Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-00225/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-00225-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:1001 E.R.I.S.A.: Employee Retirement

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20000659v1 

REQUEST TO CONTINUE CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE; [PROPOSED] ORDER 

SEDGWICK LLP 

MARK J. HANCOCK SBN 160662 

mark.hancock@sedgwicklaw.com 

REBECCA A. HULL SBN 99802 

rebecca.hull@sedgwicklaw.com 

ERIN A. CORNELL SBN 227135 

erin.cornell@sedgwicklaw.com 

333 Bush Street, 30th Floor 

San Francisco, CA 94104-2834 

Telephone: 415.781.7900 

Facsimile: 415.781.2635 

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE 

COMPANY, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

TESSA DAWSON; BRIAN GONSALVES; 

JAMIE GONSALVES; and BRONWYN 

DAWSON, 

Defendants. 

Case No. 3:15-cv-00225 MEJ 

REQUEST TO CONTINUE CASE 

MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE 

[PROPOSED] ORDER CONTINUING 

CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE 

Plaintiff Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (“MetLife”) hereby respectfully requests as 

follows: 

On March 15, 2015, MetLife filed its Complaint in Interpleader, naming as defendants 

Tessa Dawson (“Tessa”), Brian Gonsalves (“Brian”), Jamie Gonsalves (“Jamie”) and Bronwyn 

Dawson (“Bronwyn”) (collectively “defendants”). (ECF No. 1.) The Complaint in Interpleader 

arises out of competing claims for life insurance benefits (“Plan Benefits”) under the Group Term 

Life & Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance Plan for Employees of Bank of the West 

(“the Plan”), which became payable upon the death of Ingrid Gonsalves (“the Decedent”). 

Case 3:15-cv-00225-MEJ Document 11 Filed 03/23/15 Page 1 of 3
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20000659v1 2 

REQUEST TO CONTINUE CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE; [PROPOSED] ORDER 

On January 20, 2015, MetLife’s counsel sent each of the defendants a copy of the summons 

and complaint, along with a Waiver of the Service of Summons form, and asked each to sign and 

return it, in lieu of personal service. On February 9, 2015, Jamie and Brian, by way of their 

counsel, returned the Waiver of the Service of Summons form. Jamie and Brian’s answers to the 

complaint were originally due on March 23, 2015. MetLife has granted Jamie and Brian a 30-day 

extension of time within which to respond, however. Tessa and Bronwyn have not yet returned the 

Waiver of the Service of Summons form. MetLife understands that defendants are currently 

litigating a probate matter in Contra Costa County Superior Court arising out of the Decedent’s 

estate. 

MetLife further understands that defendants have come to an agreement regarding the Plan 

Benefits. Specifically, MetLife understands that defendants agree that the proper beneficiary or 

beneficiaries of the Plan Benefits shall be decided by Contra Costa County Superior Court as part 

of the probate of the Decedent’s estate. The parties are currently working on a stipulation and 

[proposed] order, whereby the Plan Benefits would be held in the client trust account of one of the 

defendant’s attorneys, MetLife, Bank of the West and the Plan would be discharged from liability, 

and the Complaint in Interpleader presently pending before this Court would be dismissed. 

Accordingly, MetLife respectfully requests that the Court continue the initial case 

management conference, which is presently set for April 16, 2015, for 63 days, to June 18, 2015, 

so that the parties may finalize the stipulation and proposed order regarding the Plan Benefits, 

discharge and dismissal. 

DATED: March 23, 2015 SEDGWICK LLP 

By: /s/ Erin A. Cornell

Mark J. Hancock 

Erin A. Cornell 

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY 

Case 3:15-cv-00225-MEJ Document 11 Filed 03/23/15 Page 2 of 3
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20000659v1 3 

REQUEST TO CONTINUE CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE; [PROPOSED] ORDER 

ORDER

Pursuant to plaintiff Metropolitan Life Insurance Company’s request, the Court hereby 

continues the initial case management conference, presently set for April 16, 2015, to June 18, 

2015 at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom B, 15th Floor, of the Courthouse located at 450 Golden Gate 

Avenue, San Francisco. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: ________________ 

Honorable Maria Elena James 

United States Magistrate Judge 

March 23, 2015

Case 3:15-cv-00225-MEJ Document 11 Filed 03/23/15 Page 3 of 3