November 26, Cracker Barrel moved to dismiss the complaint and notified Humphries of the motion. In support of its motion, Cracker Barrel identified the deficiencies in the prior attempt at service.
On December 2, Humphries filed another amended IFP application and request for counsel, this time seeking to explain the contradictions in the second IFP application and to demonstrate his reasonable attempts at retaining counsel. On December 8, we denied the renewed requests and informed Humphries to pay the filing fee or drop his claim. On December 11, Cracker Barrel again moved to dismiss the complaint. Since Humphries failed to appear and had not yet paid the $150 filing fee, we took no action. Humphries paid the filing fee on January 14, 2004, but has yet to properly serve Cracker Barrel. Cracker Barrel resubmitted its motion to dismiss on May 24, 2003, urging us to dismiss the complaint for insufficiency of process, inadequate service of process, and unreasonable delay in effecting service, in accordance with Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(4), 12(b)(5), and 4(m).
The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provide that service on a corporate defendant may be effected by delivering a copy of summons to an officer or agent of the corporation. Fed.R. Civ. Proc. 4(h)(1). Illinois law allows corporations to be served by leaving a copy of the process with a registered agent or an officer or agent of the corporation anywhere within the state. Id.; Fed.R.Civ.Proc. 4(e)(1); 735 ILCS 5/2-204. A defendant may be personally served by any individual over 18 years of age who is not a party to the action. Fed.R.Civ.P. 4(c). Rule 4(m) provides a plaintiff 120 days from the filing of the complaint to properly serve the defendant. If the plaintiff has filed an IFP application, the 120-day period does not begin to run until either the petition is granted or when the plaintiff pays the requisite filing fee if the petition is denied. See Williams-Guice v. Board of Educ., 45 F.3d 161, 165 (7th Cir. 1995); Robinson v. America's Best Contacts and Eyeglasses, 876 F.2d 596, 598 (7th Cir. 1989). However, the time limitation imposed by Rule 4(m) is not absolute. See Floyd v. United States, 900 F.2d 1045, 1049 (7th Cir. 1990) (deeming 120-day allotment a "useful tool for docket management, not an instrument of oppression"). The rule requires a court to extend the time period for service if the plaintiff can establish good cause for non-compliance. Fed.R.Civ.P. 4(m); Panaras v. Liquid Carbonic Indus. Corp., 94 F.3d 338, 340 (7th Cir. 1996). Additionally, a court in its discretion may decline to dismiss the action and extend the time period for service notwithstanding plaintiff's inability to establish good cause, if the court determines it is in the interest of justice to do so. Panaras, 94 F.3d at 340.
Humphries does not dispute that the 120 days for service have come and gone. However, proper assessment of the instant motion requires us to determine precisely when it elapsed. Cracker Barrel gives several options and emphasizes that the initial presentation of the complaint occurred over a year ago in June 2003. Because this case involves IFP proceedings, we cannot agree that June is the correct starting point. Rather, as Williams-Guice and Robinson make clear, the filing of an IFP petition stalls the service clock until IFP status is conferred or until a denial is followed by payment of the filing fee.

References: § 1981
 § 1915
 § 1915
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