Opinion

Parsons v. Bong Mines Entertainment LLC

Court
District Court, E.D. New York
Filed
Mar 11, 2021
Cited by
0 cases
Authority
More cited than 26.6%

The opinion

U.S. DISTRICT COURT

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK LONG ISLAND OFFICE

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PAIGE PARSONS,

Plaintiff,

-against- ORDER

19-CV-0813 (JMA) (AKT)

BONG MINES ENTERTAINMENT LLC,

Defendant.

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AZRACK, United States District Judge:

Plaintiff, Paige Parsons (“Plaintiff”), commenced this action on February 8, 2019, against

the defendant, Bong Mines Entertainment LLC (“Defendant”), alleging copyright infringement

under the Copyright Act of 1976, 17 U.S.C. § 101 et seq. (ECF No. 1.) On May 6, 2020, Plaintiff

moved for default judgment. On May 7, 2020, Judge Spatt referred Plaintiff’s motion to Magistrate

Judge A. Kathleen Tomlinson for a Report and Recommendation (“R&R”). On January 19, 2021,

Zangba Thomson, the alleged “sole proprietor and owner” of Defendant, filed a pro se opposition

to Plaintiff’s motion. (ECF No. 30.) On January 21, 2021, this case was reassigned to this Court.

On January 28, 2021, Plaintiff filed a motion to strike the opposition filed by Zangba Thomson.

(ECF No. 31.) On February 18, 2021, Judge Tomlinson issued an R&R recommending that: (1)

Plaintiff’s motion to strike Zangba Thomson’s pro se opposition on the grounds that it was

impermissibly filed on behalf of the corporate Defendant and (2) Plaintiff’s motion for entry of

default judgment be granted, in part, and denied, in part. (ECF No. 32.) Judge Tomlinson also

recommended that Plaintiff be awarded $4,300.00, consisting of $2,500.00 in statutory damages,

$1,400.00 in attorneys’ fees, and $400.00 in costs. (Id.)

In reviewing a magistrate judge’s report and recommendation, the court must “make a de

novo determination of those portions of the report or . . . recommendations to which

objection[s][are] made.” 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(C); see also Brown v. Ebert, No. 05–CV–5579,

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2006 WL 3851152, at *2 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 29, 2006). The court “may accept, reject, or modify, in

whole or in part, the findings or recommendations made by the magistrate judge.” 28 U.S.C. §

636(b)(1)(C). Those portions of a report and recommendation to which there is no specific

reasoned objection are reviewed for clear error. See Pall Corp. v. Entegris, Inc., 249 F.R.D. 48,

51 (E.D.N.Y. 2008).

To date, no objections have been filed to the R&R and the deadline for filing any such

objections has passed.

I have reviewed Judge Tomlinson’s R&R for clear error, and finding none, I adopt the

R&R in its entirety as the opinion of this Court. Accordingly, Plaintiff’s motion to strike Zangba

Thomson’s opposition is granted and Plaintiff’s motion for entry of default judgment is granted in

part and denied in part.

The Clerk of the Court is respectfully directed to enter judgment against Defendant as

follows: Defendant Bong Mines Entertainment LLC is liable to Plaintiff Paige Parson for

$2,500.00 in statutory damages, $1,400.00 in attorneys’ fees, and $400.00 in costs for a total award

of $4,300.00.

The Clerk of the Court is directed to close this case.

SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 11, 2021

Central Islip, New York

/s/ (JMA)

JOAN M. AZRACK

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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