Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-01546/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-01546-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1132 E.R.I.S.A.

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GREAT AMERICAN INSURANCE 

GROUP,

Plaintiff.

v.

TG ASSOCIATES LLC, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 14-cv-01546-NC (JCS)

NOTICE OF SETTLEMENT

CONFERENCE AND SETTLEMENT 

CONFERENCE ORDER

Re: Dkt. No. 14

TO ALL PARTIES AND COUNSEL OF RECORD:

The above matter was referred to Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero for settlement 

purposes. 

You are hereby notified that a Settlement Conference is scheduled for May 3, 2016, at

9:30 a.m., in Courtroom G, 15th Floor, Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate Avenue, San 

Francisco, California 94102.

It is the responsibility of counsel to ensure that whatever discovery is needed for all sides 

to evaluate the case for settlement purposes is completed by the date of the Settlement Conference. 

Counsel shall cooperate in providing discovery informally and expeditiously.

Lead trial counsel shall appear at the Settlement Conference with the parties. Any party 

who is not a natural person shall be represented by the person(s) with unlimited authority to 

negotiate a settlement. A person who needs to call another person not present before agreeing to 

any settlement does not have full authority. If a party is a governmental entity, its governing body 

shall designate one of its members or a senior executive to appear at the Settlement Conference 

with authority to participate in the Settlement Conference and, if a tentative settlement agreement 

is reached, to recommend the agreement to the governmental entity for its approval. An insured 

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

party shall appear with a representative of the carrier with full authority to negotiate up to the 

limits of coverage. Personal attendance of a party representative will rarely be excused by the 

Court, and then only upon separate written application demonstrating substantial hardship served 

on opposing counsel and lodged as early as the basis for the hardship is known but no later than 

the Settlement Conference Statement.

Each party shall prepare a Settlement Conference Statement, which must be 

LODGED with the undersigned's Chambers (NOT electronically filed) no later than 

fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the conference. Please 3-hole punch the document at the 

left side. 

Each party shall also submit their Settlement Conference Statement in .pdf format 

and email their statement to JCSPO@cand.uscourts.gov. 

The Settlement Conference Statement need not be served on opposing counsel. The 

parties are encouraged, however, to exchange Settlement Conference Statements. If Settlement 

Conference Statements are exchanged, any party may submit an additional confidential settlement 

letter to the Court not to exceed three (3) pages. The contents of this confidential settlement letter 

will not be disclosed to the other parties.

The Settlement Conference Statement shall not exceed ten (10) pages of text and twenty 

(20) pages of exhibits and shall include the following:

1. A brief statement of the facts of the case.

2. A brief statement of the claims and defenses including, but not limited to, statutory 

or other grounds upon which the claims are founded, and a candid evaluation of 

the parties' likelihood of prevailing on the claims and defenses. The more candid 

the parties are, the more productive the conference will be.

3. A list of the key facts in dispute and a brief statement of the specific evidence 

relevant to a determination of those facts.

4. A summary of the proceedings to date and any pending motions.

5. An estimate of the cost and time to be expended for further discovery, pretrial and 

trial.

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United States District Court

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6. The relief sought, including an itemization of damages.

7. The party's position on settlement, including present demands and offers and a 

history of past settlement discussions. The Court's time can best be used to assist 

the parties in completing their negotiations, not in starting them. Accordingly, 

Plaintiff(s) must serve a demand in writing no later than fourteen (14) days before 

the conference and Defendant(s) must respond in writing no later than eight (8) 

days before the conference. The parties are urged to carefully evaluate their case 

before taking a settlement position since extreme positions hinder the settlement 

process.

Settlement Conference Statements may be submitted on CD-ROM with hypertext links to 

exhibits. Otherwise, the portion of exhibits on which the party relies shall be highlighted.

It is not unusual for the conference to last three (3) or more hours. Parties are encouraged 

to participate and frankly discuss their case. Statements they make during the conference will not 

be admissible at trial in the event the case does not settle. The parties should be prepared to 

discuss such issues as:

1. Their settlement objectives.

2. Any impediments to settlement they perceive.

3. Whether they have enough information to discuss settlement. If not, what 

additional information is needed?

4. The possibility of a creative resolution of the dispute.

The parties shall notify Chambers immediately at (415) 522-3691 if this case settles prior 

to the date set for Settlement Conference. Counsel shall provide a copy of this order to each party 

who will participate in the conference.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 14, 2016

______________________________________

JOSEPH C. SPERO

United States Magistrate Judge

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