# Koehler

> District Court, E.D. Missouri · March 31, 2026

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/11312710

## Case

- **Full name:** Sabrina Koehler v. Broker Solutions, Inc. d/b/a New American Funding
- **Court:** District Court, E.D. Missouri
- **Decided:** March 31, 2026
- **Opinion:** 100trialcourt
- **Cited by:** 0 later opinions in the Frix Law Library

## Citator (automated)

- No negative treatment found by the automated citator. That is not the same as a confirmation that the case is good law; read the citing cases.
- Full citator and citing cases: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/11312710

## How later opinions describe it (automated extraction)

- affirming dismissal of pro se 42 U.S.C. § 1983 complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b), where plaintiff did not follow the magistrate judge's order to file an amended complaint despite warnings that dismissal could result from his failure to do so

## Opinion text

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI
EASTERN DIVISION

SABRINA KOEHLER, )
)
Plaintiff, )
)
vs. ) Case No. 4:24-cv-1020-JSD
)
BROKER SOLUTIONS, INC. d/b/a )
NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, )
)
Defendant. )

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

This matter is before the Court on Defendant New American Funding, LLC’s Second
Notice of Non-Compliance with Neutral Requirements and Request for Sanctions. (ECF No. 72)1
In this Motion, Defendant notes that Plaintiff has not complied with this Court’s Orders referring
this case to mediation and she has not paid the required mediation deposit. Defendant requests that
the Court sanction Plaintiff for her failure to comply with the Case Management Order entered on
June 11, 2025, and the Court’s Order entered on March 6, 2026. (ECF No. 73 at 1)
The Court referred this case to mediation on February 4, 2026 (ECF No. 54), in keeping
with the Case Management Order entered on June 11, 2025 (ECF No. 36). Further, the Court held
a hearing on February 26, 2026, with Plaintiff and defense counsel, where the Court reiterated its
referral of this case to mediation and Plaintiff moved for the appointment of a new mediator. (ECF
No. 62) On that same date, the Court granted Plaintiff’s request for an appointment of a new

1 The Court previously held the Second Notice of Non-Compliance with Neutral Requirements and Request for
Sanctions in abeyance to allow Plaintiff another opportunity to comply with the Court’s Orders. (ECF No. 75) As
Plaintiff still has not complied, the Court will grant the Motion.
meditator. (ECF Nos. 63) On March 4, 2026, the Court issued a Notice of Appointment of Neutral,
appointing Ann Davis Shields. (ECF No. 67)

On March 5, 2026, Defendant New American Funding, LLC filed a Notice of Non-
Compliance with Neutral Requirements. (ECF No. 69) Defendant provided an email from the
office of mediator Ann David Shields whereby she canceled the mediation, previously scheduled
for March 18, 2026, due to Plaintiff’s nonpayment of the mediation deposit. (ECF No. 69-1) On
March 6, 2026, the Court issued an Order, clarifying its referral of this case to mediation and the
appointment of Ann Davis Sheilds as mediator. (ECF No. 70) The Court again ordered Plaintiff to
participate in mediation and to comply with the directives of mediator Ann Davis Sheilds. Id. the
Court emphasized: “Any failure by Plaintiff to follow this Court’s order to participate in

mediation, including following the requirements outlined by the mediator, shall be deemed
to be contemptuous and may result in sanction, including possible striking of the pleadings
and dismissal for failure to following this Court’s orders.” Id. (emphasis in original)
On March 12, 2026, Defendant filed a Second Notice of Non-Compliance with Neutral
Requirements and Request for Sanctions. (ECF No. 72) In the Memorandum in Support,
Defendant noted that Plaintiff still has not responded or paid the required deposit for mediation.

On March 19, 2026, this Court issued an Order, holding Defendant’s Second Notice of
Non-Compliance with Neutral Requirements and Request for Sanctions in abeyance. (ECF No.
72) The Court provided one final opportunity for Plaintiff to comply with this Court’s directive to
participate in mediation. The Court required Plaintiff to pay the requested deposit to mediator Ann
Davis Shields and to comply with any other requirements imposed by mediator Ann Davis Shields
no later than March 27, 2026. (ECF No. 75) The Court notified Plaintiff that “Failure to comply
with this Court’s Order regarding mediation will result in dismissal of this action.” (ECF No.
75 at 3 (emphasis in original))

Here, the Court holds that Plaintiff has shown a “pattern of intentional failure to follow
court orders” such that dismissal of this action with prejudice is appropriate. Siems v. City of
Minneapolis, 560 F.3d 824, 826 (8th Cir. 2009). The Court has ordered Plaintiff to participate in
mediation on several occasions. (ECF Nos. 54, 63, 70, 75) On the last two occasions, the Court
notified Plaintiff that she must abide by this Court’s Orders to reschedule the ADR and pay the
deposit to the mediator or else the Court would impose sanctions, including dismissal of this case.
On March 30, 2026, Defendant filed a Memorandum Regarding Court Order (ECF No. 76), stating
that Plaintiff has not rescheduled the mediation; likewise, the Court has received no information

from Plaintiff indicating that she is attempting to follow the Court’s Orders. As a result, the Court
grants the Second Notice of Non-Compliance with Neutral Requirements and Request for
Sanctions and dismisses this action for failure to follow this Court’s Orders pursuant to Fed. R.
Civ. P. 41(b). See Brown v. Frey, 806 F.2d 801, 803 (8th Cir. 1986) (“A district court has the
power under Fed.R.Civ.P. 41(b) to dismiss an action for the plaintiff's failure to comply with any
court order and, unless otherwise specified, such a dismissal operates as an adjudication on the
merits.”); Dudley v. Miles, 597 F. App'x 392 (8th Cir. 2015) (affirming dismissal of pro se 42
U.S.C. § 1983 complaint pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 41(b), where plaintiff did
not follow the magistrate judge's order to file an amended complaint despite warnings that
dismissal could result from his failure to do so); see also Haley v. Kansas City Star, 761 F.2d 489,

490 (8th Cir. 1985) (“A district court may, on its own motion, dismiss an action for failure of the
plaintiff to comply with any order of the court”).
Accordingly,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that Defendant New American Funding, LLC’s Second
Notice of Non-Compliance with Neutral Requirements and Request for Sanctions (ECF No. 72)
is GRANTED.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(b), this action is
DISMISSED for failure to comply with this Court’s Order and failure to follow the Federal Rules
of Civil Procedure. An appropriate Judgment is filed herewith.

J oS DUEKER
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Dated this 31st day of March, 2026.

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/cases/11312710. Public record. Not legal advice.
