Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-01909/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-01909-41/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 443
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Accommodations
Cause of Action: 42:1981 Housing Discrimination

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 By the same order, the Court afforded petitioner the opportunity to file, no later

than April 30, 2008, a Receipt demonstrating that $11,250 had been deposited in each of

the minor’s blocked accounts; the order further provided that upon such filing, the Order to

Show Cause would be vacated. No such Receipt has been filed.

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

LaRELL FRANKLIN, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

 v.

ALLSTATE CORPORATION et al.,

Defendant

 /

No. C-06-1909 MMC

ORDER RE: PETITIONER’S

ADMINISTRATIVE MOTION; RESETTING

HEARING ON ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE

 By order filed April 18, 2008, the Court directed petitioner Dorothy A. Sewell to

appear before the Court on May 2, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. and show cause why sanctions

should not be imposed against her for her failure to comply with the Court’s order of

February 6, 2008, approving a minors’ compromise of the claims brought by Deaneer Mona

Franklin and Coti Alexander Franklin against the “Allstate Defendants” and requiring

petitioner to deposit the sum of $11,250 into each of the two blocked accounts to be

opened in said minors’ names.1

As of 11:30 a.m. on May 2, 2008, at the completion of the Court’s morning calendar,

Case 3:06-cv-01909-MMC Document 219 Filed 05/07/08 Page 1 of 2
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 Petitioner resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. (See id. at 6:6-7.) In her administrative

motion, petitioner states she “was also concerned that she could not afford to pay for air

fare, etc., and lodging in San Francisco.” (See id. at 6:16-17.) The imposition of travel

expenses is not sufficient to justify petitioner’s failure to appear on May 2, 2008, as

petitioner could foresee such expenses would be necessary and did not seek any type of

relief designed to avoid such expenses. Nevertheless, in light of petitioner’s expressed

concerns, the Court has reset the hearing for a date on which petitioner was previously

scheduled to appear, specifically, on May 16, 2008 at 9:00 a.m., at which time the petition

for approval of the minors' compromise incident to the settlement with the "EFI Global

Defendants" is scheduled to be heard.

3

 The status conference previously scheduled for May 9, 2008 is hereby VACATED.

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neither petitioner nor her counsel, Richard A. Canatella, had appeared. At 7:26 p.m. that

same date, petitioner filed an administrative motion, by which she seeks leave to file a late

response to the order to show cause. Petitioner states therein that she “intended to attend

the OSC hearing scheduled [for Friday, May 2, 2008], . . . but on Thursday was informed by

her supervisor that she would not be able to get time off to make the trip.” (See Admin.

Mot. at 6:13-16.)2 Petitioner does not explain her failure to notify the Court, in advance of

the hearing, of the potential difficulty in attending said hearing. Neither does petitioner offer

an explanation for the failure of her counsel of record to appear at the hearing.

The Court has considered petitioner’s response, but finds it insufficient to explain

petitioner’s failure to comply with the Court’s order to appear on May 2, 2008, which order

was clear on its face, particularly as petitioner is represented by counsel. Moreover, in the

absence of further explanation, petitioner’s proffered reason for not depositing the entirety

of each minor’s net share of the settlement proceeds into the minors’ blocked accounts, as

ordered, is insufficient. 

Accordingly, petitioner Dorothy A. Sewell and her counsel, Richard A. Canatella, are

each ORDERED to appear on May 16, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. and at that time to SHOW

CAUSE why sanctions should not be imposed for the failure to deposit the requisite sums

in the minors’ accounts as ordered and their failure to appear on May 2, 2008.3

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 7, 2008 MAXINE M. CHESNEY

United States District Judge

Case 3:06-cv-01909-MMC Document 219 Filed 05/07/08 Page 2 of 2