Stroupe v. State Farm Insurance Life Company

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA
PAUL M. STROUPE
VERSUS
STATE FARM INSURANCE LIFE
COMPANY
CIVIL ACTION
NO: 25-1655
SECTION: “C” (4)
REASONS AND ORDER
Plaintiff, Paul M. Stroupe, filed the subject Motion for Entry of Default against defendant,
State Farm Insurance Life Company (R. Doc. 18), on December 23, 2025.
Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 55 governs entry of default and default judgments. Default
is proper when a “party against whom a judgment for affirmative relief is sought has failed to plead
or otherwise defend[.]” Fed. R. Civ. P. 55. Judge Brandon S. Long, to whom this matter was
previously assigned, denied plaintiff’s prior motions for entry of default. Judge Long found that
State Farm timely filed a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim or,
alternatively, requesting a more definite statement under Rule 12(e). Because State Farm has pled
or otherwise asserted a defense herein, there is no legal basis for entry of default. Considering the
above and foregoing:
IT IS ORDERED that the Request for Entry of Default against defendant, State Farm Life
Insurance Company, is DENIED.
New Orleans, Louisiana, this 27th day of January, 2026.
__________________________________________
WILLIAM J. CRAIN
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
Case 2:25-cv-01655-WJC-KWR Document 26 Filed 01/27/26 Page 1 of 1