Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-00432/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-00432-2/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

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Richard M. Horton,

Plaintiff,

v.

Phoenix Fuels Co. Inc., et al. ,

Defendants.

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

No. CV-05-432-PHX-SMM

RULE 16 SCHEDULING ORDER

On November 28, 2006, a Preliminary Pretrial Conference was held in open Court

pursuant to Rule 16(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Prior to the conference, the

parties filed a Rule 26(f) Case Management Plan. 

At the conclusion of the Preliminary Pretrial Conference, the Court ruled that, in order

to provide the parties sufficient time to attempt to settle the present case, no party is

permitted to propound potential discovery or file any motions between November 28, 2006

and January 19, 2007. The Court further ruled that, if the case cannot be settled by January

19, 2007, the parties are required to file a stipulated schedule setting forth proposed deadlines

for discovery and the filing of dispositive motions no later than February 2, 2007.

On February 2, 2007, the parties filed a Stipulation for Discovery and Dispositive

Motions Schedule, stating that the case could not be settled. (Dkt. 24.) The Stipulation also

sets forth a schedule of proposed deadlines for discovery and the filing of dispositive

motions. Pursuant to the terms of the Case Management Plan and the Stipulation (dkt. 24),

all parties are hereby ordered to comply with the deadlines established in this Order.

Case 2:05-cv-00432-SMM Document 25 Filed 02/05/07 Page 1 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

- 2 -

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the current provisions of the Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure shall apply to all proceedings concerning this case. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all Initial Disclosures as defined in Federal Rule

of Civil Procedure 26(a), if not already exchanged prior to the time of this Preliminary

Pretrial Conference, shall be made no later than five (5) days after date of entry of this

Order or, in the alternative, no later than February 12, 2007.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that to satisfy the requirements of Federal Rule of

Civil Procedure 26(a), the parties shall file with the Clerk of the Court a Notice of Initial

Disclosure, rather than copies of the actual disclosures.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all discovery, if ordered, including depositions

of parties, witnesses, and experts, answers to interrogatories, and supplements to

interrogatories must be completed by May 31, 2007. In no event, however, shall this

provision alter the duties and obligations imposed upon the parties by Federal Rule of Civil

Procedure 26(e). This Order contemplates that each party will conduct discovery in such a

manner as to complete, within the deadline, any and all discovery. "Last minute" or

"eleventh hour" discovery which results in insufficient time to undertake additional discovery

and which requires an extension of the discovery deadline will be met with disfavor, and

could result in denial of an extension, exclusion of evidence, or the imposition of other

sanctions.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to the parties’ Stipulation (dkt. 24), that

Plaintiff is entitled to conduct limited discovery in the nature of that which he previously

identified for the purpose of determining whether the “structural conflict” (where the claims

administrator is also the payor) warrants any reduced deference by the Court.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to the parties’ Stipulation (dkt. 24), that all

interrogatories, requests for production of documents and requests for admissions shall be

served not less than 45 days prior to the discovery cut-off date; namely, not later than April

16, 2007.

Case 2:05-cv-00432-SMM Document 25 Filed 02/05/07 Page 2 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

- 3 -

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, pursuant to the parties’ Stipulation (dkt. 24), that any

depositions, if determined to be appropriate, shall be scheduled to commence not later than

five (5) business days prior to the discovery cut-off; namely, on or before May 26, 2007.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED reminding counsel of their duty under Rule 26(e) of

the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to supplement all Rule 26(a) disclosures and responses

to discovery requests. Pursuant to Rule 26(e)(1), any additions or other changes to

information previously disclosed must be made by May 31, 2007. This Order therefore

supersedes the "thirty-day before trial" disclosure deadline contained in that Rule. Therefore

(1) failure to have timely supplemented a Rule 26(a) disclosure, including but not limited to

witnesses and exhibits, or (2) a failure to have timely supplemented responses to any valid

discovery requests, or (3) attempting to include any witnesses or exhibits in the Proposed

Final Pretrial Order that were not previously disclosed in a timely manner as to allow for

meaningful discovery prior to the discovery cutoff date as established by this Order, may

result in the exclusion of such evidence at trial or the imposition of other sanctions. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, in the event of a discovery dispute, the parties

shall contact the Court to request a telephonic conference prior to filing any discovery

motions. The parties shall not contact the Court regarding a discovery dispute unless they

have been unable to resolve the dispute themselves, despite personal consultation and sincere

efforts to do so. The parties shall not file any written materials related to a discovery dispute

or discovery motion without express leave of Court. If the Court does order written

submissions, the movant shall include a statement certifying that counsel could not

satisfactorily resolve the matter despite personal consultation and sincere efforts to do so, in

accordance with LRCiv 7.2(j) of the Rules of Practice of the United States District Court for

the District of Arizona. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all dispositive motions shall be filed no later than

June 29, 2007. Such motions must be, in all respects, in full compliance with the Rules of

Practice of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. 

Case 2:05-cv-00432-SMM Document 25 Filed 02/05/07 Page 3 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

- 4 -

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that no submissions to the Court shall contain any

footnotes in excess of five (5) lines.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that all parties are hereby specifically admonished that

failure to respond to a motion by serving and filing an answering memorandum within the

time period expressly provided for in LRCiv 7.2 of the Rules of Practice of the United States

District Court for the District of Arizona may be deemed a consent to the denial or granting

of the motion and the Court may then dispose of the motion summarily.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the parties shall not notice oral argument on any

motion. Instead, a party desiring oral argument on a motion shall request argument by

placing “Oral Argument Requested” immediately below the title of such motion, pursuant

to LRCiv 7.2(f) of the Rules of Practice of the United States District Court for the District

of Arizona. The Court will then issue a minute order scheduling the oral argument.

Oral argument shall be scheduled at the request of a party on all motions to dismiss

and motions for summary judgment. On all other motions on which a party requests oral

argument, the Court will determine whether oral argument is necessary. FURTHER, THE

PARTIES ARE REMINDED THAT OBTAINING A HEARING DATE IS PURELY

ADMINISTRATIVE. ACCORDINGLY, REGARDLESS OF A HEARING DATE, THE

COURT MAY, AT ANY TIME AFTER THE MOTION IS FULLY BRIEFED,

DETERMINE THAT A HEARING IS UNWARRANTED AND RULE ON THE MOTION

WITHOUT ORAL ARGUMENT.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that any and all motions, requests, or stipulations for

extensions of time shall be made in accordance with the provisions of LRCiv 7.3 of the Rules

of Practice of the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. Notwithstanding

this directive, however, if such a motion, request, or stipulation seeks an extension of time

in which to file a memorandum in response or in reply to a motion previously noticed for oral

argument, under no circumstances shall such a motion, request, or stipulation seek an

extension that would preclude the Court from having at least thirty (30) days from the due

date for the filing of the reply memorandum to consider the merits of the underlying motion

Case 2:05-cv-00432-SMM Document 25 Filed 02/05/07 Page 4 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

- 5 -

unless the motion, request, or stipulation also seeks to vacate and reschedule the oral

argument. Any motion, request, or stipulation that so seeks both an extension of time and

rescheduling of a hearing shall contain a memorandum of points and authorities which

demonstrates good cause for the Court to grant the requested extension.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, if no dispositive motions are pending before the

Court after the dispositive motions deadline has passed, Plaintiff(s) shall file a Notice of

Readiness for Order Re: Final Pretrial Conference within ten (10) days of the dispositive

motions deadline. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, if dispositive motions are pending before the

Court following the dispositive motions deadline, the Court will issue an Order Re: Final

Pretrial Conference following its resolution of the dispositive motions, if necessary. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Order Re: Final Pretrial Conference shall: 1)

set deadlines for the filing of and response to motions in limine; 2) instruct the parties on

their duties in preparing for the Final Pretrial Conference and for trial; and 3) include a form

for the completion of the parties’ Proposed Pretrial Form of Order.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the parties shall keep the Court informed

regarding the possibility of settlement and should settlement be reached, the parties shall file

a Notice of Settlement with the Clerk of the Court.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that this Court views compliance with the provisions

of this Order as critical to its case management responsibilities and the responsibilities of the

parties under Rule 16 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

DATED this 5th day of February, 2007.

Case 2:05-cv-00432-SMM Document 25 Filed 02/05/07 Page 5 of 5