Central Laborers' Pension Fund v. Signature Demolition Services Inc.

CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedJanuary 20, 2021
Docket1:20-cv-01656
StatusUnknown

This text of Central Laborers' Pension Fund v. Signature Demolition Services Inc. (Central Laborers' Pension Fund v. Signature Demolition Services Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Central Laborers' Pension Fund v. Signature Demolition Services Inc., (N.D. Ill. 2021).

Opinion

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION

CENTRAL LABORERS’ PENSION FUND, ) CENTRAL LABORERS’ WELFARE FUND (ACTIVES & ) RETIREES), ) CENTRAL LABORERS’ ANNUITY FUND, ) NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS LABORERS’ ) HEALTH AND WELFARE FUND (“NC Welfare”), ) NORTHERN ILLINOIS LABORERS’ ANNUITY FUND ) (“NI Annuity”), ) ILLINOIS LABORERS AND CONTRACTORS JOINT ) APPRENTICESHIP & TRAINING TRUST FUND, ) MIDWEST REGION FOUNDATION FOR FAIR ) CONTRACTING (“MRFFC”), ) CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ADVANCEMENT FUND, ) NORTH CENTRAL LABORERS-EMPLOYERS ) COOPERATION AND EDUCATION TRUST, ) MARKET PROMOTION FUND, ) MIDWEST REGION ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE, ) GREAT PLAINS LABORERS’ VACATION FUND, and the ) GREAT PLAINS LABORERS’ DISTRICT COUNCIL ) WORKING DUES CHECK OFF FUND ) ) Plaintiffs, ) v. ) Case No. 20-Cv-1656 ) SIGNATURE DEMOLITION SERVICES INC., ) Judge Edmond E. Chang an Illinois corporation, ) ) Defendant. )

PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR DEFAULT JUDGMENT

Plaintiffs CENTRAL LABORERS’ PENSION FUND, et al., by their attorneys and pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 55(b) and 54, respectfully move this Court to enter a default judgment in favor of Plaintiffs and against Defendant SIGNATURE DEMOLITION SERVICES INC., and in support of their motion Plaintiffs state as follows: 1. This is an ERISA action by fringe benefit funds to, inter alia, recover fringe benefit contributions owed to Plaintiffs. (See, e.g., Docket Entry # 1 – Complaint.) 2. Plaintiffs filed their amended complaint on March 7, 2020. (Docket Entry # 4.) The amended complaint was served on May 5, 2020. (Docket Entry # 13.) 3. In a court order entered on December 11, 2020, (Docket Entry # 28), Defendant SIGNATURE DEMOLITION SERVICES INC. was ordered to answer the amended complaint. The order further stated that “[i]f no answer is filed on time, then the Defendant is deemed to be in default, and the Plaintiffs shall file a motion for default judgment in a sum certain.” (Docket Entry # 28.) 4. Defendant SIGNATURE DEMOLITION SERVICES INC. has not filed an appearance, answer, other responsive pleading or motion.

5. Plaintiffs are entitled to a default judgment against all Defendants on the underlying claim, in an amount not less than $1,442.20, for delinquent fringe benefit contributions, work dues, liquidated late payment assessments for delinquent fringe benefit contributions, and audit costs. In support, Plaintiffs attach the Affidavit of Plaintiffs’ Employer Contributions Department Director Larry Sciortino as Exhibit A. 6. ERISA provides that upon recovery of unpaid benefit contributions by a fiduciary of a benefit plan, “the court shall award the plan…reasonable attorney’s fees and costs of the action, to be paid by the defendant.” 29 U.S.C. § 1132(g)(2)(D) (emphasis added). An award of attorneys' fees under this section is non-discretionary. Plumbers' Pension Fund v. Domas Mech. Contractors, Inc., 778 F.2d 1266, 1271 (7th Cir. 1985); Laborers' Pension Fund v. Blackmore

Sewer Const., Inc., 298 F.3d 600, 608 (7th Cir. 2002). The Seventh Circuit flatly rejected the notion that the fees must be calculated proportionally to damages, opining that “it is absolutely permissible to spend $100,000 litigating what is known to be a $10,000 claim if that is a reasonable method of achieving the result.” Anderson v. AB Painting, 578 F.3d 542, 546 (7th Cir. 2009). 7. With entry of default judgment, Plaintiffs are entitled to an award of reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs pursuant to § 1132(g)(2)(D). 8. Plaintiffs expended $605.00 in court filing fees, process server fees, deposition services, and related costs in this action. (See Exhibit B.) 9. Plaintiffs expended not less than $3,602.50 in attorney’s fees in this action. (See Exhibit B.) 10. In support of an additional money judgment in the amount of $4,207.50 for costs ($605.00) and attorneys’ fees ($3,602.50) to date, Plaintiffs attach a fees and costs affidavit as Exhibit B.

11. The total judgment amount will therefore be $5,649.70 ($1,442.20 + $4,207.50). WHEREFORE, pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 55(b) and 54, Plaintiffs respectfully ask that the Court enter a default judgment in an amount not less than $5,649.70 in favor of Plaintiffs and against Defendant SIGNATURE DEMOLITION SERVICES INC.

Respectfully submitted, CENTRAL LABORERS’ PENSION FUND, et al.

By: /s/ Richard A. Toth Richard A. Toth DALEY AND GEORGES, LTD. Attorneys for Plaintiffs 20 S. Clark St., Suite 400 Chicago, IL 60603-1835 (312) 726-8797 rtoth@daleygeorges.com UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION CENTRAL LABORERS’ PENSION FUND, ) CENTRAL LABORERS* WELFARE FUND (ACTIVES & } RETIREES), } CENTRAL LABORERS’ ANNUITY FUND, ) NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS LABORERS’ ) HEALTH AND WELFARE FUND (“NC Welfare”), ) NORTHERN ILLINOIS LABORERS’ ANNUITY FUND ) (“NI Annuity”), ) TLLINOIS LABORERS AND CONTRACTORS JOINT } APPRENTICESHIP & TRAINING TRUST FUND, ) MIDWEST REGION FOUNDATION FOR FAIR ) CONTRACTING (“MREFC’, } CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY ADVANCEMENT FUND, ) NORTH CENTRAL LABORERS-EMPLOYERS } COOPERATION AND EDUCATION TRUST, } MARKET PROMOTION FUND, } MIDWEST REGION ORGANIZATION COMMITTEE, ) GREAT PLAINS LABORERS’ VACATION FUND, and the } GREAT PLAINS LABORERS’ DISTRICT COUNCIL } WORKING DUES CHECK OFF FUND } ) Plaintiffs, ) v. ) Case No, 20-Cy-1656 ) SIGNATURE DEMOLITION SERVICES INC., ) Judge Edmond E. Chang an Illinois corporation, ) ) Defendant. ) AFFIDAVIT OF LARRY SCIORTINO ! I, Larry Sciortino, affiant, being first duly sworn on oath, depose and say as follows: I am presently the Employer Contributions Department Director of the CENTRAL LABORERS’ PENSION FUND and affiliated fringe benefit funds (the “Funds”). By virtue of my authority in that position I have direct personal knowledge of all facts stated in this Affidavit and if called as a witness could give testimony with respect thereto. Zs Defendant SIGNATURE DEMOLITION SERVICES INC. owes the Funds not less than $1,442.20, consisting of audited delinquent fringe benefit contributions, participant work dues, late payment assessments for delinquent fringe benefit contributions and audit costs (but exclusive of attorney fees and court costs), The original, total amount owed was not less than $13,829.17, however $12,386.97 has been paid to date, leaving a balance due of $1,442.21. Ihave attached to my affidavit a schedule detatling the original outstanding contributions and penalties due, marked Sciortino Exhibit 1 and made a part hereof. (The schedule does not reflect the $12,386.97 paid to date.)

Exhibit A Page A-1

5, A copy of the underlying audit report (with employee social security numbers redacted) is attached as Sciortino Exhibit 2. 4, A copy of the audit invoice, which has been paid by Plaintiffs, is attached as Sctortino Exhibit 3. 5. The Trustees of the CENTRAL LABORERS’ PENSION FUND and affiliated fringe benefit funds have retained the law firm of Daley and Georges, Ltd., 20 S. Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois, to pursue the collection of the above-stated delinquent contributions and assessment penalties and have made payments to that law firm for legal fees incurred in the collection of the assessments.

Ee SCIORTINO Subscribed and sworn to before me this January \9 , 2021.

NOTARY PUBLIC J OFFICIALSEAL notAn rome

Exhibit A Page A-2

SCIORTINO EXHIBIT 1

Revised 7/27/20 Signature Demolition Services, Inc, 7548 W 83rd Pl.

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Bluebook (online)
Central Laborers' Pension Fund v. Signature Demolition Services Inc., Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/central-laborers-pension-fund-v-signature-demolition-services-inc-ilnd-2021.