MARK S. DAVIS, Chief District Judge.
This matter is before the Court on an unopposed motion for default judgment filed by plaintiff BMO Harris Bank N.A. ("Plaintiff") against defendant Ted Basnight, doing business as Basnight Hauling ("Defendant"). For the reasons discussed below, the Court
Plaintiff is a national banking association located in Chicago, Illinois. Compl. ¶ 1, ECF No. 1. Defendant is an individual resident and citizen of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and he has registered the trade name "Basnight Hauling" with the Circuit Court Clerk for the City of Chesapeake, Virginia.
The terms of the Agreement provide that, if Defendant failed to make a payment, such failure would result in default.
Plaintiff filed a Verified Complaint stating the above allegations on January 9, 2019. Compl., ECF No. 1. Defendant was personally served on February 1, 2019. Returned Summons, ECF No. 5. Defendant failed to respond within the twenty-one-day deadline. Plaintiff requested entry of default on February 26, 2019, and the clerk entered default that day. Pl.'s Req., ECF No. 7; Clerk Entry, ECF No. 8. Plaintiff then filed the instant motion for default judgment on March 28, 2019, ECF No. 9. Defendant has yet to respond in any way.
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55 provides that entry of default is appropriate when "a party against whom a judgment for affirmative relief is sought has failed to plead or otherwise defend." Fed. R. Civ. P. 55(a). After securing entry of default, a plaintiff may then move for entry of
When a defendant defaults, he or she "admits the plaintiff's well-pleaded allegations of fact."
Although well-pleaded factual allegations must be accepted as true, a party in default does not admit allegations as to the amount of damages.
As a preliminary matter, the Court finds that jurisdiction, venue, and service of process are proper. The Court clearly has subject matter jurisdiction because there is complete diversity and the amount in controversy exceeds $75,000.
Additionally, for the Court to enter default judgment, Defendant must have been properly served with process. Service of process was proper in this case because Defendant was personally served at his residence: 1911 Peartree Street, Chesapeake, Virginia.
A Defendant in default admits the truth of all of the well-pleaded allegations; therefore, the Court need only determine whether Plaintiff has adequately alleged its claims.
Under Texas law, the law chosen by the parties in the Agreement,
Plaintiff has adequately alleged these elements. First, Plaintiff alleges that the Agreement is a valid, enforceable contract and attached a copy of the signed Agreement to the Verified Complaint as proof. Compl. ¶ 32; Sec. Agreement, ECF No. 1-1. Second, pursuant to the Agreement, Plaintiff alleges it performed as the contract required by financing Defendant's purchase of the Collateral. Compl. ¶¶ 8, 24, 40; Sec. Agreement 1; Hamilton Aff. ¶ 22, ECF No. 9-1. Third, Plaintiff alleges Defendant agreed to pay Plaintiff $224,630.70, including interest, in monthly installments, but failed to perform this obligation under the contract by neglecting to make the March 1, 2018 payment and all subsequent payments. Sec. Agreement 1; Compl. ¶¶ 8, 12. According to the terms of the Agreement, failure to pay is an event of default. Sec. Agreement 3. Upon Defendant's default, Plaintiff alleges it mailed Defendant a letter notifying him of the default and demanding he pay the amounts due and surrender the Collateral pursuant to the terms of the Agreement. Compl. ¶ 19; Letter, ECF No. 1-4. Plaintiff alleges that, despite this demand, Defendant has yet to pay the amounts due or to surrender possession of the Collateral. Compl. ¶¶ 20-21. Thus, Plaintiff has adequately alleged that Defendant is in default and breached the Agreement by failing to pay and by failing to surrender the Collateral on default. Fourth, Plaintiff has adequately alleged that it sustained damages as a result of Defendant's breach because Plaintiff has not received either money or the Collateral in return for the loan it made to Defendant in accordance with the terms of the Agreement.
Accordingly, Plaintiff has sufficiently alleged that Defendant breached the contract by defaulting and then failing to pay and surrender the Collateral upon default in accordance with the terms of the Agreement. Because Defendant has failed to respond, and the allegations are sufficient, the Court finds that default judgment is appropriate in this case and
The Agreement provides that, upon default, Plaintiff is entitled to (1) declare the Agreement in default, (2) declare all indebtedness to be immediately payable, and (3) "exercise all rights and remedies of a secured party under the Uniform Commercial Code and other applicable laws, including the right to require Debtor to assemble the Equipment and deliver it to Lender at a place to be designated by Lender and to enter any premises where the Equipment may be without judicial process and take possession thereof." Sec. Agreement 3. Plaintiff's rights after default, under the Texas version of the Uniform Commercial Code, include the right to take possession of the Collateral. Tex. Bus. & Comm. Code § 9.609. Additionally, the Agreement provides that Defendant shall pay Plaintiff all expenses of retaking, holding, preparing for sale, selling and the like, of the Collateral, including attorneys' fees and other legal expenses. Sec. Agreement 3. Plaintiff is also entitled to interest and fees upon default and acceleration.
Plaintiff declares that the amount due under the Agreement is not less than $177,319.30. As of the date of acceleration after default, Plaintiff states that the principal amount due is $162,344.52. Compl. ¶ 13; Hamilton Aff. ¶13; Pl.'s Ex. D. (Loan Damage Calc.), ECF No. 9-1. According to Plaintiff, Defendant also owes interest in the amount of $13,700.54, late fees in the amount of $303.56, and other fees in the amount of $970.68. Hamilton Aff. ¶¶ 15-17; Pl.'s Ex. D. (Loan Damage Calc.). This totals the requested $177,319.30. Additionally, Plaintiff asserts that Defendant owes additional interest at a rate of $81.17
In order for the Court to enter default judgment in the requested amount ($177,319.30 plus $81.17
Moreover, by the terms of the Agreement and the Uniform Commercial Code, Plaintiff is entitled to take possession of the Collateral. Tex. Bus. & Comm. Code § 9.609; Sec. Agreement 3; Hamilton Aff. ¶ 25. Additionally, under the Agreement, Defendant is obligated to "assemble the [Collateral] and deliver it to [Plaintiff] at a place to be designated by [Plaintiff]" and to pay all expenses of retaking, holding, preparing for sale, and selling the Collateral. Sec. Agreement 3;
Under to the authority granted to it by the Agreement, Plaintiff may "sell, lease, license, or otherwise dispose of any or all of the collateral in its present condition or following any commercially reasonable preparation or processing." Tex. Bus. & Comm. Code § 9.610. The Court notes that, pursuant to the Uniform Commercial Code, Plaintiff is obligated to reduce the secured obligation by applying any funds received from the Collateral to the secured obligation. Tex. Bus. & Comm. Code § 9.207(c)(2). Accordingly, if Plaintiff takes possession of the Collateral, it must use any money received from the Collateral to reduce Defendant's obligation.
Plaintiff also seeks an injunction (1) preventing Defendant and others from continuing to use the Collateral, (2) requiring Defendant to advise Plaintiff of the location of the Collateral, and (3) ordering surrender of the Collateral to Plaintiff. Because the Court has now granted Plaintiff the relief requested and because Plaintiff has not shown that the monetary damages and order of possession of the Collateral in accordance with the terms of the Agreement are insufficient remedies, the Court does not find additional injunctive relief necessary at this time. Accordingly, the Court
Under the terms of the Agreement, Plaintiff is entitled to reasonable attorneys' fees, expenses, and costs incurred in enforcement and collection. Sec. Agreement 3. Plaintiff has requested that the Court stay the fourteen-day deadline for filing a motion for attorneys' fees set forth in Rule 54(d)(2) in order to allow Plaintiff to include the fees that will be expended in taking possession of the Collateral. Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 54(d)(2) provides that "
For the reasons stated above, the Court
Additionally, Plaintiff's request to stay the time period for filing attorneys' fees is
The Clerk is
Here, Plaintiff states, in the Verified Complaint, that Texas law should apply. Compl. ¶ 7. Additionally, the Agreement states that "the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be deemed approved and entered into within the State of Texas and all credit or other financial accommodations extended by Lender under this Agreement shall be deemed extended from and subject to the laws of the State of Texas (without regard to the conflicts of law principles of such State) regardless of the location of Debtor or any of the Equipment." Sec. Agreement 5, ECF No. 1-2. Therefore, the Court will adhere to the choice of law clause in the contract and apply Texas law to interpret the contract.