Locals 302 and 612 of the International Union of Operating Engineers Construction Industry Health and Security Fund et al v. Valley General Construction, LLC
Filing
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ORDER granting Plaintiff's 9 Motion for Default Judgment signed by Judge Richard A. Jones. (TH)
HONORABLE RICHARD A. JONES
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
AT SEATTLE
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LOCALS 302 AND 612 et al.,
Plaintiff,
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VALLEY GENERAL CONSTRUCTION
LLC,
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ORDER
Defendant.
This matter comes before the court on Plaintiff’s Motion and Affidavit for Default
Judgment. Dkt. # 9. The Court GRANTS the motion and directs the clerk to enter
default judgment as directed at the conclusion of this order.
The court’s role in reviewing a motion for default judgment is not ministerial. It
must accept all well-pleaded allegations of the complaint as fact, except facts related to
the amount of damages. TeleVideo Sys., Inc. v. Heidenthal, 826 F.2d 915, 917-18 (9th
Cir. 1987). Where those facts establish a defendant’s liability, the court has discretion,
not an obligation, to enter a default judgment. Aldabe v. Aldabe, 616 F.2d 1089, 1092
(9th Cir. 1980); Alan Neuman Productions, Inc. v. Albright, 862 F.2d 1388, 1392 (9th
Cir. 1988). The plaintiff must submit evidence supporting a claim for a particular sum of
damages. TeleVideo Sys., 826 F.2d at 917-18; see also Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(b)(2)(B). If the
plaintiff cannot prove that the sum it seeks is “a liquidated sum or capable of
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CASE NO. C17-1878-RAJ
v.
ORDER – 1
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mathematical calculation,” the court must hold a hearing or otherwise ensure that the
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damage award is appropriate. Davis v. Fendler, 650 F.2d 1154, 1161 (9th Cir. 1981).
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Plaintiff is the authorized administrative agent for and assignee of a union trust
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fund. The evidence it has presented establishes that Defendant failed to pay contributions
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and dues owed to the trust. Dkt. # 9, ¶ 13. The evidence demonstrates that the amount of
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liability for the failure to pay contributions is $19,821.45, the liability amount for failure
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to pay dues is $980.60, plus interest in the amount of $1,225.13. The trust contribution
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terms, to which Defendant consented, also entitles Plaintiff to liquidated damages of 12%
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of the liability, or $2,378.57 in this case.
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In addition, Plaintiff requests attorney fees and costs. Although Plaintiff’s
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evidence of attorney fees includes the hourly fees of non-attorneys, Plaintiff has
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established that its counsel does not incorporate non-attorney work into his hourly rate,
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and has established that counsel actually bills Plaintiff for the work of non-attorneys.
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Dkt. # 6, ¶ 15. In accordance with Trustees of the Const. Indus. & Laborers Health &
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Welfare Trust v. Redland Ins. Co., 460 F.3d 1253, 1256-57 (9th Cir. 2006), the court
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awards the hourly fees of both Plaintiff’s counsel and counsel’s hourly-billing support
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staff. The Court finds that Plaintiff’s evidence supports an attorney fee award of $480
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and costs of $557.50.
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The clerk shall enter default judgment in accordance with this order.
Dated this 9th day of August, 2018.
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A
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The Honorable Richard A. Jones
United States District Judge
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ORDER – 2
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