Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_05-cv-05411/USCOURTS-cand-5_05-cv-05411-7/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 790
Nature of Suit: Other Labor Litigation
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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*E-filed 12/20/06* 

 

NOT FOR CITATION

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

MARIA VALENCIA,

Plaintiff,

 v.

BY THE BAY INVESTMENTS, INC., et al,

Defendants. /

No. C05-05411 HRL

ORDER DISCHARGING ORDER TO

SHOW CAUSE RE CONTEMPT

Re: Docket No. 39

The court ordered Gregory Tokarczyk, attorney of record for plaintiff Maria Valencia, to

appear in court on November 28, 2006 and show cause, if any, why he should not be punished

for disobedience of court orders as set forth below. Mr. Tokarczyk appeared personally,

offering an oral response, and also submitted a written declaration to the court. Counsel for

defendants was present telephonically.

ALLEGED CONDUCT CONTITUTING CONTEMPT

Mr. Tokarczyk had failed to register with the court's Electronic Case Filing (ECF)

system, as required by General Order No. 45. At a May 23 case management conference, the

court ordered completion of initial disclosures by May 30 and told Mr. Tokarczyk to promptly

register with ECF. He did neither.

In July, defendants moved to compel initial disclosures. The moving papers were 

properly served upon Mr. Tokarczyk at his address of record. On August 29, he failed to 

Case 5:05-cv-05411-HRL Document 48 Filed 12/20/06 Page 1 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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appear for the hearing. He did not file written opposition, request a continuance of the hearing

or contact the court or opposing counsel to explain his non-appearance. The court granted the

motion to compel and ordered plaintiff to file and serve her initial disclosures by September 5.

The court also ordered $600 sanctions against Mr. Tokarczyk and his client, to be paid

forthwith to the attorneys for defendants. He did not comply with the court's orders.

On August 29, the court issued an Order to Show Cause (OSC) requiring that Mr.

Tokarczyk appear in person on September 5, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. to explain why he should not

be sanctioned for failure to register with the court's ECF system. The OSC was properly served

upon him at his address of record. He failed to appear as ordered on September 5. He did not

file a written response to the OSC, request a continuance, or contact the court or opposing

counsel with any explanation. 

In August, defendants moved to compel a psychiatric evaluation of plaintiff and to

compel responses to interrogatories and requests for production. The moving papers were 

properly served upon Mr. Tokarczyk at his address of record. On September 26, he failed to 

appear for the hearing on these motions. He did not file written oppositions, request a

continuance of the hearing or contact the court or opposing counsel prior to the hearing to

explain his non-appearance. Instead, after the hearing, he contacted the court's chambers staff

by phone, stating that he was going on disability and inactivating his law license. He stated that

he would move the court the following week for time for his client to find a new lawyer. He did

not do so. The court granted both motions to compel, ordering plaintiff to submit to a

psychological exam and to respond to the interrogatories and requests for production. The

orders were properly served upon Mr. Tokarczyk at his address of record. He did not comply

with the court's orders, and plaintiff did not appear for her examination.

MR. TOKARCZYK’S RESPONSE

At the hearing and in his written declaration, Mr. Tokarczyk explained that he had been

ordered by the California State Bar Lawyers Assistance Program to undergo four months of

medical treatment at a facility in Mississippi. He stated that he had been temporarily disabled

due to medical conditions including bipolar disorder and chemical dependance. His illness had

Case 5:05-cv-05411-HRL Document 48 Filed 12/20/06 Page 2 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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interfered with his ability to manage his cases and accounted for his admitted failure to follow

the orders of the court. He offered to associate counsel or substitute out of the case. (In fact, he

subsequently did associate counsel to represent plaintiff.)

In a later declaration, Mr. Tokarczyk stated that he had finally sent a check for $600 to

defense counsel, in satisfaction of the court’s August sanctions. 

DISCUSSION

The court commends Mr. Tokarczyk for obtaining aggressive treatment for his illnesses. 

On the other hand, the court cannot wholly overlook the fact that his failures to comply with

orders from this court have interfered with the orderly prosecution of this case, needlessly

inconveniencing the court and causing defendant to incur certain unnecessary costs. In a

separate order, the court required Mr. Tokarczyk to pay sanctions to defendants in an amount

that would reasonably cover those costs. The court does CENSURE Mr. Tokarczyk, but

because it concludes that his illnesses were a proximate cause of his interference with the

processes of the court, it declines to hold him in contempt. The order to show cause is

discharged. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 20, 2006 

HOWARD R. LLOYD

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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THIS SHALL CERTIFY THAT NOTICE WILL BE SENT TO: 

Patrick John Cimmarusti pjcimmar@yahoo.com 

Curtis L. Metzgar ecwlg7@earthlink.net, 

Gregory John Tokarczyk gtokarczyk@sbcglobal.net 

Richard Hamm 

Law Offices of Richard Hamm 

12 S. First Street 

Suite 809 

San Jose, CA 95113 

* Counsel are responsible for providing copies of this order to co-counsel.

Date: 12/20/06 /s/ JMM 

 Chambers of Magistrate Judge Howard R. Lloyd

Case 5:05-cv-05411-HRL Document 48 Filed 12/20/06 Page 4 of 4