Opinion ID: 146453
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Improper Service and Denial of Jurisdictional Discovery

Text: [W]hen a defendant moves to dismiss under Rule 12(b)(5), the plaintiff bears the burden of proving adequate service. Burda Media, Inc. v. Viertel, 417 F.3d 292, 298 (2d Cir.2005) (parentheses omitted). The plaintiffs stipulate that service on defendant Mahoney was inadequate, but argue that they should have been provided discovery and additional time to effect service. We conclude that because the plaintiffs made neither a reasonable effort to effect service nor filed a motion for an extension of time to do so pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6(b), the district court did not abuse its discretion when it denied discovery or additional time. With respect to defendant Pappas, the argument that service on him was improper has been abandoned on appeal. Assuming as we must that service on Pappas was proper, the dismissal of the case against him nonetheless was warranted for the same reasons that we affirm the grant of summary judgment in favor of the other defendants. See Alli-Balogun v. United States, 281 F.3d 362, 364 (2d Cir.2002) (affirming on grounds other than those relied on by the district court).