IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA

AUGUSTA DIVISION

WILLIAM E. BELL, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) CV 121-110 ) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ) VETERANS AFFAIRS and ) STATE FARM BANK d/b/a State ) Farm Mutual “Good Neighbor” ) Automobile Insurance Company, ) ) Defendants. ) _________

O R D E R _________ Plaintiff filed the above-captioned case on July 16, 2021. (Doc. no. 1.) Because he is proceeding pro se, on July 19, 2021, the Court provided him with basic instructions regarding the development and progression of this case. (Doc. no. 3.) The Court explained Plaintiff is responsible for serving Defendants in accordance with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4 and directed the Clerk of Court to attach a copy of Rule 4 to the July 19th Order so that Plaintiff could determine the appropriate method of service for each Defendant. (Id. at 1.) The Court specifically informed Plaintiff, under Fed. R. Civ. P. 4(m), he had ninety days from the complaint filing to accomplish service and that failure to accomplish service could result in dismissal of individual Defendants or the entire case. (Id.) Now, the ninety days allowed for service has elapsed, and there is no evidence in the record that any Defendant has been served. Indeed, the only docket activity since the Court entered its instruction order on July 19th is an August 3, 2021 supplemental filing of additional information related to Plaintiff's original complaint, which the Clerk of Court docketed as an amended complaint. (See doc. no. 4.) Rule 4(m) empowers courts with discretion to extend the time for service when a plaintiff demonstrates good cause for failing to timely serve process or any other circumstances warrant an extension of time. Henderson v. United States,

, 662- 63 (1996); Lepone-Dempsey v. Carroll Cnty. Comm’rs,

(11th Cir. 2007); Horenkamp v. Van Winkle & Co.,

(11th Cir. 2005). Accordingly, Plaintiff shall have fourteen days from the date of this Order to explain the reason(s) for the delay in service of process and why this case should not be dismissed without prejudice for failure to timely effect service. The Court DIRECTS the Clerk of Court to attach a copy of Rule 4(m) to this Order for Plaintiffs perusal. SO ORDERED this 4th day of November, 2021, at Augusta, Georgia.

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA