Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-00665/USCOURTS-casd-3_12-cv-00665-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 15:2801 Petroleum Marketing Practices Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BP West Coast Products LLC,

Plaintiff,

v.

Crossroad Petroleum, Inc. et al.,

Defendant.

Case No.: 12-cv-00665-JLS-JLB

ORDER RE: MANDATORY 

SETTLMENT CONFERENCES

[ECF No. 486]

On February 17, 2016, District Judge Janis L. Sammartino issued an order setting 

the Mandatory Settlement Conferences (“MSC”) in this case. (ECF No. 486.) Magistrate 

Judge Jill L. Burkhardt confirms that the MSCs shall go forward as scheduled on June 6, 

2016 (Plaintiff and “Meetra & Crossroad Defendants”) and June 8, 2016 (Plaintiff and the 

“Schiller Defendants”), and that each MSC shall commence at 9:00 AM, in the Chambers 

of Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt, Edward J. Schwartz U.S. Courthouse, 221 West 

Broadway, Suite 5140, San Diego, California 92101.

The following are mandatory directions for the parties preparing for their MSC. 

Absent express permission obtained from this Court, and notwithstanding the 

pendency of any motion, counsel shall timely comply with the dates and deadlines

ordered herein.

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1. Purpose of Conference: The purpose of the MSC is to permit an informal 

discussion between the attorneys, parties, and the settlement judge of every aspect of the 

lawsuit in an effort to achieve a resolution of the case. All conference discussions will be 

informal, off the record, privileged and confidential. Counsel for any non-English speaking 

parties is responsible for arranging for the appearance of an interpreter at the conference.

2. Personal Appearance of Parties Required: All parties, adjusters for insured 

defendants, and other representatives of a party having full settlement authority as 

explained below, and the principal attorneys responsible for the litigation, must be present 

in person and legally and factually prepared to discuss settlement of the case. Counsel 

appearing without their clients (whether or not counsel has been given settlement authority) 

will be cause for immediate imposition of sanctions and may also result in the immediate 

termination of the conference. If each of the principal attorneys responsible for the 

litigation is not listed on the docket as an “ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED,” then they each 

shall enter their appearance on the docket as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 

ten calendar days prior to the MSC.

Unless there is extraordinary circumstances, persons required to attend the 

conference pursuant to this Order shall not be excused from personal attendance. Requests 

for excuse from attendance for extraordinary circumstances shall be filed as a motion

at least ten calendar days prior to the conference. Failure to appear at the MSC will be 

grounds for sanctions.

3. Full Settlement Authority Required: In addition to counsel who will try the 

case, a party or party representative with full settlement authority1 must be present for the 

 

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“Full settlement authority” means that the individuals at the settlement conference must be 

authorized to explore settlement options fully and to agree at that time to any settlement terms 

acceptable to the parties. Heileman Brewing Co. v. Joseph Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648, 653 (7th Cir. 

1989). The person needs to have “unfettered discretion and authority” to change the settlement position 

of a party. Pitman v. Brinker Int’l, Inc., 216 F.R.D. 481, 485-86 (D. Ariz. 2003). The purpose of 

requiring a person with unlimited settlement authority to attend the conference contemplates that the 

person’s view of the case may be altered during the face to face conference. Id. at 486. A limited or a 

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conference. In the case of a corporate entity, an authorized representative of the 

corporation who is not retained outside counsel must be present and must have 

discretionary authority to commit the company to pay an amount up to the amount of the 

Plaintiff’s prayer (excluding punitive damages prayers). The purpose of this requirement 

is to have representatives present who can settle the case during the course of the 

conference without consulting a superior.

4. MSC Statements Required: On or before May 27, 2016, the parties SHALL

lodge supplemental settlement statements of five pages or less directly to the chambers of 

Magistrate Judge Burkhardt updating any developments concerning the nature of the case, 

the claims, the defenses, and the parties’ positions regarding settlement of the case. The 

settlement position must include a specific and current demand or offer addressing all relief 

or remedies sought. If a specific demand or offer cannot be made at the time the brief is 

submitted, then the reasons therefor must be stated along with a statement as to when the 

party will be in a position to state a demand or offer. A general statement that a party will 

“negotiate in good faith” is not a specific demand or offer. The statement shall also list all 

attorney and non-attorney attendees for the Conference, including person(s) and their 

title(s) or position(s) with the party who will attend and have settlement authority at the 

Conference. 

MSC statements shall be lodged via email at efile_burkhardt@casd.uscourts.gov. If 

exhibits are attached and the total submission amounts to more than 20 pages, a hard copy 

must also be delivered directly to chambers. Whether these statements are submitted 

confidentially or whether they are served on opposing counsel is within the parties’ 

discretion. Statements of more than five pages will not be considered.

5. Requests to Continue an MSC: Local Rule 16.3 governs MSCs. Requests 

to continue MSCs are rarely granted. However, the Court will consider formal, filed ex 

 

sum certain of authority is not adequate. See Nick v. Morgan’s Foods, Inc., 270 F.3d 590, 595-97 (8th 

Cir. 2001).

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parte or joint motions to continue an MSC when extraordinary circumstances exist that 

make a continuance appropriate. In and of itself, having to travel a long distance to appear 

in person is not “extraordinary.” Absent extraordinary circumstances, requests for 

continuances will not be considered unless filed no less than ten calendar days prior to 

the scheduled conference.

6. Settlement Prior to MSC: The Court encourages the parties to work on 

settling the matter in advance of the MSC. In the event that the parties resolve the matter 

prior to the day of the MSC, the following procedures must be followed before the Court 

will vacate the MSC and excuse the parties from appearing:

a. The parties may file a Joint Motion to Dismiss and separately lodge by email 

a proposed order to the assigned District Judge.

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 If a Joint Motion to Dismiss 

is filed, the Court will vacate the MSC. The parties are encouraged to contact 

Judge Burkhardt’s Chambers by telephone to notify the Court of their pending 

Joint Motion;

b. If the parties settle more than 24 hours before the conference but are not able 

to file a Joint Motion to Dismiss, they must file a Notice of Settlement 

containing the electronic signatures of counsel for all settling parties and 

identifying a date by which the Joint Motion to Dismiss will be filed. The 

parties are encouraged to contact Judge Burkhardt’s Chambers by telephone 

to notify the Court of their filed Notice of Settlement;

c. If the parties settle less than 24 hours before the conference, counsel for the 

settling parties must JOINTLY call chambers and inform the Court of the 

settlement and receive Court permission to not appear at the MSC.

 

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See Electronic Case Filing Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual, United States District 

Court for the Southern District of California § 2(h), for the chambers’ official email address and 

procedures on emailing proposed orders.

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After having reviewed Judge Burkhardt’s Civil Chambers Rules, appropriate 

questions regarding this case or the mandatory directions set forth herein may be 

addressed through a joint call by the parties to Judge Burkhardt’s law clerks at (619) 557-

6624. For additional information, please see Judge Burkhardt’s Civil Chambers Rules.

Dated: February 22, 2016

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