Smith v. Morris et al

Filing 38

ORDER adopting Report and Recommendation 31 . Signed by Honorable David C. Bramlette, III on 4/28/2017 (EB)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI
WESTERN DIVISION
WILLIS ERIC SMITH
v.

PLAINTIFF
CIVIL ACTION NO. 5:16-cv-68-DCB-MTP

PAULINE MORRIS, et al.

DEFENDANTS

ORDER ADOPTING REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION
This cause is before the Court on Magistrate Judge Michael T.
Parker’s Report and Recommendation (docket entry 31), to which no
objections were filed.

Having carefully reviewed the same, the

Court finds that plaintiff Willis Eric Smith (“Smith”) has failed
to serve or otherwise prosecute his claims against defendant T.S.D.
Trucking, Inc. (“T.S.D. Trucking”).
Smith filed his complaint against the named defendants on
July 11, 2016 in the Lincoln County Circuit Court, and the case
was removed to this court on August 12, 2016.

From the record, it

appears that summons was issued for T.S.D. Trucking but not served,
and T.S.D. Trucking has not entered any appearance in the case to
date.1

On January 20, 2017, Magistrate Judge Parker entered an

order (docket entry 15), directing the plaintiff to show cause
within ten days as to why his claims against the unserved defendant

1 The state court record contains an unsigned certified mail receipt for
the defendant, along with a letter written to Plaintiff’s counsel by T.S.D.
Trucking informing counsel that T.S.D. Trucking was not involved in, or
associated with, the automobile accident forming the basis of this suit. See
Doc. 10, pp. 38-39, 80.

should not be dismissed.

Plaintiff Smith has neither responded to

the order, nor taken any additional action to address the status
of service on defendant T.S.D. Trucking.

Therefore, the Court

adopts the Report and Recommendation and shall dismiss Plaintiff’s
claims

against

T.S.D.

Trucking

without

prejudice

pursuant

to

Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 41(b) and 4(m).
Accordingly,
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Magistrate Judge Michael T. Parker’s
Report and Recommendation (docket entry 31) is ADOPTED as the
findings and conclusions of this Court;
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all claims against defendant T.S.D.
Trucking, Inc. are dismissed without prejudice.
SO ORDERED, this the 28th day of April, 2017.

/s/ David Bramlette
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE