Case Information
*1 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
CENTRAL DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA CIVIL MINUTES—GENERAL Case No. CV 20-565-DMG (JEMx) Date April 14, 2020 Title Fabric Selection, Inc. v. Unlimited Avenue, Inc. et al. Page 1 of 1 Present: The Honorable DOLLY M. GEE, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
KANE TIEN NOT REPORTED Deputy Clerk Court Reporter
Attorneys Present for Plaintiff(s) Attorneys Present for Defendant(s) None Present None Present Proceedings: IN CHAMBERS—ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE WHY THE COURT SHOULD NOT STRIKE DEFENDANT BBY 5 DOLLAR FASHION’S ANSWER
Defendant BBY 5 Dollar Fashion purported to file an Answer to Plaintiff Fabric Selection, Inc.’s Complaint on April 13, 2020. [Doc. # 26.] Page two of the Answer states that “Defendant BBY 5 Dollar Fashion is DD Digital Media, Inc. a Florida corporation d/b/a BBY 5 Dollar Fashion. Id. at 2. The Answer is signed only by BBY 5 Dollar Fashion’s president, Dawn E Dubois, and there is no indication that BBY 5 Dollar Fashion has retained counsel to represent it in this action. Id. at 3, 1 (caption states that BBY 5 Dollar Fashion is proceeding as a “Defendant in Pro Per”).
It is well-established that corporations may not appear in federal court without counsel to represent them. See C.D. Cal. L.R. 83-2.2.2.; see also Rowland v. Cal. Men's Colony et al. , 506 U.S. 194, 201-02 (1993) (“It has been the law for the better part of two centuries . . . that a corporation may appear in the federal courts only through licensed counsel.”). BBY 5 Dollar Fashion is therefore ORDERED TO SHOW CAUSE why the Court should not strike its Answer as improperly filed by a corporation without counsel. BBY 5 Dollar Fashion shall respond in writing by April 28, 2020 . IT IS SO ORDERED . CV-90 CIVIL MINUTES—GENERAL Initials of Deputy Clerk KT