Carpenters Pension Trust Fund of Kansas City et al v. Bradford Interior Group, LLC

Filing 10

ORDER AND OPINION (1) GRANTING PLAINTIFFS' MOTION TO STRIKE, AND (2) DIRECTING DEFENDANT TO FILE ANSWER, 7 . Signed on 7/27/18 by District Judge Ortrie D. Smith. (Matthes Mitra, Renea) Mailed on 7/27/2018 to: Rondale Bradford, 6220 Arlington Ave., Raytown MO 64133 Rondale Bradford, 9546 E 75th Terr., Raytown MO 64133 (Houston, Kiambu).

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE
WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
WESTERN DIVISION
CARPENTERS PENSION TRUST
FUND OF KANSAS CITY,
a Trust Fund, et al.,
Plaintiffs,
vs.
BRADFORD INTERIOR GROUP, LLC,
Defendant.

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Case No. 18-00414-CV-W-ODS

ORDER AND OPINION (1) GRANTING PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION TO STRIKE, AND (2)
DIRECTING DEFENDANT TO FILE ANSWER
Pending is Plaintiffs’ motion to strike Defendant’s answer. Doc. #7. Defendant
did not respond to the motion, and the time for doing so has passed.
Plaintiffs ask the Court to strike Defendant’s answer (Doc. #4) because it was
filed pro se by Rondale Bradford on behalf of the company. “[A] corporation may
appear in…federal courts only through licensed counsel.” Rowland v. Ca. Men’s
Colony, 506 U.S. 194, 202 (1993) (citations omitted); see also Carr Enters., Inc. v.
United States, 698 F.2d 952, 953 (8th Cir. 1983) (citations omitted). This rule applies to
limited liability companies. See DZ Bank AG v. Radoncic Servs., LLC, No. 09–1052–
CV–W–FJG, 2010 WL 2349094, at *1 (W.D. Mo. June 8, 2010).
Rondale Bradford is not a licensed attorney, and therefore, cannot represent
Defendant pro se in this matter. Accordingly, the Court grants Plaintiffs’ motion, and
strikes Defendant’s answer filed without licensed counsel. Defendant shall have twenty
days from the date of this order to properly answer the complaint by obtaining licensed
counsel to represent it in this action. Failure to answer will likely result in entry of a
default judgment on Plaintiffs’ complaint.

The Clerk of the Court is directed to send two copies, one via certified mail and
one via regular mail, of this order to:
Rondale Bradford
6220 Arlington Ave.
Raytown, MO 64133
Rondale Bradford
9546 E. 57th Terr.
Raytown, MO 64133
IT IS SO ORDERED.
/s/ Ortrie D. Smith
ORTRIE D. SMITH, SENIOR JUDGE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

DATE: July 27, 2018

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