Tines v. PepsiAmericas, Inc.

265 F.R.D. 285, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23926, 108 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1199, 2010 WL 712327
CourtDistrict Court, W.D. Tennessee
DecidedJanuary 8, 2010
DocketNo. 09-2114-STA
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 265 F.R.D. 285 (Tines v. PepsiAmericas, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, W.D. Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tines v. PepsiAmericas, Inc., 265 F.R.D. 285, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23926, 108 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1199, 2010 WL 712327 (W.D. Tenn. 2010).

Opinion

[286]*286ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT PEP-SIAMERICAS’ MOTION TO DISMISS AND DENYING PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR EXTENSION OF TIME TO PERFECT SERVICE

S. THOMAS ANDERSON, District Judge.

Before the Court is Defendant PepsiAmer-icas’ Motion to Dismiss (D.E. # 5) filed on July 17, 2009. Plaintiffs filed their Response in opposition to Defendant’s Motion on August 19, 2009 (D.E.#6). Also before the Court is Plaintiffs’ Motion for an Extension of Time to Perfect Service (D.E.# 7) filed on August 19, 2009. Defendant PepsiAmericas responded in opposition to Plaintiffs Motion on September 2, 2009 (D.E.# 10). For the reasons set forth below, Defendant PepsiAm-ericas’ Motion to Dismiss is GRANTED and Plaintiffs’ Motion for an Extension of Time to Perfect Service is DENIED.

On February 27, 2009, Plaintiffs filed the underlying action (D.E.# 1) alleging unlawful employment practices based upon race, sex, and age pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 2000e(2) and race and sex discrimination pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1981, 42 U.S.C. § 1991, 42 U.S.C. § 1985, and 42 U.S.C. § 1986. Plaintiffs also assert various Tennessee state law claims such as libel, misrepresentation, fraud, and intentional interference with employment.

In the instant Motion before the Court, the Defendant asserts that Plaintiffs’ Complaint should be dismissed for failure to comply with the 120-day service requirement of Fed. R.Civ.P. 4(m).1 Rule 4(m) governs the length of time permitted for service of process and states in pertinent part:

If a defendant is not served within 120 days after the complaint is filed, the court-on motion or its own after notice to the plaintiff-must dismiss the action without prejudice against the defendant or order that service of process be made within a specified time. But if the plaintiff shows good cause for the failure, the court must extend the time for service for an appropriate period.2

Here, the Plaintiffs filed their Complaint on February 27, 2009. Thus, Plaintiffs had until June 29, 2009, i.e. 120 days after February 27, 2009, to effect service of process pursuant to Rule 4(m). Plaintiffs, however, did not have summons issued for Defendants Pep-siAmericas, Smith, and Reed until November 23, 2009, almost nine months after filing their Complaint and well beyond the 120 day deadline. Therefore, it is undisputed that Plaintiffs failed to timely effectuate service of process. The decisive issue for this Court is whether Plaintiffs can establish good cause for failing to effectuate service within the 120 day deadline.

Plaintiffs bear the burden of establishing good cause for failure to adhere to the 120 day deadline.3 “Good cause necessitates a demonstration of why service was not made within the time constraints ... [t]he determination of good cause is left to the sound discretion of the district court.”4 The Sixth Circuit has enumerated an excusable neglect standard to help determine whether a plaintiff shows good cause for the failure to serve a defendant on time.5 Under this standard, the plaintiff must establish that (1) his failure to meet the deadline was a cause of neglect and (2) the failure to act was excusable.6

[287]*287Neglect exists where the failure to do something occurred because of a simple, faultless omission to act, or because of a party’s carelessness.7 Here, the Plaintiffs only explanation for failing to timely serve Defendants is “calendar error.” More specifically, Plaintiffs counsel contends that she “erroneously docketed” the time for service on her calendar.8 The Court finds that “erroneously docketing” the time for service amounts to carelessness, and thus Plaintiffs have shown that their failure to timely serve Defendants was a product of neglect.

The Court finds that Plaintiffs’ neglect however is not excusable. Courts consider four factors in determining whether neglect is excusable: (1) danger of prejudice to the non-moving party, (2) the length of the delay and its impact on the proceedings, (3) the reason for the delay, including whether it was within the reasonable control of the movant, and (4) whether the movant acted in good faith.9

Here, the Defendants have arguably not been prejudiced by Plaintiffs failure to timely effectuate service of process. At most, as in every case, Defendants may suffer prejudice in the form of faded memories and unavailable documentation due to the delay in service. Therefore, this factor arguably weighs in favor of finding excusable neglect. The other three factors, however, weigh in the alternative.

Plaintiffs filed their Complaint on February 27, 2009. As noted above, they had until June 29, 2009, to timely effectuate service of process pursuant to Rule 4. However, to date, there is no proof on the record that Plaintiffs have effectuated service of process. Plaintiffs had summons issued for all Defendants on November 23, 2009, almost nine months after filing their Complaint (D.E.# 17, 18, 19). No return of summons however has been filed on the record. Thus, it is unclear to the Court whether service has actually been accomplished to date. As a result, the length of the delay in service is ongoing.

Additionally, Plaintiffs have only proffered an explanation for the initial delay of service. Plaintiffs contend in both their Response to the instant Motion and their Motion for an Extension of Time that the delay in service was a result of “calendaring error.” Plaintiffs undisputedly learned on July 17, 2009, when Defendant filed the instant Motion, that they had failed to effectuate service of process. Therefore, Plaintiffs “calendering” explanation can only reasonably extend to the delay from February to July. Despite learning of this error, Plaintiffs did not have summons issued immediately. Instead, Plaintiffs waited more than a month to take any action at all. On August 19, 2009, Plaintiffs filed the Motion for an Extension of Time to Perfect Service that is currently before this Court. Plaintiffs then waited until November 23, 2009, to have summons issued for the Defendants and have yet to file proof of service with this Court. Therefore, the Court is at a loss as to the reason for the additional delay in service of process. As to the final factor, no evidence has been proffered that the Plaintiffs acted in bad faith. In summary, the Court finds that the first factor weighs in favor of finding excusable neglect, the second two weigh against, and the fourth is neutral. Therefore, the Court finds that taking the factors as a whole, the Plaintiffs have failed to establish that the delay in service was a result of excusable neglect. Thus, Plaintiffs have not shown [288]*288good cause for failing to timely serve Defendants.

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265 F.R.D. 285, 2010 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 23926, 108 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas. (BNA) 1199, 2010 WL 712327, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tines-v-pepsiamericas-inc-tnwd-2010.