Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-00484/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-00484-11/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 470
Nature of Suit: Civil (Rico)
Cause of Action: 18:1962 Racketeering (RICO) Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JAGJEEVAN K. DHALIWAL, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

NIRMAL SINGH, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 1:13-cv-00484-LJO-SAB

AMENDED ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE 

WHY SANCTIONS SHOULD NOT BE 

IMPOSED FOR FAILING TO APPEAR AT 

SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE

(ECF Nos. 97, 98)

A settlement conference in this action was scheduled for July 28, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. 

before the undersigned. Counsel Lee Durst appeared for the settlement conference with an 

individual who was identified as his client. Counsel Matthew Bradford and Marc Robinson 

appeared on behalf of Defendants KS Chandi & Sons, Inc. and Chandi Brothers LLC. Following 

the hearing, an order issued requiring Plaintiff Mohinder Gil to show cause why he should not be 

sanctioned for failing to appear at the settlement conference. On July 29, 2014, a letter was 

received from Mr. Bradford informing the Court that the individual who appeared with 

Plaintiffs’ counsel was not Plaintiff Jagjeevan Dhaliwal, as the Court had believed, but was his 

brother Harpreet Dhaliwal. 

Local Rule 270(f) requires parties to appear at a settlement conference:

(1) United States Not a Party. In actions in which the United States 

is not a party, and unless specifically permitted otherwise by the 

Judge or Magistrate Judge conducting the settlement conference, 

Case 1:13-cv-00484-SKO Document 99 Filed 07/31/14 Page 1 of 3
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counsel shall be accompanied in person by a person capable of 

disposition, or shall be fully authorized to settle the matter at the 

settlement conference on any terms. 

The Court has inherent power to sanction parties or their attorneys for improper conduct. 

Chambers v. Nasco, Inc., 501 U.S. 32, 43-46 (1991); Roadway Express, Inc. v. Piper, 447 U.S. 

752, 766 (1980); Fink v. Gomez, 239 F.3d 989, 991 (9th Cir. 2001). Failing to appear at the 

settlement conference wastes the Court’s time and resources and wastes the parties’ time and 

resources. 

Neither Plaintiff appeared for the settlement conference, nor did they request permission 

to be available by other means for purposes of settlement. The failure of the Plaintiffs to appear 

at the settlement conference caused Defendants KS Chandi & Sons, Inc. and Chandi Brothers, 

LLC to incur unnecessary costs and attorney’s fees to prepare for and appear at the settlement 

conference unnecessarily. Accordingly, the Court will order Plaintiffs to show cause why 

sanctions should not be imposed against them requiring Plaintiffs to reimburse Defendants KS 

Chandi & Sons, Inc. and Chandi Brothers, LLC for such costs and attorney’s fees.

Defendants KS Chandi & Sons, Inc. and Chandi Brothers, LLC shall file a memorandum 

setting forth their reasonable costs and attorney’s fees associated with preparing for and 

attending the July 28, 2014 settlement conference by Friday, August 15, 2014.

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Plaintiffs shall file a written response to the Court’s order to show cause no later than 

Wednesday, August 27, 2014. The written response shall also incorporate any objections to 

Defendants’ memorandum of costs and attorney’s fees. Plaintiffs shall appear in person at a 

show cause hearing on Wednesday, September 3, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 9 (SAB) 

before Magistrate Judge Stanley A. Boone. Defendants are not required to appear at the show 

cause hearing but may appear in person or via telephone if so desired. Plaintiffs are

forewarned that the failure to appear at the show cause hearing may result in additional 

sanctions, up to and including dismissal of this action.

 

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Such costs and fees shall be limited to those solely associated with attending the settlement conference, and shall 

not include costs and fees associated with preparing the confidential settlement statement.

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Further, Plaintiffs’ counsel shall address who appeared at the hearing; why a party not 

named as a plaintiff appeared; and why Counsel did not inform the court during the approximate 

one hour in which the Court was communicating with the parties that Mr. Dhaliwal was not the 

plaintiff required to be present for the conference. 

Based upon the foregoing, it is HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiffs shall SHOW CAUSE why sanctions should not be imposed against 

them for failing to appear at the settlement conference on July 28, 2014;

2. Defendants KS Chandi & Sons, Inc. and Chandi Brothers, LLC shall file a 

memorandum setting forth their reasonable costs and attorney’s fees associated 

with preparing for and attending the July 28, 2014 settlement conference by 

Friday, August 15, 2014;

3. Plaintiffs shall file a written response to the Court’s order to show cause no later 

than Wednesday, August 27, 2014; 

5. In the written response, Plaintiffs’ counsel shall address who appeared with him; 

why the individual appeared at the settlement conference; and why he did not 

inform the Court that the individual was not the named Plaintiff in this action; and

4. Plaintiffs shall appear in person for a show cause hearing on Wednesday, 

September 3, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. in Courtroom 9 (SAB) before Magistrate Judge 

Stanley A. Boone.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 31, 2014 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:13-cv-00484-SKO Document 99 Filed 07/31/14 Page 3 of 3