Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_23-cv-02691/USCOURTS-caed-2_23-cv-02691-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

ARVELLO L. TUFONO, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

AMANDEEP DHILLION, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:23-cv-2691 DAD SCR P 

ORDER 

 Plaintiff is a county inmate proceeding pro se with a civil rights action under 42 U.S.C. 

§1983. On August 12, 2024, defendants filed their answer, a motion for summary judgment, and 

a motion to stay discovery. (ECF Nos. 25, 26, 27.) In their motion for summary judgment, 

defendants argue that plaintiff failed to exhaust his administrative remedies prior to filing this 

suit. In their motion to stay discovery, defendants seek a stay of all discovery except discovery 

related to the issue of exhaustion. Plaintiff has not filed responses to either motion. 

 Typically, after defendants file an answer, the court issues a Discovery and Scheduling 

Order which sets a schedule for the litigation and provides plaintiff some information about 

discovery and dispositive motions. Defendants’ motion for summary judgment is therefore 

premature and this court will not require plaintiff to respond to the motion at this time. This court 

issues a Discovery and Scheduling Order along with the present order. 

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Case 2:23-cv-02691-DAD-SCR Document 29 Filed 10/15/24 Page 1 of 2
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 This court will not, however, permit full discovery at this time. Defendants have shown 

good cause to limit discovery to the issue of exhaustion. This court will grant their motion for a 

partial stay of discovery. 

Plaintiff should review the Discovery and Scheduling Order and defendants’ motion for 

summary judgment to determine whether he requires any discovery from defendants regarding 

the issue of exhaustion. Plaintiff will be ordered to inform the court within twenty-one days that 

either (1) he wants to propound discovery regarding the issue of exhaustion, or (2) he does not 

require discovery in order to file a response to defendants’ motion for summary judgment. If 

plaintiff chooses the first option, then this court will set a deadline for discovery. If plaintiff 

chooses the second option, then this court will set a deadline for plaintiff to file an opposition to 

defendants’ motion for summary judgment.1 

 Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that 

1. Briefing on defendants’ motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 26) is stayed until 

further notice from the court. 

2. Defendants’ motion to stay all discovery except discovery related to the issue of 

exhaustion (ECF No. 27) is granted. 

3. Within twenty-one days of the date of this order, plaintiff shall file a notice with the 

court that he wants to do one of the following: 

a. Plaintiff wants to propound discovery regarding the issue of exhaustion; or 

b. Plaintiff does not require discovery in order to respond to the motion for 

summary judgment. 

DATED: October 15, 2024 

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 If the court denies the motion for summary judgment regarding exhaustion, the parties will be 

permitted to conduct discovery on the merits of plaintiff’s claims and the court will set a deadline 

for filing merits-based motions for summary judgment. 

Case 2:23-cv-02691-DAD-SCR Document 29 Filed 10/15/24 Page 2 of 2