In the Matter of the Complaint of Darren Dalporto, as the Owner of the Vessel…
In the Matter of the Complaint of Darren Dalporto, as the Owner of the Vessel ACHELOUS, for Exoneration from or Limitation of Liability
- Jon Tigar
- 4:25-cv-03620
- U.S. District Court · Northern District of California
- 2
In re Darren Dalporto, Judge Tig granted his unopposed motion for exoneration after all claimants’ claims were resolved.
Darren Dalporto was exonerated from liability, and the claims of Vicki Ocaranza, Skye Ocaranza, and all nonappearing potential claimants were dismissed or resolved through default judgment.
What happened
In the Matter of the Complaint of Darren Dalporto, as the Owner of the Vessel ACHELOUS, for Exoneration from or Limitation of Liability arose from a boating incident involving the vessel ACHELOUS. Darren Dalporto asked the court to free him from liability under federal maritime law.
Two people, Vicki Ocaranza and Skye Ocaranza, filed claims. They later dismissed their claims with prejudice and stated that they did not oppose Dalporto’s request. The court had already entered default judgment against all other potential claimants who did not appear.
The court granted Dalporto’s motion for exoneration, dismissed all claims against him with prejudice, directed entry of an order exonerating him from claims, losses, and injuries resulting from the accident, and directed entry of judgment in his favor. Judge Tig signed the order.
The detailed version
- In the Matter of the Complaint of Darren Dalporto, as the Owner of the Vessel… · No. 4:25-cv-03620
- Jon Tigar
- Aug. 14, 2026
Background
This admiralty case concerns Darren Dalporto’s request for exoneration from or limitation of liability as owner of the vessel ACHELOUS. The complaint invoked the Limitation of Liability Act, 46 U.S.C. § 30523, Rule F of the Supplemental Rules for Certain Admiralty and Maritime Claims, and the Northern District of California’s Admiralty and Maritime Local Rule 5.
The opinion states that two individuals, Vicki Ocaranza and Skye Ocaranza, filed claims after Dalporto published notice of the limitation proceeding. No other claimants appeared. The court found that the applicable procedural rules had been satisfied and entered default judgment against all nonappearing claimants. Vicki and Skye Ocaranza then entered a stipulation with Dalporto dismissing their claims with prejudice and stating that they did not oppose his request for exoneration.
Court’s Analysis
The court explained that, in an admiralty proceeding seeking exoneration, the claimant generally bears the burden of showing that the shipowner is liable. Because Vicki and Skye Ocaranza had dismissed their claims with prejudice and default judgment had been entered against all other potential claimants, the court determined that no claimant remained to carry that burden. The court therefore concluded that Dalporto was entitled to exoneration of liability.
Disposition
The court granted Dalporto’s unopposed motion for an order granting exoneration from liability. It directed the Clerk to dismiss all claims against Dalporto with prejudice, enter an order exonerating him from any and all claims, losses, and injuries resulting from the accident involving ACHELOUS, and enter judgment in Dalporto’s favor. Judge JON S. TIG issued the order.
Date discrepancy in the opinion
The opinion’s background identifies the boating incident as occurring on November 18, 2025. The final decree identifies the accident as occurring on November 18, 2024. This summary does not resolve that discrepancy.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.