Venice Baking Company v. Sophast Sales and Marketing LLC et al
Filing
11
ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS MOTION TO DISMISS WITH PREJUDICE 9 by Judge Otis D. Wright, II. (MD JS-6. Case Terminated) (lc)
JS-6
O
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
United States District Court
Central District of California
8
9
10
11
VENICE BAKING COMPANY,
Plaintiff,
12
13
Case No. 2:16-cv-6136-ODW(KS)
v.
ORDER GRANTING
14
SOPHAST SALES AND MARKETING
DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO
15
LLC; and DOES 1–10, inclusive,
DISMISS WITH PREJUDICE [9]
Defendants.
16
17
I.
18
INTRODUCTION
19
Before the Court is Sophast Sales and Marketing LLC’s Motion to Dismiss
20
Plaintiff Venice Baking Company’s Complaint for lack of personal jurisdiction. (ECF
21
No. 9.)
22
unopposed.
For the reasons discussed below, the Court GRANTS the Motion as
23
24
II.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
25
On May 4, 2016, Plaintiff filed this action in the Superior Court of Los Angeles,
26
seeking declaratory relief. (Compl., Not. of Removal, Ex. A, ECF No. 1.) Plaintiff’s
27
claims arise out of a contract dispute between the two parties. (Id.)
28
Defendant removed the action to this Court on August 16, 2016. (ECF No. 1.)
1
Now before the Court is Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss.
(Mot., ECF No. 9.)
2
Defendant seeks to dismiss the Complaint in its entirety, contending that this Court
3
lacks both specific and general personal jurisdiction over Defendant. (Id. 7–13.)
4
The Court set a hearing date of October 3, 2016 for the Motion. (ECF No. 9.)
5
Plaintiff’s opposition to the Motion was due on September 12, 2016, though no
6
opposition was filed. Defendants’ Motion is now before the Court for decision.1
7
III.
8
DISCUSSION
9
Local Civil Rule 7-9 requires a party opposing a motion to file an opposition or
10
statement of non-opposition at least twenty-one days before the noticed hearing date.
11
District courts have broad discretion to enact and apply local rules, including
12
dismissal of a case for failure to comply with the local rules. Ghazali v. Moran, 46
13
F.3d 52, 53 (9th Cir. 1995) (affirming grant of an unopposed motion to dismiss under
14
local rule by deeming a pro se litigant’s failure to oppose as consent to granting the
15
motion); United States v. Warren, 601 F.2d 471, 474 (9th Cir. 1979). Even though the
16
court has an obligation to liberally construe their pleadings, even “pro se litigants are
17
bound by the rules of procedure.” Ghazali, 46 F.3d at 54. Before dismissing an
18
action for failure to comply with local rules, the district court “weigh[s] several
19
factors: ‘(1) the public’s interest in expeditious resolution of litigation; (2) the court’s
20
need to manage its docket; (3) the risk of prejudice to the defendants; (4) the public
21
policy favoring disposition of cases of their merits; and (5) the availability of less
22
drastic sanctions.’” Id. at 53 (quoting Henderson v. Duncan, 779 F.2d 1421, 1423
23
(9th Cir. 1986)).
24
Plaintiff clearly violated Local Rule 7-9 by failing to file a timely opposition or
25
non-opposition to the instant Motion. With a noticed hearing date of October 3, 2016,
26
Plaintiff’s response was due September 12, 2016. (ECF No. 9.) No opposition was
27
1
28
After carefully considering the papers (or lack thereof) filed in support of and in opposition to the
Motion, the Court deems the matter appropriate for decision without oral argument. Fed. R. Civ. P.
78; L.R. 7-15.
2
1
filed. The Court concludes that “the public’s interest in expeditious resolution of
2
litigation,” “the court’s need to manage its docket,” and “the risk of prejudice to the
3
defendants” weigh in favor of granting the Motion to Dismiss in its entirety. See
4
Ghazali, 46 F.3d at 53. While public policy and the availability of less drastic
5
sanctions would usually counsel in favor of denial of the motion, the Court accepts
6
Plaintiff’s lack of response as acquiescence. Where the Plaintiff does not oppose
7
dismissal, it is unnecessary for the Court to consider less drastic alternatives.
8
Moreover, Plaintiff is represented by counsel in this matter, and thus cannot claim
9
ignorance of the filing deadlines.
10
Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Defendant’s motion to dismiss as unopposed.
11
See L.R. 7-9; see also Ghazali, 46 F.3d at 53; Holt v. I.R.S., 231 Fed. Appx. 557, 558
12
(9th Cir. 2007) (court did not abuse its discretion in dismissing action for failure to
13
file an opposition and rejecting pro se plaintiff’s contention that the district court
14
should have warned her of the consequences of failing to file an opposition). The
15
Court DISMISSES Plaintiff’s Complaint with prejudice.
16
17
IT IS SO ORDERED.
18
19
September 19, 2016
20
21
22
____________________________________
OTIS D. WRIGHT, II
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
23
24
25
26
27
28
3
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
Why Is My Information Online?