Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_18-cv-01131/USCOURTS-caed-1_18-cv-01131-7/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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Stipulation to Vacate Initial Scheduling Conference

& Set Status Conference; Order

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James D. Weakley, Esq. Bar No. 082853

Brande L. Gustafson, Esq. Bar No. 267130

WEAKLEY & ARENDT

A Professional Corporation

5200 N. Palm Ave., Suite 211

Fresno, California 93704

Telephone: (559) 221-5256

Facsimile: (559) 221-5262

jim@walaw-fresno.com

brande@walaw-fresno.com

Attorneys for Defendants, County of Fresno, 

Garrett Majors, John Robinson, and Nathaniel Wilkinson

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RICHARD CHARLES BERNIER, III;

NADEZHDA USTINENKOV,

Plaintiffs,

vs.

FRESNO POLICE OFFICER ANTHONY

RODRIGUEZ; FRESNO POLICE OFFICER

KEVIN JONES; FRESNO COUNTY

SHERIFF’S DEPUTY GARRETT MAJORS;

FRESNO COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPUTY

JOHN ROBINSON; FRESNO COUNTY

SHERIFF’S DEPUTY NATHANIEL

WILKINSON; UNKNOWN FRESNO

COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

DEPUTIES; UNKNOWN FRESNO POLICE

OFFICERS; THE CITY OF FRESNO,

CALIFORNIA; THE COUNTY OF FRESNO, 

CALIFORNIA,

 Defendants.

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CASE NO. 1:18-cv-01131-NONE-SKO

STIPULATION TO VACATE INITIAL 

SCHEDULING CONFERENCE AND SET 

STATUS CONFERENCE; ORDER

Complaint Filed: August 20, 2018

Trial Date: TBD

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED by and between the attorneys of records 

for plaintiffs Richard Charles Bernier, III (“Bernier”) and Nadezhda Ustinenkov (“Ustinenkov”)

(collectively “Plaintiffs”) and defendants

1 County of Fresno (“County”), Fresno County 

 

1

 On May 14, 2019, Plaintiffs and Defendants California Highway Patrol Officers Michael 

Walker, Pablo Lopez, Corde Spencer, and William Avila filed a Stipulation dismissing those 

defendants with prejudice. (Doc. No. 36). The Court terminated Defendants California 

Case 1:18-cv-01131-JLT-SKO Document 62 Filed 02/13/20 Page 1 of 4
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Stipulation to Vacate Initial Scheduling Conference

& Set Status Conference; Order

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Sheriff’s Deputies Garrett Majors (“Deputy Majors”), John Robinson (“Deputy Robinson”), and 

Nathaniel Wilkinson (“Deputy Wilkinson”) (collectively “County Defendants”); and City of

Fresno (“City”), Fresno Police Officers Anthony Rodriguez (“Officer Rodriguez”) and Kevin 

Jones (“Officer Jones”) (collectively “City Defendants”) as follows:

Bernier was arraigned on November 27, 2018 in Fresno County Superior County (The 

People of the State of California vs. Richard Charles Bernier, Fresno County Superior Court 

Case Number F1890078) on criminal charges, which arose from his arrest as alleged in the 

Second Amended Complaint and make up the basis for this action. Bernier has a prepreliminary hearing scheduled for February 28, 2020; however, no trial date has been set in the 

case yet.

On March 14, 2019, the Court ordered the case stayed as to federal and state law claims 

premised upon excessive force or retaliatory prosecution, with the exception that Plaintiffs may 

amend those claims to add new defendant. See Doc. No. 30. The Court also ordered that the 

case may proceed as to the other allegations of retaliation (failure to provide medical care and/or 

inappropriate jail housing.) Id. This ruling was modified on April 15, 2019 after a motion for 

reconsideration as follows:

Plaintiffs are entitled to discover information sufficient to permit them to 

amend their complaint to name as defendants FPD officers at the scene of 

Plaintiffs’ arrest. At a bare minimum, Plaintiffs are entitled to conduct civil 

discovery to determine the identity of any and all FPD officers who were 

present during the incident. Beyond that, Defendants have an election to 

make. They may decline to reveal information beyond that related to the 

presence of FPD officers at the scene. If they do so, the Court will construe 

that election as a waiver of any motion to dismiss claims brought by Plaintiffs 

against those officers on the ground of failure to state a claim. Alternatively, 

Defendants shall respond to narrowly tailored discovery designed to reveal 

the role(s) any FPD officers played at the scene of the arrest.

See Doc. No. 35, p. 4:10-18.

Plaintiffs filed a Second Amended Complaint on November 6, 2019. Doc. No. 42. 

County filed a motion to strike the SAC or in the alternative motion to dismiss and motion to 

 

Highway Patrol Officers Michael Walker, Pablo Lopez, Corde Spencer, and William Avila on 

May 15, 2019. (Doc. No. 37).

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Stipulation to Vacate Initial Scheduling Conference

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strike portions of the SAC on November 20, 2019. Doc. No. 45. The motion was fully briefed 

by Plaintiffs (Doc. No. 54) and County Defendants (Doc. No. 55), and ultimately found to be 

suitable for decision on the papers without oral argument and taken under submission on 

December 13, 2019. See Doc. No. 57. There has not been a ruling on County’s motion as of 

the filing of this stipulation.

City Defendants filed their answer to the SAC on December 12, 2019. Doc. No. 58. 

Deputies Majors, Robinson, and Wilkinson filed their answer to the SAC on January 9, 2020. 

Doc. No. 59.

Considering the partial stay in place during the pendency of Bernier’s parallel criminal 

case, which does not have a trial date yet, and the still pending motion to strike the SAC or in 

the alternative motion to dismiss and motion to strike portions of the SAC, the parties would 

like to have the status of the pleadings settled in advance of the Initial Scheduling Conference 

so that County has an opportunity to file an Answer and so the parties can better evaluate 

potential discovery issues and better determine a proper discovery and trial schedule.

Accordingly, the parties believe that there is good cause for the Court to approve the 

following stipulations:

1. The March 12, 2020 Initial Scheduling Conference be vacated, and a Status 

Conference be scheduled on October 15, 2020, or as soon thereafter as the Court and parties are 

available, to evaluate the appropriateness of setting a Scheduling Conference depending on the 

status of the underlying criminal case.

2. A Joint Status Conference Statement will be electronically filed by the parties 7 

days prior to the Status Conference date, and will be emailed in Word format to 

skoorders@caed.uscourts.gov.

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Stipulation to Vacate Initial Scheduling Conference

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Dated: February 11, 2020 WEAKLEY & ARENDT

A Professional Corporation

By: /s/ Brande L. Gustafson __ 

James D. Weakley

Brande L. Gustafson

Attorneys for Defendants

County of Fresno, Garrett Majors, John Robinson, 

and Nathaniel Wilkinson

Dated: February 11, 2020 WHITNEY, THOMPSON & JEFFCOACH LLP

By: /s/ Kristi D. Marshall (As authorized on 2/11/20)

Mandy L. Jeffcoach

Kristi D. Marshall

Attorneys for Defendants

Fresno Police Officer Anthony Rodriguez, Fresno 

Police Officer Kevin Jones, and The City of 

Fresno, erroneously sued as The City of Fresno, 

California

Dated: February 12, 2020 LAW OFFICE OF KEVIN G. LITTLE

By: /s/ Kevin G. Little (As authorized on 2/12/20)

Kevin G. Little

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

Richard Charles Bernier, III and Nadezhda 

Ustinenkov

ORDER

Pursuant to the parties’ above stipulation, the Initial Scheduling Conference currently set 

for March 12, 2020, is VACATED. A Status Conference is hereby set for October 22, 2020, at 

10:15 a.m. in Courtroom 7 (SKO) before Magistrate Judge Sheila K. Oberto. The parties 

SHALL file a Joint Status Conference Statement by no later than October 15, 2020.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 13, 2020 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto .

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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