Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_10-cv-03378/USCOURTS-caed-2_10-cv-03378-11/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 

DAJUAN JACKSON, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

DUNHAM, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:10-cv-3378-TLN-EFB P 

ORDER 

 Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding without counsel in an action brought under 42 

U.S.C. § 1983. A pretrial order has issued setting the case for trial beginning November 2, 2015. 

ECF No. 67. Plaintiff has submitted two filings in which he states, among other things, that he 

has been transferred to the California Health Care Facility in Stockton, California (“CHCF”) 

temporarily for mental health treatment and, while there, is being denied his legal materials as 

well as access to a law library. ECF Nos. 68, 69. 

 According to plaintiff, his legal materials have been retained by his normal institution of 

incarceration, to which plaintiff will return only when deemed clear by mental health staff at 

CHCF. ECF No. 69 at 1. He asks for an extension of time, appointment of a neutral expert, 

another settlement conference, and an order directing prison officials to provide him his legal 

materials and law library access.1

 ECF Nos. 68, 69. 

 

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 In the heading of one of his filings, plaintiff also lists “objection to pretrial order.” ECF No. 69. 

The body of that filing contains no actual objection to the content of the pretrial order, however. 

Case 2:10-cv-03378-TLN-EFB Document 70 Filed 02/18/15 Page 1 of 3
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 The only current deadlines in the case set in the pretrial order that remain pending are the 

November 2, 2015 trial date and the material which must be submitted two weeks prior to that 

date. ECF No. 67. These deadlines remain many months in the future and it is not clear that an 

extension of those deadlines is currently warranted. Accordingly, plaintiff’s request for an 

extension of time is denied without prejudice. 

 As to plaintiff’s brief request that the court appoint a neutral expert under Federal Rule of 

Evidence 706, plaintiff fails to identify the type of expert needed or explain how appointment of 

the expert will promote accurate factfinding in this case. Gorton v. Todd, 793 F. Supp. 2d 1171, 

1179 (E.D. Cal. 2011) (“Ultimately, the most important question a court must consider when 

deciding whether to appoint a neutral expert is whether doing so will promote accurate 

factfinding.”). Plaintiff simply states that “expert opinion will almost always be necessary to 

establish the necessary level of deliberate indifference.” ECF No. 69 at 1-2. The court will deny 

the request without prejudice. Plaintiff may again move the court for appointment of an expert 

under Rule 706 by a properly-briefed motion explaining the type of expert requested and how that 

expert will promote accurate factfinding in this case. 

 As for a settlement conference, the court has reviewed the parties’ settlement statements 

and determined that a settlement conference would not be fruitful. 

 Lastly, regarding plaintiff’s claims that he has no access to his legal materials or a law 

library, the court will direct defense counsel to inquire into the status of plaintiff’s legal materials 

and law library access and report back to the court. 

 Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED that: 

1. Plaintiff’s motion for an extension of time (ECF No. 69) is denied without prejudice; 

2. Plaintiff’s motion for appointment of a neutral expert (ECF No. 69) is denied without 

prejudice; 

3. Plaintiff’s request for a settlement conference is denied; 

4. In light of the November 2, 2015 trial date, within 21 days of the date of this order, 

defense counsel shall inquire into the status of plaintiff’s access to his legal materials 

and to a law library and to the estimated length of plaintiff’s residence at CHCF; and 

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5. The Clerk of Court is directed to serve this order on plaintiff at both his address of 

record as well as at his temporary residence: 

Dajuan Jackson - P27305 

P.O. Box 32050 

Stockton, CA 95213. 

DATED: February 17, 2015. 

Case 2:10-cv-03378-TLN-EFB Document 70 Filed 02/18/15 Page 3 of 3