Flowers v. Eastern Account System of Connecticut, Inc.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT MIDDLE DISTRICT OF FLORIDA TAMPA DIVISION JODY DWAYNE FLOWERS, Plaintiff, v. Case No: 8:21-cv-1210-KKM-JSS EASTERN ACCOUNT SYSTEM OF CONNECTICUT, INC., Defendant.

ORDER Jody Flowers moves for default judgment against Eastern Account System of Connecticut, Inc. (Doc. 11.) The Magistrate Judge recommended that the Court grant the motion except as to Flowers’s premature request for attorney’s fees. (Doc. 13.)

The fourteen-day deadline for objections to the recommendation has passed. No one objected. Nevertheless, the Court reviews the Magistrate Judge’s legal conclusions de novo. See Cooper-Houston v. S. Ry. Co., 37 F.3d 603, 604 (11th Cir. 1994); Ashworth v. Glades Cnty. Bd. of Cnty. Comm'rs, 379 F. Supp. 3d 1244, 1246 (M.D. Fla. 2019) (Steele, J.). After review, the Court concludes that default judgment against Eastern Account System is appropriate for the reasons the Magistrate Judge stated. (Doc. 13.)

Accordingly, the following is ORDERED: 1. The Magistrate Judge’s Report and Recommendation, (Doc. 13), is ADOPTED and made a part of this Order for all purposes.

2. Plaintiffs Motion for Default Judgment against Eastern Account System of Connecticut, Inc., (Doc. 11), is GRANTED.

a. The Court finds Plaintiff is entitled to an award of $2,000.00 in statutory damages and $452.00 in taxable costs. b. The Court also finds that Plaintiff is entitled to reasonable attorney’s fees. Plaintiff must file a supplemental motion on attorney’s fees within 45 days of this Order, as required in Local Rule 7.01(c).

3. The Clerk is directed to ENTER judgment in Plaintiffs favor and against Eastern Account System of Connecticut, Inc., in the amount of $2,452.00.

4, The Clerk is directed to TERMINATE any pending motions or deadlines and to CLOSE this case.

ORDERED in Tampa, Florida, on February 5, 2022.

fatten Keil, Mizell athryn’ Kimball Mizelle United States District Judge