Opinion ID: 438941
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Entry of Default Judgment Against the Secretary.

Text: 7 Rule 55(e) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that [n]o judgment by default shall be entered against the United States or an officer or agency thereof unless the claimant establishes his claim or right to relief by evidence satisfactory to the court. Fed.R.Civ.P. 55(e) (emphasis added). Appellant's request for a default judgment sets forth only that more than 60 days had elapsed since the Secretary's receipt of the complaint. Although appellant appended numerous documents to his complaint as exhibits, it is clear that the district court did not at any time consider whether appellant had submitted satisfactory evidence in support of his claim. The default judgment was entered by the clerk of the district court, who was performing a wholly ministerial act. Thus, the judgment included no findings by the district court regarding the merits of appellant's claim. Rule 55(e) plainly prohibits the entry of the default judgment entered here against the Secretary. See Giampaoli v. Califano, 628 F.2d 1190 (9th Cir.1980). 8