Court Error – Abuse of Discretion

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7^th Circuit Court of Appeals

Case Name: R. Alexander Acosta, Secretary of Labor, v. DT & C Global Management, LLC, et al.

Case No.: 16-4076

Officials: KANNE, ROVNER, and SYKES, Circuit Judges.

Focus: Court Error – Abuse of Discretion

DT & C Global Management operated a ground transportation company in Chicago. The company and two of its owners were sued by former employees and the government for violating state and federal wage‐payment laws. After the defendants ignored court orders, the district judges entered default judgments for the plaintiffs. Eleven months later, the defendants moved to vacate both judgments. See FED. R. CIV. P. 60(b). Deeming their excuses too little, too late, the judges denied the motions, precipitating this appeal. Because the defendants did not show good cause for the default, did not act quickly in filing motions to vacate, and failed to articulate any meritorious defenses, we conclude that the district judges did not abuse their discretion. We affirm the judgments.

Affirmed

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Attorney Derek A. Hawkins is the managing partner at Hawkins Law Offices LLC, where he heads up the firm’s startup law practice. He specializes in business formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, private equity and venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions. Check out the website at www.hawkins-lawoffices.com or contact them at 262-737-8825.