Juarez, et al. v. Villafan, et al.

Filing 5

ORDER Requiring Defendant Demi Ag. Inc. to Retain Counsel and have said Counsel Appear in the case, signed by Magistrate Judge Stanley A. Boone on 6/7/2016. (Kusamura, W)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

11 OCTAVIANO JUAREZ, et al.,
Plaintiffs,

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v.

Case No. 1:16-cv-00688-DAD-SAB
ORDER REQUIRING DEFENDANT DEMI
AG. INC. TO RETAIN COUNSEL AND
HAVE SAID COUNSEL APPEAR IN THIS
ACTION

14 RAFAEL VILLAFAN, et al.,
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Defendants.

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On May 13, 2016, Plaintiffs filed a complaint in this action. (ECF No. 1.) On June 3,

18 2016, Defendant Demi Ag. Inc. filed an answer to the complaint. (ECF No. 4.) The answer was
19 signed and filed by Margarita Ortega, who states that Demi Ag Inc. belongs to her, but there is
20 no indication that she is an attorney representing Defendant Demi Ag. Inc.
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Defendant Demi Ag. Inc., a California corporation, is hereby advised that they may not

22 appear in propria persona. Local Rule 183 provides that “[a] corporation or other entity may
23 appear only by an attorney.” See also U.S. v. High Country Broadcasting Co., Inc., 3 F.3d 1244,
24 1245 (9th Cir. 1993) (citing Rowland v. California Men’s Colony, Unit II Men’s Advisory
25 Council, 506 U.S. 194, 201–02 (1993)) (recognizing that a corporation is not permitted to appear
26 in federal courts unless it is represented by counsel). Defendant Demi Ag. Inc. is advised that it
27 must, within thirty (30) days of the date of entry of this order, seek and retain counsel, duly
28 licensed to practice before the above-entitled Court, and have said counsel appear in this matter.

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1 Failure to have authorized counsel appear within thirty (30) days of the date of entry of this order
2 shall lead to sanctions at the discretion of the Court, including but not limited to the striking of
3 the answer of Defendant Demi Ag. Inc. and the entry of default against Defendant Demi Ag. Inc.
Based on the foregoing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Defendant Demi Ag. Inc. must

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5 seek and retain counsel, duly licensed to practice before the above-entitled Court, and have said
6 counsel appear in this matter within thirty (30) days of the date of entry of this order.
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IT IS SO ORDERED.

10 Dated:

June 7, 2016
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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