Routeware, Inc. v. Carver

CourtDistrict Court, M.D. Florida
DecidedJuly 25, 2025
Docket3:22-cv-00634
StatusUnknown

This text of Routeware, Inc. v. Carver (Routeware, Inc. v. Carver) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, M.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Routeware, Inc. v. Carver, (M.D. Fla. 2025).

Opinion

United States District Court Middle District of Florida Jacksonville Division

ROUTEWARE, INC.,

Plaintiff, v. NO. 3:22-CV-634-MMH-LLL

JOHN CARVER,

Defendant. ________________________________________________________________________ Report and Recommendation Before the Court is plaintiff Routeware, Inc’s Renewed Motion for Final Default Judgment and for Permanent Injunction (renewed motion), doc. 77. Routeware initiated this action in June 2022 against defendant, John Carver, alleging a single count of breach of contract. Doc. 1. Routeware now seeks entry of a default judgment against defendant under Rule 55 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, and to permanently enjoin defendant from use of plaintiff’s “proprietary and confidential information.” Id. at 1. This motion has been referred to me for a report and recommendation as to an appropriate resolution. The Court has reviewed the renewed motion and other relevant documents on the record. For the reasons discussed below, I submit that plaintiff’s renewed motion be granted to the extent that both a final judgment and a permanent injunction be entered against defendant. Background Plaintiff Routeware, Inc., is a Delaware corporation with its principal place of

business in Portland, Oregon. Doc. 1 ¶ 1. Defendant John Carver is an individual residing in St. Johns, Florida. Id. ¶ 2. On February 7, 2020, Routeware acquired Core, a Jacksonville, Florida-based company. Id. ¶ 7. Defendant began working for Core in 2014 as a technical support representative. Id. ¶ 8. During his employment, defendant gained knowledge of confidential information and built relationships with some of

Core’s customers. Id. Defendant was also tasked with setting up Core’s data room, which housed the servers running Core’s “most trusted” software, named “Encore.” Id. ¶¶ 7, 9. Defendant was one of the few Core employees that had access to Core’s internal systems, applications, and infrastructure. Id. ¶ 9. Because defendant was entrusted with confidential information, the parties

executed a Non Solicitation, Confidentiality, and Arbitration Agreement (NCSA agreement). Id. ¶ 12; doc. 1-1. The NCSA agreement included several restrictive covenants, including one in which defendant promised not to solicit or accept business from actual or prospective customers for a period of two years after leaving employment. Doc. 1 ¶ 13. Additionally, defendant agreed not to use or disclose any

confidential information for any purpose other than Core’s business, for a period of five years following termination of employment, unless he obtained written authority to do so. Id. He also agreed to return all records, files, and other property in his custody, control, or possession following termination. Id. ¶ 18. Defendant was terminated on August 30, 2021. Id. ¶ 17. In an alleged violation of the NCSA, defendant failed to return all records, files, and other property that he had custody, control, or possession of following his termination. Id. ¶ 18. Further, it is

alleged that defendant offered his services to at least one of plaintiff’s customers, Tri- State Disposal (TSD), within three months of his termination and took affirmative steps to load the Encore software onto TSD’s machine. Id. ¶¶ 19, 25-28. On June 8, 2022, plaintiff sued defendant in a one-count complaint for breach

of contract. Doc. 1. On June 13, 2022, plaintiff filed proof of service, representing that defendant was properly served with the summons and complaint on June 9, 2022. Doc. 9. On June 18, 2022, defendant’s counsel filed a notice of appearance. Doc. 16. Plaintiff filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction on June 21, 2022, doc. 17, and defendant filed his amended response to the preliminary injunction motion on

June 29, 2022, doc. 24. On the same date, the parties filed a Joint Motion for Entry of Agreed Preliminary Injunction, doc. 25, which the Court granted on July 1, 2022, doc. 26. The Court directed defendant, within five days of the date of the order, to, among other things: (a) return to Routeware all copies of the Encore software in his possession, if any;

(b) identify and return all other company confidential, proprietary, and trade secret property/information that he has maintained post-termination;

(c) describe all company confidential, proprietary, and trade secret property/information that he destroyed or deleted since termination if any; and (d) cease and desist from further using, disclosing, accessing, altering, or deleting evidence of his breaches of the Non Solicitation, Confidentiality, and Arbitration Agreement (the “NSCA Agreement”).

Doc. 26 ¶ 2. The Court specified that the preliminary injunction applied only “for the duration of the litigation and it is without prejudice to any permanent injunction [p]laintiff seeks and which [d]efendant may oppose, including any arguments either party might make or as to the relief either party might request.” Id. ¶ 4. Defendant filed his answer and affirmative defenses on July 25, 2022. Doc. 29. On October 3, 2022, defendant filed a suggestion of bankruptcy. Doc. 36. As a result, this case was stayed while the bankruptcy case was pending. Doc. 43. The Court directed both parties to file status reports every 120 days to advise the Court on the status of the bankruptcy proceedings. Doc. 43. Plaintiff filed status reports on June 21, 2023, October 19, 2023, and February 16, 2024. Docs. 48-50. Defendant did not file any status reports. While the case was stayed, counsel for defendant, with approval of the Court, withdrew from this case. Docs. 44, 62. Plaintiff moved for entry of default,

doc. 54, which the Court denied without prejudice as premature. Doc. 68. On March 14, 2024, the Court reopened the case. Doc. 61. On June 7, 2024, defendant’s bankruptcy counsel appeared briefly and moved to withdraw as counsel. Doc. 69. The Court granted the motion to withdraw on June 10, 2024. Doc. 70. The Court then directed defendant to either obtain new counsel or notify the Court that he

intended to proceed pro se on or before July 12, 2024. Id. Defendant failed to do so. On July 18, 2024, the Court entered an Order to Show Cause, again directing defendant to either obtain counsel or notify the Court that he intended to proceed pro se and to explain why he did not comply with its previous order on or before August

8, 2024. Doc. 71. Defendant again failed to comply. The Court then scheduled a hearing for August 27, 2024, and warned defendant that his failure to appear may result in sanctions, including a recommendation that default judgment be entered against him for failure to defend. Doc. 72. Defendant failed to appear at the hearing. Doc. 74 (minute entry showing defendant did not appear). On October 8, 2024, the

Court directed the Clerk to enter default against defendant, doc. 75, which was entered on October 15, 2024, doc. 76. Plaintiff then filed its renewed motion for default judgment and permanent injunction, doc. 77. Authority

Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55, a two-part process exists for obtaining a default judgment. The party must first obtain an entry of default from the Clerk of Court, Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a); next, the party must apply to the Court for a default judgment, Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(b). Rule 55 permits a default when a party “has failed to plead or otherwise defend” a lawsuit. Fed. R. Civ. P.

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