Amari J. Moody v. Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc.
- Rearden
- 1:25-cv-08671
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 3
In Amari J. Moody v. Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Judge Rearden ordered Marshals service after Moody received permission to proceed without fees.
Amari J. Moody, who is representing themself, and Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc.; the order concerns service of the lawsuit and does not decide the ERISA claims.
What happened
Amari J. Moody v. Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. is an employment-benefits case brought under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Moody is representing themself and had permission to proceed without paying court fees in advance.
Because Moody is proceeding without prepaying fees, the court said Moody may rely on the U.S. Marshals Service to serve Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. The service period was extended to 90 days after the summons is issued.
Judge Jennifer H. Rearden ordered the Clerk of Court to issue the summons, prepare the service paperwork, and send it to the Marshals Service. The order did not decide the ERISA claims; it also told Moody to request more time if service is not completed within 90 days and to notify the court of any address change.
The detailed version
- Amari J. Moody v. Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. · No. 1:25-cv-08671
- Rearden
- Oct. 30, 2025
Background
Amari J. Moody, appearing without a lawyer, brought an action against Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). In an earlier order dated October 21, 2025, Chief Judge Laura Taylor Swain granted Moody permission to proceed without prepaying court fees.
Service of process
Because Moody was allowed to proceed without prepaying fees, the court explained that Moody could rely on the court and the U.S. Marshals Service to serve Sedgwick. The court extended the usual service deadline so that it would run for 90 days after the summons for Sedgwick was issued. The opinion stated that Moody could not have served the defendant before the court reviewed the amended complaint and ordered that a summons be issued.
Ruling and instructions
The court instructed the Clerk of Court to issue a summons for Sedgwick, complete a U.S. Marshals Service Process Receipt and Return form with Sedgwick’s address, and deliver the necessary documents to the Marshals Service for service. The Clerk was also directed to mail an information package to Moody. If service is not completed within 90 days after the summons is issued, Moody was told to request an extension of time. Moody was also instructed to notify the court in writing of any address change; the court stated that it may dismiss the action if Moody fails to do so. The order did not resolve the merits of Moody’s ERISA claims.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.