Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_04-cv-05924/USCOURTS-caed-1_04-cv-05924-14/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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Stipulation and Order

DENNIS A. MARSHALL

 County Counsel

BRUCE B. JOHNSON, JR.

 Senior Deputy County Counsel – SBN 142968

FRESNO COUNTY COUNSEL

2220 Tulare Street, 5th Floor

Fresno, California 93721

Telephone: (559) 488-3479

Facsimile: (559) 488-1900

Attorneys for Fresno County Sheriff Defendants

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SHARON SAUNDERS, et al.,

 Plaintiffs,

 Vs.

DETECTIVE CYNTHIA KNIGHT, et al.,

 Defendants.

Case No. CIV F-04-5924 LJO WMW

STIPULATION AND ORDER

CONCERNING POSSIBLE DISCOVERY

MOTION AS TO DEPOSITION OF

DEFENDANT, CYNTHIA KNIGHT

Case 1:04-cv-05924-LJO-GSA Document 129 Filed 06/25/07 Page 1 of 3
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Stipulation and Order

RECITALS

Plaintiff originally scheduled the deposition of defendant, Cynthia Knight, to proceed on

June 20, 2007, in Eugene, Oregon, with sufficient time to have a motion to compel heard by July

20, 2007, the current discovery cutoff. 

The Sheriff defendants, including Knight, filed a motion for summary judgment based on a

statute of limitations issue, which was set to proceed to hearing on June 15, 2007. At the Sheriff

defendants’ suggestion, pending the outcome of the summary judgment motion, plaintiff agreed

to reset the deposition to July 10, 2007. Part of plaintiff’s motivation for agreeing to set the

deposition another 20 days hence was that airline fares are more affordable for plaintiff, who is

proceeding pro se, when tickets are purchased at least two weeks in advance of the date of flight. 

Knight thereafter objected to the date because of her participation in a Victim Advocate 24-Hour

response team on July 9 and 10, 2007, for which she was on call. The Sheriff defendants then

requested that plaintiff agree to a July 12, 2007 date for the deposition of Knight. Plaintiff

responded that she is willing to move the date to July 12, 2007, only if there are adequate written

assurances from the Court that in the event Knight wrongfully refuses to respond to specific

questions, she can bring a motion to compel after the July 20, 2007 discovery cutoff. 

Throughout this process, on at least two occasions, the Sheriff defendants’ counsel wrongly

opined to plaintiff that she could bring a discovery motion after the discovery cutoff, consistent

with the nondispositive motion cutoff. In light of the Court’s original scheduling order (see Doc.

#76, at p. 2), the Court contemplates that the date for completion of discovery is also the date for

completion of motions to compel. The undersigned counsel for the Sheriff defendants

apologizes to the Court and to plaintiff for this oversight and misunderstanding of the parties’

duties in relation to the discovery cutoff date, as pertains to discovery motions.

The Sheriff defendants and plaintiff would jointly advise the Court that at least five other

depositions should be concluded prior to the end of June, 2007, and the parties are not seeking

relief with respect to any such depositions; relief is sought only as to the deposition of Knight.

Case 1:04-cv-05924-LJO-GSA Document 129 Filed 06/25/07 Page 2 of 3
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Stipulation and Order

STIPULATION

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED that with respect to Knight’s deposition,

only, plaintiff may file a motion to compel on any date up to and including August 1, 2007.

Dated: June 22, 2007 DENNIS A. MARSHALL

County Counsel

/s/ Bruce B. Johnson, Jr.

By: BRUCE B. JOHNSON, JR.

Senior Deputy County Counsel,

Attorneys for Fresno County Sheriff’s

Department

Dated: June 22, 2007

/s/ Sharon Saunders

SHARON SAUNDERS, Defendant

ORDER

The Court, having reviewed the recitals and stipulation and, good cause appearing, hereby

ORDERS that with respect to Knight’s deposition, only, plaintiff may file a motion to compel on

any date up to and including August 1, 2007.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 22, 2007 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

66h44d UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:04-cv-05924-LJO-GSA Document 129 Filed 06/25/07 Page 3 of 3