Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-02154/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-02154-10/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:12101 Americans with Disabilities Act

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28 A Tentative Final Pretrial Order was filed on October 12, 1

2006, which was used to create this Order.

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JAMES SANFORD, )

) 2:04-cv-2154-GEB-EFB

Plaintiff, )

)

V. ) FINAL PRETRIAL ORDER

)

DEL TACO, INC., d/b/a Del )

Taco #115; PHILIPPE DURAND )

GORRY, et al., ) 

)

Defendants. )

)

A final pretrial conference was held on October 16, 2006.

Mark Emmett appeared on behalf of the Plaintiff; Lisa Wegner

appeared on behalf of the Defendant.1

After hearing, the Court makes the following Order.

I. JURISDICTION AND VENUE

Jurisdiction is based on 28 U.S.C. § 1331. Venue is

undisputed. 

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II. JURY/NON-JURY

Trial of the remaining equitable claims is to the bench.

III. UNDISPUTED FACTS

A. Defendant Del Taco is a corporation authorized to do

business in the State of California;

B. Defendant, Del Taco, Inc. dba Del Taco #115, 

operates and is lessee of the Del Taco restaurant at issue herein,

located at 5900 Florin Road, Sacramento, California 95823 (the

"Restaurant");

C. Defendant, Philippe Durand Gorry, is the owner and lessor

of the Restaurant;

D. The Restaurant is a place of public accommodation to which

the general public is invited;

E. The Restaurant is a dining facility constructed in the

State of California with private funds.

IV. DISPUTED FACTUAL ISSUES

A. Whether the ramp from the accessible parking space to the

Restaurant exceeds the maximum allowable slope of 8.33%, in

violation of ADAAG § 4.7.2;

B. Whether the accessible route into the Restaurant exceeds

the maximum allowable slope of 2%, in violation of ADAAG § 4.3.7;

C. Whether the slope of the accessible route to the

restrooms in the Restaurant exceeds the maximum allowable slope

of 2%, in violation of ADAAG §§ 4.3.7 and 4.3.2(2);

D. Whether the Restaurant's restroom cannot be entered

without a key to unlock the door;

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E. Whether the use of a key to open the Restaurant's

restroom requires tight grasping, tight pinching, or twisting of

the wrist to operate, in violation of ADAAG § 4.13.9;

F. Whether the alleged barriers Plaintiff encountered at Del

Taco # 115 are within the dimensional tolerances contemplated by

the ADAAG;

G. Whether Plaintiff suffered an injury in fact;

H. Whether barrier removal is readily achievable; 

I. Whether Plaintiff visited or was deterred from visiting

Del Taco # 115 within the limitations period.

V. DISPUTED EVIDENTIARY ISSUES

Any evidentiary dispute capable of being resolved in

limine shall be set forth in an in limine motion which shall be

filed no later than October 30, 2006. An opposition or a nonopposition statement to any filed in limine motion shall be filed

no later than November 13, 2006. Failure to state a basis for

admissibility or non-admissibility of disputed evidence constitutes

a waiver or abandonment of that basis. 

VI. TRIAL BRIEFS

In addition to the matters set forth in Local Rule 16-

285, the parties shall brief the following points of law in their

trial briefs. 

1. The elements, standards, and burdens of proof as

to each of Plaintiff's causes of action, including citations of

authority in support thereof.

2. The elements, standards, and burdens of proof

as to each of Defendant's defenses, including citations of

authority in support thereof.

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Notwithstanding Local Rule 16-285, trial briefs shall be

filed with the Court no later than twenty (20) court days prior to

the date of trial. The trial briefs must include “a summary of

points of law, including reasonably anticipated disputes concerning

admissibility of evidence, legal arguments, and citations of

authority in support thereof.” Local Rule 16-285(a)(3).

 VII. ABANDONED ISSUES

Plaintiff has abandoned his claim for negligence. 

VIII. WITNESSES

A. Plaintiff expects to call as witnesses, either in

person or by deposition, some or all of the persons listed in

Exhibit A, attached hereto.

B. Defendant expects to call as witnesses, either in

person or by deposition, some or all of the persons listed in

Exhibit B, attached hereto.

C. Each party may call a witness designated by the

other.

D. No person, other than those named on these witness

lists, will be permitted to testify unless:

(1) The party offering the witness demonstrates that

the witness is for the purpose of rebutting evidence which could

not reasonably be anticipated at the pretrial conference; or

(2) The witness was discovered after the pretrial

conference and the proffering party makes the showing required in

"E", below.

E. If a witness is discovered after the pretrial

conference, counsel for the party offering the witness shall

promptly inform the Court and opposing parties of the existence of

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Plaintiff’s objections to Defendants’ Amended Exhibit 2

List based on the contention it is untimely is overruled because

the document was filed on time.

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the unlisted witness so that the Court may consider at trial

whether the witness shall be permitted to testify. The witness

will be not be permitted to testify unless:

(1) The witness could not reasonably have been

discovered prior to pretrial;

(2) The Court and opposing counsel were promptly

notified upon discovery of the witness;

(3) If time permitted, counsel offered the witness

for deposition; and

(4) If time did not permit, a reasonable summary of

the witness' testimony was provided to opposing counsel.

IX. EXHIBITS2

A. Plaintiff intends to offer in evidence the exhibits

described in Exhibit C, attached hereto.

B. Defendant intends to offer in evidence the exhibits

described in Exhibit D, attached hereto.

C. No other exhibits will be permitted to be introduced

unless:

(1) The party seeking to use the unlisted exhibit

demonstrates that the exhibit is being used to rebut evidence which

could not reasonably have been anticipated at the pretrial

conference; or

(2) The unlisted exhibit was discovered after the

pretrial conference and the offering party makes the showing

required in paragraph "D", below.

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D. Any party proposing to introduce an exhibit which was

discovered after the pretrial conference shall promptly notify the

Court and opposing counsel of the existence of such exhibit. The

Court will not permit any such exhibit to be introduced unless it

finds:

(1) That the exhibit could not reasonably have been

discovered prior to the pretrial conference;

(2) The Court and counsel were promptly informed of

the exhibit's existence; and

(3) That the offering party has delivered a copy of

the exhibit to opposing counsel, or, if the exhibit may not be

copied, that the offering counsel has made the exhibit reasonably

available for inspection by opposing counsel. 

E. Plaintiff's exhibits shall be numbered and marked

with colored stickers provided by the Court while Defendant's

exhibits shall be designated by alphabetical letter also marked

with colored stickers provided by the Court. To obtain stickers,

parties should contact the Clerk of Court at (916) 930-4000.

The parties are directed to exchange with each other, at

least twenty (20) court days prior to trial, copies of all of their

respective exhibits, marked with exhibit stickers provided by the

Court. Within five (5) court days after receipt and examination of

the exhibits, each party shall file with the Court and serve upon

opposing counsel objections, if any, to the exhibits, referencing

the exhibits as marked by exhibit sticker and specifying the basis

for each objection. Failure to exchange exhibits as ordered could

result in the exhibit not being used at trial and/or the imposition

of sanctions. The failure to make objections in the manner

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prescribed by this section shall constitute a waiver of objections. 

A party seeking to admit into evidence an exhibit to which no

objection was made must identify said exhibit for the record and

then move it into evidence. 

Counsel shall produce all exhibits to the Clerk's Office

on the Friday before the before trial date, no later than 4:00 p.m. 

At that time, the parties shall also furnish the Court with a copy

of each exhibit, unless the exhibit is physically incapable of

being reproduced. Failure to produce exhibits as ordered could

result in waiver of the right to offer those exhibits. Each party

submitting exhibits shall furnish a list to the Court, the

courtroom deputy and opposing counsel itemizing the exhibits. 

X. FURTHER PREPARATION FOR USE OF DISCOVERY DOCUMENTS

A. It is the duty of counsel to ensure that any

depositions which are to be used at trial for any purpose shall

have been filed with the clerk, and counsel are cautioned that a

failure to discharge this duty may result in preclusion of the use

of the unfiled depositions or in the imposition of such other

sanctions as the Court deems appropriate.

B. No later than twenty (20) court days before the trial

commencement date, counsel for each party shall serve on the other

parties a statement designating all answers to interrogatories and

all portions of depositions (except for passages to be used solely

for refreshing recollection, impeachment or rebuttal). No later

than ten (10) court days before the trial commencement date,

counter-designations of other portions of these discovery documents

may be served. No later than five (5) court days before trial, the

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parties shall file and serve any preserved evidentiary objections

to any designated discovery, or said objections are waived.

C. Any deposition or parts thereof shall be submitted as

an exhibit with a cover sheet explaining which objections, if any,

are waived. Accordingly, deposition passages need not be read into

the record.

XI. FURTHER DISCOVERY OR MOTIONS

Pursuant to the Court's Pretrial Scheduling Order, all

discovery and law and motion was to have been completed prior to

the date of the final pretrial conference. That order is

confirmed. The parties are, of course, free to conduct any

additional discovery they desire pursuant to informal agreement. 

However, any such agreement will not be enforceable in this Court.

XII. SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS

No settlement conference is scheduled in this matter. If

the parties believe that a settlement conference would be

productive and facilitate resolution of this case, the parties may

contact the Court. If the Court schedules a settlement conference

at the request of the parties, each party would be directed to have

a principal with authority to settle the case on any terms present

at the settlement conference. 

In addition, each party would have to submit a settlement

conference statement directly to the chambers of the settlement

judge, five (5) court days prior to the settlement conference. 

Such statements would not have to be filed with the clerk nor

served on opposing counsel. However, each would be required to

notify the other party or parties that the statement was submitted

to the judge's chambers.

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XIII. PROPOSED FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

Each party shall submit proposed prevailing party

findings and conclusions ten (10) court days before trial. FAILURE

TO DO SO DISMISSES, WAIVES, OR ABANDONS THAT ISSUE, CLAIM OR

DEFENSE. The parties may supplement timely-submitted proposed

findings and conclusions as trial progresses, up until closing

arguments.

XIV. ATTORNEYS FEES

The parties are referred to Local Rule 54-293 concerning

the post-trial procedure for seeking an award of attorney's fees. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 16, 2006

/s/ Garland E. Burrell, Jr.

GARLAND E. BURRELL, JR.

United States District Judge

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