Canotal

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE Case No. 19-cv-07440-VC

COMPANY OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff, ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR

DEFAULT JUDGMENT

v. Re: Dkt. No. 56 JENNY CANOTAL, et al., Defendants.

Prudential Insurance filed this interpleader action to resolve which claimants are entitled (and in what amount) to the death benefits of two insurance policies issued to Thomas Canotal. Complaint ¶¶ 14, 18, Dkt. No. 1. The complaint alleges the existence of a dispute over the validity of certain beneficiary designations. ¶ 33. The policies are worth approximately $40,000, and the adverse claimants satisfy the statutory requirement of minimal diversity. 28 U.S.C. § 1335; State Farm Fire & Casualty Co. v. Tashire, 386 U.S. 523, 530–31 (1967). One named claimant, Express Funeral Funding, LLC, filed an answer, Dkt. No. 28, but has not appeared by counsel in violation of the Local Civil Rules and despite a court order to do so. Local R. 3-9(b); see Dkt. Nos. 29, 41. The Clerk entered default against Express Funeral, Dkt. No. 55, and Prudential Insurance filed a motion for default judgment three days later. Express Funeral…