Duquette v. 1987 Centurion Barefoot Warrior Style Ski Boat

District Court, E.D. California·Decided June 29, 2021·No. 2:20-cv-02037·Unknown

Opinion

MICHAEL JOHN DUQUETTE, No. 2:20–cv–2037–KJM–KJN Plaintiff, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON LIMITATION-PLAINTIFF’S v. MOTION FOR DEFAULT JUDGMENT DRU JACKSON, et al., (ECF No. 39.) Defendants. On October 31, 2020, Michael John Duquette (“Limitation Plaintiff”) filed a complaint under the Limitation of Liability Act, 46 U.S.C. Section 30501 et seq., claiming the right to exoneration from liability, or limitation thereof, for all claims arising out of a water-vessel crash that occurred on September 14, 2019. (ECF. No. 1.) Currently pending before the court is Limitation Plaintiff’s motion for default judgment, as against “Gregory David Erickson, Dante V. Lopez, Rodney W. Blake, Kelly A. Blake, Kameron M. Duquette, Breanna M. Harvey, Jessica A. Lopez, Rebekah M. McKenzie, Kyle E. Robello, Vanessa A. Vanya, and all other possible claimants, known and unknown, who did not file and serve claims in response to the complaint by February 4, 2021.”1 (ECF No. 39.) For the reasons stated below, the undersigned recommends Limitation Plaintiff’s motion for default judgment be GRANTED. 1 This motion is referred to the undersigned by Local Rule 302(c)(19) for the entry of findings and recommendations. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(B); Local Rule 304. I. BACKGROUND2 In the evening of September 14, 2019, a 1987 Centurion “Barefoot Warrior Style” Ski Boat (No. CF19042JK) collided with a 20-foot Bayliner Marine boat (No. BL3B32CZJ697) in the delta waterways of San Joaquin County, California. (ECF No. 1 at ¶¶ 9, 13, 14.) Kameron Michael Duquette, Limitation Plaintiff’s son, was operating the Centurion, and Kelly Blake (FNU McKenzie), Dru Jackson, and Kyle Robell were his passengers. (Id. at ¶ 16.) Dante Lopez was operating the Bayliner, and Jessica Lopez, Vanessa Vanya, and Gregory David Erikson were his passengers. (Id. at ¶ 15.) Blake died, Erickson sustained injuries to his head, neck, and back, and the Centurion suffered significant damage. (Id. at ¶¶ 18-20.) Shortly thereafter, Blake’s father and Erickson filed claims in California Superior Court against Limitation Plaintiff and others.3 On October 13, 2020, Limitation Plaintiff filed the instant action under the Limitation of Liability Act, and simultaneously requested all suits be restrained, a “monition” be issued, and notice of the action be published. (ECF. Nos. 1, 6.) On November 30, 2020, the assigned district judge found Limitation Plaintiff had complied with Supplemental Admiralty and Maritime Claims Rule F and recognized his request for an “appropriate injunction.” (ECF No. 10.) On January 4, 2021, the district judge restrained all suits, admonished any claimants to file answers in this action within 30 days, and ordered notice of the action be published in the Stockton Record and Sacramento Daily Recorder, as well as be mailed “to every individual and entity known to be asserting claims.” (ECF Nos. 14-15.) Limitation Plaintiff had notice of the suit published across four consecutive Fridays in January in those publications. (ECF No. 18.) The notice was also mailed to the attorneys for Erickson, Dante Lopez, and Rodney Blake, as well to the personal addresses of Kelly Blake, Kameron Duquette, Harvey, Jackson, Jessica Lopez, McKenzie, Robello, and Vanya. (ECF No. 17.) Of those individuals, only Dru Jackson filed an answer, claim, and third-party complaint in this limitation action. (ECF Nos. 19-21.) 2 All facts derive from Limitation Plaintiff’s complaint unless otherwise noted. (See ECF No. 1.) 3 See Gregory David Erickson v. Kameron Michael Duquette, et al., STK-CV-UPI-2020-3526; Rodney W. Blake v. Kameron Michael Duquette, et al., MSC20-01400. Thereafter, Limitation Plaintiff requested the entry of default against all non-appearing claimants in this action, which the Clerk entered for the named claimants on March 10, 2021. (ECF Nos. 28, 31.) On May 13, Limitation Plaintiff filed the instant motion requesting default judgment against all potential claimants who have not yet appeared in this action. (ECF No. 39.) The undersigned ordered supplemental briefing on a narrow issue, and after Limitation Plaintiff responded, the matter was taken under submission under Local Rule 230(g). (ECF Nos. 50-52.) The Supplemental Rules for Admiralty or Maritime Claims govern the procedures in an action to exonerate or limit liability from claims arising out of maritime accidents. Supplemental Rule A(2) provides that “[t]he Federal Rules of Civil Procedure also apply to actions for exoneration from or limitation of liability, except to the extent they are inconsistent with the [Supplemental Rules].” Because there is no Supplemental Rule on point for default judgment, Limitation Plaintiff's motion is governed by Rule4 55. Legal Standards for Default Judgments Under Rule 55, default may be entered against a party against whom a judgment for affirmative relief is sought who fails to plead or otherwise defend against the action. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a). However, “[a] defendant’s default does not automatically entitle the plaintiff to a court-ordered judgment.” PepsiCo, Inc. v. Cal. Sec. Cans, 238 F. Supp. 2d 1172, 1174 (C.D. Cal. 2002) (citing Draper v. Coombs, 792 F.2d 915, 924-25 (9th Cir. 1986)). Instead, the decision to grant or deny an application for default judgment lies within the district court’s sound discretion. Aldabe v. Aldabe, 616 F.2d 1089, 1092 (9th Cir. 1980). In making this determination, courts in this district consider the following factors:

1. the possibility of prejudice to the plaintiff, 2. the merits of plaintiff’s substantive claim and the sufficiency of the complaint; 3. the sum of money at stake in the action; 4. the possibility of a dispute concerning material facts; 5. whether the default was due to excusable neglect, and 6. the strong policy underlying the Rules favoring decisions on the merits. Eitel v. McCool, 782 F.2d 1470, 1471-72 (9th Cir. 1986).

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