Musser v. California Dairies, Inc. ( 2021 )

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 BROOKE BENNETT, No. 1:20-cv-00899-AWI-SKO 12 Plaintiff, 13 v. ORDER DIRECTING THE CLERK OF COURT TO CLOSE CASE. 14 CALIFORNIA DAIRIES, INC., (Doc. 28) 15 Defendant. 16 17 18 On November 4, 2021, Defendant filed the parties’ stipulation that this action be dismissed 19 with prejudice pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(a). (Doc. 28.) 20 In relevant part, Rule 41(a)(1)(A) provides as follows: 21 [A] plaintiff may dismiss an action without a court order by filing: (i) a notice of dismissal before the opposing party serves either an answer or a motion for summary 22 judgment; or (ii) a stipulation of dismissal signed by all parties who have appeared. 23 Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(1)(A). Rule 41 thus allows the parties to dismiss an action voluntarily, after 24 service of an answer, by filing a written stipulation to dismiss signed by all of the parties who have 25 appeared, although an oral stipulation in open court will also suffice. See Eitel v. McCool, 782 F.2d 26 1470, 1472-73 (9th Cir. 1986). 27 Once the stipulation between the parties who have appeared is properly filed or made in 28 open court, no order of the court is necessary to effectuate dismissal. Case law concerning 1 stipulated dismissals under Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(ii) is clear that the entry of such a stipulation of 2 dismissal is effective automatically and does not require judicial approval. Commercial Space 3 Mgmt. Co. v. Boeing Co., 193 F.3d 1074, 1077 (9th Cir. 1999). Because the parties have filed a 4 stipulation for dismissal of this case with prejudice under Rule 41(a) that is signed by all whom 5 have made an appearance, this case has terminated. Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(1)(A)(ii). 6 Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Clerk of Court close this case. 7 IT IS SO ORDERED. 8 9 Dated: November 5, 2021 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto . UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28