Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_19-cv-00529/USCOURTS-caed-1_19-cv-00529-14/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

ETUATE SEKONA,

Plaintiff,

v.

M. FRANCIS,

Defendant.

Case No. 1:19-cv-00529-ADA-HBK (PC)

ORDER SETTING SETTLEMENT 

CONFERENCE AND PARAMETERS AND 

SCHEDULING PRE-CONFERENCE 

TELEPHONIC DISCUSSION

Settlement Statements Due: April 3, 2023

Telephonic Pre-Conference: April 10, 2023

Settlement Conference: April 17, 2023

On February 9, 2023, United States District Judge Ana de Alba referred this case to the 

undersigned for a settlement conference. (Doc. No. 68). As a result, pursuant to Local Rule 

270(b), the Court sets this matter for a settlement conference. Absent any objection from the 

parties,1 Magistrate Judge Helena Barch-Kuchta will hold a settlement conference on Monday 

April 17, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. Unless all parties request the conference to be in-person, the Court 

1 Because the undersigned is not the trial judge, the Court’s Local Rules do not prohibit the undersigned 

from conducing the settlement conference. Local Rule 270(b). If any party requests that the conference 

not be conducted by the undersigned, the undersigned will refer it to another Magistrate Judge. Id. 

Case 1:19-cv-00529-KES-HBK Document 73 Filed 02/13/23 Page 1 of 4
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will conduct the settlement conference via video conference. The Zoom settlement conference 

invitation will be distributed the week prior.2 The Court is aware that the parties previously 

engaged in settlement discussions that resulted in an impasse. (Doc. No. 50). Nonetheless, the 

Court has reserved the entire day for this settlement conference and expects both parties will 

proceed with a second settlement conference in good faith and attempt to resolve this case.

Unless otherwise permitted in advance by the Court, the following individuals must attend 

the settlement conference in person: (1) the attorney(s) or pro se litigant who will try the case; and 

(2) individuals with full authority to negotiate and settle the case, on any terms. See Local Rule 

270(f). Whether the named defendant’s attendance will be required will be discussed at the

April 10, 2023 Pre-Settlement Telephone Conference. 

No later than Monday, April 3, 2023, each party must submit a settlement statement 

either by email to Judge Barch-Kuchta’s chambers at hbkorders@caed.uscourts.gov or by mail to

U.S. District Court, P.O. Box 575, Yosemite National Park, CA 95389. The statement should 

neither be filed on the docket nor served on any other party. In compliance with Local Rule 

270(d)-(e), the undersigned will use the settlement statements to prepare for and conduct the 

settlement conference. The statements will not become part of the case file and will be shred 

upon conclusion of the conference under Local Rule 270(e). If applicable, the statements should 

be marked “CONFIDENTIAL.” See Local Rule 270(d). 

The settlement statements should not exceed ten (10) page, excluding exhibits and should 

include:

(1) a brief recitation of the facts;

(2) a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the case, including the parties’ relevant 

position on the factual and legal issues and brief review of the evidence to support the parties’ 

factual position;

(3) an itemized estimate of the expected costs for further discovery, pretrial, and trial 

2 Any difficulties concerning Zoom video conference, or connecting to the Zoom video conference, shall 

immediately be reported to Patricia Apodaca, Courtroom Deputy for the Hon. Helena Barch-Kuchta, United 

States Magistrate Judge, at PApodaca@caed.uscourts.gov 

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matters, in specific dollar terms; 

(4) your best estimate of the probability that plaintiff will prevail should this case proceed

to trial; 

(5) your best estimate of the damages or relief plaintiff may recover should this case

proceed to trial and plaintiff prevail (in specific dollar terms and/or injunctive relief, if 

applicable); 

(6) a history of settlement discussions (including a listing of any current settlement offers

from any party, in specific dollar terms), a candid statement of your party’s current position on 

settlement, including the amount that you will give/accept to settle (in specific dollar terms), 

and a statement of your expectations for settlement discussions; 

(7) a list of the individuals who will be attending the settlement on the party’s behalf,

including names and, if appropriate, titles; and

(8) no more than ten (10) pages of exhibits (not already filed in the docket) to the extent a

party believes the exhibits are relevant to their position. 

At the beginning of the settlement conference, the parties’ counsel may give a brief (fiveminute) opening presentation outlining the factual and legal highlights of their case before the 

parties break into separate caucuses. The undersigned reserves the right to forego counsels’ 

opening presentations if the undersigned determines that such presentations are not likely to be 

productive. 

Notwithstanding the provisions of Federal Rule of Evidence 408, all parties’ statements 

relating to the substance or merits of the case, whether written or oral, made for the first time 

during the settlement conference will be deemed to be confidential and shall not be admissible in 

evidence for any reason in the trial of the case, should the case not settle. This provision does not 

preclude admissibility in other contexts, such as pertaining to a motion for sanctions regarding the 

settlement conference. 

Judge Barch-Kuchta will hold a short, pre-settlement conference telephone discussion on 

Monday, April 10, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. (dial-in number: 1-888-204-5984; passcode: 4446176). 

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Only the lead attorney from each side3should participate. At Judge Barch-Kuchta’s discretion, 

the joint telephonic discussion may be followed by private telephonic discussions between the 

judge and each party. 

Dated: February 13, 2023 

HELENA M. BARCH-KUCHTA

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

3 The Court expects that the attorneys participating in the telephone discussion will also participate in the 

settlement conference. 

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