Costello v. Paramount Global, Inc.
- Lorna Schofield
- 1:23-cv-01553
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 6
In Costello v. Paramount, Judge Schofield ordered the U.S. Marshals Service to serve Paramount in Sue Costello’s fee-free lawsuit.
Sue Costello and Paramount Global, Inc.; the order also directs the Clerk of Court and the U.S. Marshals Service to arrange service.
What happened
Costello v. Paramount Global, Inc. concerns Sue Costello’s self-represented lawsuit against Paramount Global, Inc. She seeks an injunction and more than $120 million in damages. The court had previously allowed her to proceed without paying court fees in advance.
The court ordered the Clerk of Court to issue a summons, prepare a U.S. Marshals Service form, and provide the Marshals Service with the documents needed to serve Paramount. The court extended the service period to 90 days after the summons is issued and told Costello to request more time if service is not completed by then.
Judge Lorna G. Schofield also directed the Clerk to mail Costello an information package and included information about a free legal clinic. This order addressed service and related administrative matters; it did not decide whether Costello’s claims are legally valid.
The detailed version
- Costello v. Paramount Global, Inc. · No. 1:23-cv-01553
- Lorna Schofield
- Mar. 28, 2023
Background
Sue Costello, proceeding without a lawyer, brought claims against Paramount Global, Inc. She seeks injunctive relief and more than $120 million in damages. The opinion states that Costello alleges Paramount is a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in New York, New York.
The court had previously granted Costello permission to proceed without prepaying filing fees. Because she was proceeding under that permission, federal law required the court to arrange service of the summons and complaint through the United States Marshals Service.
The court also noted that Costello’s complaint included a copy of a check showing a complete financial-account number that was not hers. The Clerk of Court therefore restricted electronic access to the complaint to case participants.
Service Order
The court directed the Clerk to issue a summons for Paramount, complete a U.S. Marshals Service Process Receipt and Return form, and deliver the summons and other necessary documents to the Marshals Service. The service address listed in the order is Paramount Global, Inc., 1515 Broadway, New York, New York 10036.
The court explained that service must be completed within 90 days after the summons is issued. If service is not completed within that period, Costello should ask for an extension of time. The court also directed Costello to notify the court in writing if her address changes and stated that the action may be dismissed if she fails to do so.
Additional Information and Disposition
The court directed the Clerk to mail Costello an information package and attached information about the New York Legal Assistance Group’s clinic for people representing themselves in civil cases in the Southern District of New York. The clinic is operated by a private organization and is not part of the court.
This was an order of service. It directed steps for notifying Paramount of the lawsuit and did not decide the merits of Costello’s claims. Judge Lorna G. Schofield ordered the Clerk to issue the summons, prepare the Marshals Service paperwork, and provide the documents needed for service.
Read the full 6-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.