Opinion ID: 534080
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Denial of Plaintiff's Request for Default Judgment.

Text: 9 Ishman appears to argue that the district court committed reversible error by not granting her request for a default judgment for $25,000,000 after the defendant's 3-day delay in filing reply papers in connection with the dismissal motion. The grant or denial of a default judgment is a matter for the district court's discretion. Aldabe v. Aldabe, 616 F.2d 1089, 1092 (9th Cir.1980). Moreover, the Federal Rules dictate that [n]o judgment by default shall be entered against the United States or an officer or agency thereof unless the claimant establishes a claim or right to relief by evidence satisfactory to the court. Fed.R.Civ.P. 55(e). In light of the facts that the Service was not totally deficient in defending against this suit, that the filing delay was short, that the requested judgment was very substantial, and that the court was not convinced of the merit of the claim, the district court acted well within the scope of its discretion by denying the request for default judgment. 10