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N.D. Cal.Procedural orderFiled Dec. 10, 2021

Razavi v. Coti

Judge
Beth Freeman
Docket
5:17-cv-04341
Court
U.S. District Court · Northern District of California
Pages
2
Civil ProcedurePro Se
In one sentence

In Razavi v. Coti, Judge Freeman dismissed the action without prejudice after Razavi failed to respond to an order about serving the defendants.

Who this affects

Melina Razavi’s action against Carlos Coti and GEICO Insurance Company was dismissed without prejudice.

What happened

In Razavi v. Coti, the court had directed the U.S. Marshal to serve Carlos Coti and GEICO Insurance Company because Razavi was proceeding without paying the usual filing fees. The Marshal returned both summonses unserved because the defendants could not be located at the addresses Razavi provided.

The court then ordered Razavi to provide alternate service addresses or explain why the case should not be dismissed. Her response was due November 30, 2021, but she filed no response.

On December 10, 2021, Judge Beth Labson Freeman dismissed the action without prejudice because Razavi failed to respond to the order to show cause. The opinion does not address the underlying claims.

The detailed version

For law students, journalists, and other readers who want the full reasoning

Case
Razavi v. Coti · No. 5:17-cv-04341
Judge
Beth Freeman
Date
Dec. 10, 2021

Background

Melina Razavi sued Carlos Coti and GEICO Insurance Company. Because Razavi was proceeding in forma pauperis, meaning the court had authorized the U.S. Marshal to handle service of process, the court directed the Marshal to serve the defendants.

On November 2, 2021, the Marshal returned both summonses unexecuted, reporting that the defendants could not be located at the addresses Razavi had provided. On November 9, 2021, the court issued an order to show cause—an order requiring Razavi to explain why the case should not be dismissed. The court gave her 21 days to provide alternate addresses that would allow service or otherwise explain why dismissal was unwarranted. Her response was due November 30, 2021, and no response was filed.

Ruling

The court dismissed the action without prejudice. The dismissal was based on Razavi’s failure to respond to the order to show cause and provide information needed for service; the court did not decide the merits of her claims. The order was issued by Beth Labson Freeman, United States District Judge.

The authoritative version

Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.

Open opinion PDF →
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