Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-04911/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-04911-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Contract Dispute

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MALCOLM A. MISURACA,

Plaintiff,

v.

EMPLOYERS INSURANCE COMPANY OF

WAUSAU, et al.,

Defendants.

___________________________________/

No. C-06-4911 MMC (EMC)

NOTICE OF SETTLEMENT

CONFERENCE AND SETTLEMENT

CONFERENCE ORDER

TO ALL PARTIES AND COUNSEL OF RECORD:

The above matter was referred to Magistrate Judge Edward M. Chen for settlement purposes.

You are hereby notified that a settlement conference is scheduled for March 5, 2007, at

10:00 a.m., Courtroom C, 15th Floor, Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco,

California 94102. Any questions regarding scheduling of the settlement conference should be

directed to Judge Chen's secretary, Leni Doyle, at (415) 522-4050.

‚ Settlement Conference statements shall be lodged with Judge Chen's chambers

by February 19, 2007. If this case is designated as an electronic filing ("efiling") case, statements must be lodged by hard copy only and should not be

electronically filed.

It is the responsibility of counsel to ensure that whatever discovery is needed for all sides to

evaluate the case for settlement purposes is completed by the date of the settlement conference. 

Counsel shall cooperate in providing discovery informally and expeditiously.

Case 3:06-cv-04911-MMC Document 15 Filed 12/04/06 Page 1 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Lead trial counsel shall appear at the settlement conference with the parties. Any party

who is not a natural person shall be represented by the person or persons not directly involved in the

events which gave rise to the litigation but with full authority to negotiate a settlement. A person

who needs to call another person not present before agreeing to any settlement does not have full

authority. Full authority means authority to accept the last demand or counter-offer by the

other party. If a party is a governmental entity, its governing body shall designate one of its

members or a senior executive to appear at the settlement conference with authority to participate in

the settlement conference and, if a tentative settlement agreement is reached, to recommend the

agreement to the governmental entity for its approval. An insured party shall appear with a

representative of the carrier with full authority to negotiate up to the limits of coverage. The

Court shall be notified immediately if the carrier declines to attend. Personal attendance of a

party representative will rarely be excused by the Court, and then only upon separate written

application demonstrating substantial hardship served on opposing counsel and lodged as early as

the basis for the hardship is known but no later than the settlement conference statement.

Each party shall prepare a settlement conference statement, which must be lodged (not faxed)

with the Magistrate Judge's chambers and served upon opposing counsel no later than fourteen (14)

calendar days prior to the conference. The settlement conference statement shall be submitted on 3-

hole punched paper. The settlement conference statement should not be filed with the Clerk of the

Court. In order to encourage candid discussion of the case with the Court, any party may submit a

confidential supplemental settlement letter to the Court not to exceed three (3) pages. The contents

of this supplemental confidential settlement letter will not be disclosed to the other parties.

The settlement conference statement shall not exceed ten (10) pages of text and twenty (20)

pages of exhibits and shall include the following:

1. A brief statement of the facts of the case.

2. A brief statement of the claims and defenses including, but not limited to, statutory or

other grounds upon which the claims are founded, and a candid evaluation of the parties' likelihood

of prevailing on the claims and defenses. The more candid the parties are, the more productive the

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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conference will be. As noted above, a supplemental confidential settlement letter containing such a

candid evaluation may be submitted.

3. A list of the key facts in dispute and a brief statement of the specific evidence

relevant to a determination of those facts.

4. A summary of the proceedings to date and any pending motions.

5. An estimate of the out of pocket expenses, attorney's fees and time to be expended for

further discovery, pretrial and trial.

6. The relief sought, including an itemization of damages. If plaintiff seeks attorney's

fees and costs, plaintiff's counsel shall be prepared at the conference to provide sufficient

information to enable the fee claim to be evaluated for purposes of settlement. 

7. The party's position on settlement, including present demands and offers and a history

of past settlement discussions. The Court's time can best be used to assist the parties in completing

their negotiations, not in starting them. Accordingly, plaintiff must serve a demand in writing no

later than fourteen (14) days before the conference, and defendant must respond in writing no later

than eight (8) days before the conference. The parties are urged to carefully evaluate their case

before taking a settlement position since extreme positions hinder the settlement process.

Settlement conference statements may be submitted on CD-ROM with hypertext links to

exhibits. Otherwise, the portion of exhibits on which the party relies shall be highlighted.

It is not unusual for the conference to last three (3) or more hours. Parties should be

prepared to devote the entire day to the conference if necessary. Parties are encouraged to

participate and frankly discuss their case. Statements they make during the conference will not be

admissible at trial in the event the case does not settle. The parties should be prepared to discuss

such issues as:

1. Their settlement objectives.

2. Any impediments to settlement they perceive.

3. Whether they have enough information to discuss settlement. If not, what additional

information is needed.

4. The possibility of a creative resolution of the dispute.

Case 3:06-cv-04911-MMC Document 15 Filed 12/04/06 Page 3 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Because the settlement conference will likely involve some assessment of claims, defenses

and relief in the case, the parties should have available at the conference documents, exhibits, and

other items essential to that assessment not already attached as exhibits to the settlement conference

statement.

Any request to continue the settlement conference shall state the reason therefor and be

submitted in writing as soon as possible after consultation with the opposing party but well in

advance of the scheduled conference date. Submission is acceptable at facsimile number (415) 522-

4200. 

The parties shall notify chambers immediately at (415) 522-4050 if this case settles prior to

the date set for settlement conference. Counsel shall provide a copy of this order to each party who

will participate in the conference.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 4, 2006

 EDWARD M. CHEN

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:06-cv-04911-MMC Document 15 Filed 12/04/06 Page 4 of 4