Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_05-cv-04188/USCOURTS-cand-5_05-cv-04188-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 950
Nature of Suit: Constitutionality of State Statutes
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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ORDER DEEMING APPLICATION OF COMMON SENSE MEDIA TO PARTICIPATE AS AMICUS CURIAE SUBMITTED ON

THE PAPERS; ORDER GRANTING COMMON SENSE MEDIA LEAVE TO FILE AMICUS BRIEF—No. C-05-04188 RMW

JAH

E-FILED on 3/6/2006

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

VIDEO SOFTWARE DEALERS

ASSOCIATION, and ENTERTAINMENT

SOFTWARE ASSOCIATION,

Plaintiffs,

v.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, in his

official capacity as Governor of the State of

California; BILL LOCKYER, in his official

capacity as Attorney General of the State of

California; GEORGE KENNEDY, in his

official capacity as Santa Clara County District

Attorney; RICHARD DOYLE, in his official

capacity as City Attorney for the City of San

Jose; and ANN MILLER RAVEL, in her

official capacity as County Counsel for the

County of Santa Clara,

Defendants.

No. C-05-04188 RMW

ORDER DEEMING APPLICATION OF

COMMON SENSE MEDIA TO

PARTICIPATE AS AMICUS CURIAE

SUBMITTED ON THE PAPERS; ORDER

GRANTING COMMON SENSE MEDIA

LEAVE TO FILE AMICUS BRIEF

[Re Docket Nos. 59, 62, 63]

Common Sense Media ("CSM"), self-described as a non-profit organization that seeks to

educate the public about the effects of media on children, applies for "leave to participate in this

action as amicus curiae." See Mot. at 1. The plaintiffs oppose the application. On this court's own

Case 5:05-cv-04188-RMW Document 67 Filed 03/06/06 Page 1 of 3
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1 The court also notes that the time periods specified in Civil L.R. 7-2(a), 7-3(a), (c) are

minimum time periods. It would be helpful in a case of this nature if the parties agreed to longer

such periods of time for any complex motions.

ORDER DEEMING APPLICATION OF COMMON SENSE MEDIA TO PARTICIPATE AS AMICUS CURIAE SUBMITTED ON

THE PAPERS; ORDER GRANTING COMMON SENSE MEDIA LEAVE TO FILE AMICUS BRIEF—No. C-05-04188 RMW

JAH 2

motion, CSM's application is deemed submitted on the papers. No oral argument will be held; no

appearance is needed. 

"The privilege of being heard amicus rests solely within the discretion of the court," and the

privilege may be granted to one whose participation the court feels may be "useful." In re Roxford

Foods Litig., 790 F. Supp. 987, 997 (E.D. Cal. 1991). CSM anticipates the plaintiffs will move for

summary judgment. Reply at 2. CSM's application indicates its participation may be useful to the

court in deciding a motion for summary judgment. However, as has been noted by the Seventh

Circuit, "[t]he vast majority of amicus curiae briefs are filed by allies of litigants and duplicate the

arguments made in the litigants' briefs, in effect merely extending the length of the litigant's brief. 

Such amicus briefs should not be allowed. They are an abuse." Ryan v. Commodity Futures

Trading Comm'n, 125 F.3d 1062, 1063 (1997) (Posner, C.J., in chambers). CSM may file an amicus

brief in connection with any motion for summary judgment by the plaintiffs, but CSM should work

with the defendants to insure that its brief does not repeat the arguments contained in the defendants'

briefs.1

 

DATED: 3/6/06 /s/ Ronald M. Whyte

RONALD M. WHYTE

United States District Judge

Case 5:05-cv-04188-RMW Document 67 Filed 03/06/06 Page 2 of 3
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ORDER DEEMING APPLICATION OF COMMON SENSE MEDIA TO PARTICIPATE AS AMICUS CURIAE SUBMITTED ON

THE PAPERS; ORDER GRANTING COMMON SENSE MEDIA LEAVE TO FILE AMICUS BRIEF—No. C-05-04188 RMW

JAH 3

Notice of this document has been electronically sent to:

Counsel for Plaintiffs:

Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr. 

Amy L. Tenney 

Ethan D. Dettmer edettmer@gibsondunn.com 

H. Mark Lyon mlyon@gibsondunn.com 

Katherine A. Fallow 

Paul M. Smith 

Counsel for Defendants:

Zackery P. Morazzini zackery.morazzini@doj.ca.gov 

Robert R. Fabela Main@sanjoseca.gov 

David Michael Rollo david.rollo@cco.sccgov.org 

Counsel for Amicus Curiae:

Francine T. Radford fradford@gmssr.com 

Keith E. Johnson kjohnson@gmssr.com 

Counsel are responsible for distributing copies of this document to co-counsel that have not

registered for e-filing under the court's CM/ECF program.

Dated: 3/6/2006 /s/ JH 

Chambers of Judge Whyte

Case 5:05-cv-04188-RMW Document 67 Filed 03/06/06 Page 3 of 3