UnitedHealth Group, Inc. v. United HealthCare, Inc. et al
Filing
25
ORDER Denying Defendant United HealthCare, Inc.'s 20 Objection to the Magistrate Judge's 19 Order. Signed by Judge Robert C. Jones on 9/16/2014. (Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF - SLD)
1
2
3
4
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
5
DISTRICT OF NEVADA
6
UNITEDHEALTH GROUP, INC.,
7
Plaintiff,
8
vs.
9
UNITED HEALTHCARE, INC. et al.,
10
Defendants.
11
12
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
2:14-cv-00224-RCJ-NJK
ORDER
This is a Lanham Act case. Pending before the Court is an Objection (ECF No. 20) to the
13
magistrate judge’s Order (ECF No. 19). For the reasons given herein, the Court denies the
14
Objection.
15
I.
16
FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY
Minnesota corporation UnitedHealth Group, Inc. has sued Nevada corporation United
17
Healthcare, Inc., a.k.a. United Healthcare Medical Devices, Inc. (“MDI”) and three Vietnamese
18
entities (collectively, “Vietnamese Defendants”): United Healthcare J.S.C. (“JSC”), United
19
Healthcare Factory (“Factory”), and Xuan Vy Co., Ltd. (“XV”) in this Court for trademark
20
infringement, unfair competition, trademark dilution, and cybersquatting under the Lanham Act,
21
as well as for common law trademark infringement and unfair competition. Only MDI has
22
answered. Vietnamese Defendants have not answered or appeared.
23
On July 21, 2014, the magistrate judge granted Plaintiff’s motion to serve the Vietnamese
24
Defendants by email and first class international mail. MDI has objected to the magistrate
25
judge’s order.
1
II.
2
3
LEGAL STANDARDS
Rule 72(a) permits a district court judge to modify or set aside a magistrate judge’s non-
dispositive ruling that is clearly erroneous or contrary to law:
4
When a pretrial matter not dispositive of a party’s claim or defense is referred
to a magistrate judge to hear and decide, the magistrate judge must promptly conduct
the required proceedings and, when appropriate, issue a written order stating the
decision. A party may serve and file objections to the order within 14 days after
being served with a copy. A party may not assign as error a defect in the order not
timely objected to. The district judge in the case must consider timely objections and
modify or set aside any part of the order that is clearly erroneous or is contrary to law.
5
6
7
8
Fed. R. Civ. P. 72(a); see also Local R. IB 3-1(a). “Under Rule 72(a), ‘[a] finding is “clearly
9
erroneous” when, although there is evidence to support it, the reviewing court on the entire
10
evidence is left with the definite and firm conviction that a mistake has been committed.’”
11
Rafano v. Patchogue-Medford Sch. Dist., No. 06-CV-5367 (JFB)(ARL), 2009 WL 789440, at
12
*12 (E.D.N.Y. Mar. 20, 2009) (quoting Burgie v. Euro Brokers, Inc., No. 05 Civ.
13
0968(CPS)(KAM), 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 71386, at *18 (E.D.N.Y. Sept. 5, 2008) (quoting
14
Concrete Pipe & Prods. of Cal., Inc. v. Constr. Laborers Pension Trust for S. Cal., 508 U.S. 602,
15
622 (1993))). “An order is contrary to law when it fails to apply or misapplies relevant statutes,
16
case law or rules of procedure.” Id.
17
III.
18
ANALYSIS
MDI argues that the order permitting alternative service was clearly erroneous, because it
19
was based upon erroneous facts presented to the magistrate judge by Plaintiff and recited in the
20
magistrate judge’s Order. The Court denies the motion for three reasons.
21
First, Plaintiff is correct that because MDI’s counsel does not represent Vietnamese
22
Defendants, it has no standing to object to the grant of leave to alternative service upon those
23
Defendants. Second, the Court notes MDI’s counsel’s denial of Plaintiff’s counsel’s
24
characterizations of the disputed telephone call and what may have been said during the call, but
25
Plaintiff’s counsel’s characterizations of the conversation between counsel—and the Court takes
Page 2 of 3
1
no position on the issue—is not relevant to whether alternative service was appropriate as to
2
Vietnamese Defendants. Only the difficulty in serving Vietnamese Defendants is relevant to
3
whether alternative service is appropriate, not any comments allegedly made by MDI’s counsel
4
concerning whether MDI is related to Vietnamese Defendants, whether a global settlement would
5
be required, or whether MDI’s counsel may have been in contact with Vietnamese Defendants.
6
The magistrate judge’s recitations of Plaintiff’s allegations in this regard may have been
7
surplusage, but that does not render the conclusion of the Order incorrect, i.e., that alternative
8
service should be permitted. MDI does not appear to dispute Plaintiff’s difficulties in serving
9
Vietnamese Defendants. Although the magistrate judge may or may not have improperly
10
credited the alleged acknowledgment that Vietnamese Defendants were related to MDI, the
11
magistrate judge’s Order was not in erroneous under Rule 4(f)(3). As the magistrate judge
12
properly noted, under the present circumstances, any method of service a court orders is
13
permissible if constitutional and not prohibited by international agreement. See Fed. R. Civ. P.
14
4(f)(3). There is no basis for setting aside the Order.
15
CONCLUSION
16
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Objection (ECF No. 20) is DENIED.
17
IT IS SO ORDERED.
18
19
20
Dated this 16th day of September,
Dated this 18th day of August, 2014. 2014.
_____________________________________
ROBERT C. JONES
United States District Judge
21
22
23
24
25
Page 3 of 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?