Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-01793/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-01793-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 535
Nature of Suit: Habeas Corpus - Death Penalty
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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Case No. C 06 1793 JW HRL

ORDER RELATING CASES AND SETTING HEARING ON MOTION TO CONSOLIDATE

(DPSAGOK)

 **E-filed 3/9/06**

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

PACIFIC NEWS SERVICE,

 Plaintiff,

 v.

Jeanne S. WOODFORD, Acting Secretary of the

California Department of Corrections and

Rehabilitation; Steven W. Ornoksi, Acting Warden

of San Quentin State Prison; and Does 1-50,

 Defendants.

Case Number C 06 1793 JW HRL

DEATH-PENALTY CASE

ORDER RELATING CASES AND

SETTING HEARING ON MOTION

TO CONSOLIDATE

[Docket No. 3]

The present action concerns a First Amendment challenge by a news organization to

California’s lethal-injection protocol. Plaintiff moves to relate and consolidate the present action

with Morales v. Woodford, Nos. C 06 219 JF RS & C 06 926 JF RS, which involves an Eighth

Amendment challenge to the protocol, and also moves to shorten time so that its motion may be

heard on March 10, 2006. Defendants consent to relation of the cases but oppose both

consolidation and the motion to shorten time.

Having considered the moving and opposing papers, and in light of Defendants’ nonopposition to Plaintiff’s substantive motion insofar as the motion seeks to relate the present

action to Morales, the motion is GRANTED to that extent. The Court hereby designates the

Honorable Richard Seeborg, the assigned magistrate judge for Morales, as the assigned

Case 3:06-cv-01793-RS Document 10 Filed 03/09/06 Page 1 of 2
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Case No. C 06 1793 JW HRL

ORDER RELATING CASES AND SETTING HEARING ON MOTION TO CONSOLIDATE

(DPSAGOK)

magistrate judge for the instant case. All future filings in the instant case shall bear the case

number C 06 1793 JF.RS. 

To the extent that Plaintiff seeks consolidation of the instant case with Morales for

purposes of discovery and the evidentiary hearing now scheduled for May 2 and 3, 2006, the

Court concludes that Defendants have raised substantial case management concerns that should

be addressed by the Court and counsel in an orderly manner. In light of the Court’s calendar and

other commitments on March 10, 2006, and because both the Court and Defendants’ lead counsel

thereafter will be unavailable until March 20, 2006, the Court declines to hear the motion to

consolidate on March 10, 2006, and instead will hear the motion on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 at

1:30pm. Counsel may appear in person or by telephone. Plaintiff may file a reply to Defendants’

opposition to consolidation not later than March 16, 2006. The hearing on the motion to

consolidate shall be followed by a case management conference; in the event consolidation of the

cases is granted, the Court will adjust the current case-management schedule in Morales to the

extent that such adjustment is necessary and appropriate.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

 

DATED: March 9, 2006 __________________________________

JEREMY FOGEL

United States District Judge

Case 3:06-cv-01793-RS Document 10 Filed 03/09/06 Page 2 of 2