Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_03-cv-03721/USCOURTS-cand-3_03-cv-03721-14/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Other Contract

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL

MORTGAGE CORP.,

Plaintiff(s),

v.

IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE ,

INC dba VINTAGE CAPITAL, et

al.,

Defendant(s).

IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE ,

INC dba VINTAGE CAPITAL, et

al.,

 Counter-claimants,

v.

FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL

MORTGAGE CORP.,

Counter-claimants. 

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No. C 03-3721 VRW (BZ)

FINAL PRETRIAL ORDER

The pretrial conference in this case were held on

January 3 and January 11, 2006. Federal Agricultural

Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac) and Zions First National

Bank (Zions) were represented at the conference by John

Fairbrook, Esq. and Elana Ribman, Esq. It’s a Jungle Out

There dba Vintage Capital (Vintage Capital) and Ami Cheri

Case 3:03-cv-03721-BZ Document 312 Filed 01/12/06 Page 1 of 5
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Hower and Robert Lee Hower (the Howers) were represented by

John Carey, Esq. on January 3, 2006 and by Mr. Carey and

Susan Bush, Esq. on January 11, 2006.

 This Order shall control the subsequent conduct of the

case and be modified only to prevent manifest injustice. See

Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(e).

1. LENGTH AND TIME OF TRIAL

 Trial shall begin on Tuesday, January 17, 2006, at 8:30

a.m. in Courtroom G, 15th Floor, Federal Building, 450 Golden

Gate Avenue, San Francisco, California 94102. The trial

schedule is as follows: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

 Farmer Mac and Zions shall have a total of 18 hours, and

Vintage Capital and the Howers shall have a total of 12 hours

within which to present testimony. 

 Farmer Mac shall be prepared to call witnesses Tuesday,

January 17, 2006. Each side shall schedule witnesses to

avoid any interruption in the presentation of testimony. 

During the trial, witnesses, other than counsel and their

clients, shall remain sequestered outside the courtroom until

they are called to testify. 

2. The parties are ORDERED not to mention or discuss

the Lanham Act claims during the trial. Testimony on the

remaining equitable issues shall be presented to the court

outside the presence of the jury.

3. MOTIONS IN LIMINE

 For the reasons articulated on the record at the

pretrial conference, the court rules on the Motions in Limine

as follows:

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a. Farmer Mac’s Motion in Limine No. 1 is GRANTED in

part and DENIED in part. References to insurance shall

be stricken, and the motion is GRANTED as to the last

full paragraph of Exhibit C and as to Exhibit G.

b. Farmer Mac’s Motion in Limine No. 3 is DENIED.

c. Farmer Mac’s Motion in Limine No. 4 is DENIED. 

d. Farmer Mac’s Motion in Limine No. 5 is DENIED with

respect to the negligent representation claim, without

prejudice to being renewed at trial in the context of

specific evidence. It is GRANTED with respect to the

remaining claims.

e. Farmer Mac’s Motion in Limine No. 6 is DENIED

without prejudice to being renewed at trial. I do not

consider it constructive to rule in limine on deposition

testimony since admissibility will turn on the witness's

trial testimony and the context in which the testimony

is given.

f. Vintage Capital’s and the Howers’ Motions in Limine

were filed late and will not be considered. To guide

the parties, an expert may not give legal opinions. 

Marx & Co., Inc. v. Diner’s Club Inc., 550 F.2d 505, 508

(2nd Cir. 1977). A lay witness may testify in

accordance with Federal Rule of Evidence 701 and can

testify to issues of which he or she has personal

knowledge. A witness who is not an expert may not give

testimony in response to hypothetical questions. 

g. The trial will not bifurcated between liability and

damages. Bifurcating the issue of the amount of

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punitive damages in accordance with Cal. Civ. Code 

§ 3295(d) is reserved for decision after Farmer Mac

closes its case in chief. 

4. EXHIBITS AND EVIDENCE

 Rulings on the objections to the exhibits and objections

to the witnesses [docket #283] were made on the record at the

pretrial conference on January 11, 2006.

In response to Farmer Mac’s and Zion’s request for leave

to depose defense experts [docket # 308], the parties are

granted leave to depose those expert witnesses discussed at

the pretrial conference on January 11, 2006 for up to one

hour each. Such witnesses must be deposed before they

testify at the trial.

Exhibits shall not be a part of the record or go to the

jury unless sponsored by a witness or otherwise brought to

the jury’s attention.

The parties must lodge the transcripts of any

depositions they anticipate using at trial by the start of

trial. 

5. JURY INSTRUCTIONS

Rulings on the instructions were made on the record at

the pretrial conferences on January 3 and January 11, 2006. 

6. MISCELLANEOUS 

 For the reasons that Robert Greeno was dismissed in

Judge Walker’s Order dated April 27, 2004 [docket #68],

Columbia Appraisal and Real Estate Company is also DISMISSED. 

Vintage Capital and the Howers shall file an answer to

the complaint in accordance with the views expressed at the

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pretrial conference on January 3, 2006 by the start of trial.

Vintage Capital and the Howers shall also elect by the

start of trial whether they will proceed with a claim for

comparative fault or comparative indemnity.

Any party who desires a transcript of the trial must

make arrangements with the court reporter. Any party who

needs an interpreter or audio or visual equipment shall make

its own arrangements for same and clear all such equipment

with court security personnel.

 The parties are instructed to notify the court

immediately if this action should settle before the

commencement of trial. 

Dated: January 12, 2006

 

 Bernard Zimmerman 

 United States Magistrate Judge

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