Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-00718/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-00718-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Declaratory Judgement

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES FIRE INSURANCE CASE NO. CV F 07-0718 LJO GSA

COMPANY, (New Case No. CV F 07-0718 GSA)

 

Plaintiff, SCHEDULING CONFERENCE ORDER

vs.

Expert

WILLIAMSBURG NATIONAL, Disclosure: April 4, 2008

INSURANCE COMPANY,

Supplemental

Defendant. Expert Disclosure: April 18, 2008

Nonexpert

Discovery Cutoff: May 2, 2008

Expert

Discovery Cutoff: June 6, 2008

Pretrial

Motion Filing

Deadline: July 1, 2008

Pretrial Motion

Hearing Deadline: August 15, 2008

Settlement Conf.: None set.

Pretrial Conf.: Date: Sept. 3, 2008

Time: 8:30 a.m.

Dept.: 10 (GSA)

Jury Trial: Date: October 13, 2008

(6-10 days est.) Time: 9 a.m. 

 / Dept.: 10 (GSA)

This Court conducted an October 31, 2007 scheduling conference. Plaintiff United States Fire

Case 1:07-cv-00718-GSA Document 13 Filed 11/01/07 Page 1 of 5
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Insurance Company appeared by telephone by counsel Mark Lowary, Berman, Berman & Berman LLP.

Defendant Williamsburg National Insurance Company appeared by telephone by counsel Alex

Ahoronian, Musick, Peeler & Garrett LLP. Pursuant to F.R.Civ.P. 16(b), this Court sets a schedule for

this action.

1. Amendment To The Parties’ Pleadings

The parties propose no amendment to their respective pleadings.

2. Consent To Magistrate Judge

All parties consent to the conduct of all further proceedings by U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary S.

Austin. By a separate order, this action has been reassigned to U.S. Magistrate Gary S. Austin, and the

parties are required to complete and file a Consent to Exercise of Jurisdiction by a United States

Magistr at e J udge, wh i ch is av ail able from this Court’s webpage at

http://207.41.18.73/caed/staticOther/page_947.htm.

3. Expert Witnesses

Initial expert witness disclosures by any party shall be served no later than April 4, 2008.

Supplemental expert witness disclosures by any party shall be served no later than April 18, 2008. Such

disclosures must be made pursuant to F.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(2)(A) and (B) and shall include all information

required thereunder. In addition, F.R.Civ.P. 26(b)(4) and F.R.Civ.P. 26(e) shall specifically apply to all

discovery relating to expert witnesses and their opinions. Each expert witness must be fully prepared

to be examined on all subjects and opinions included in the designations. Failure to comply with these

requirements will result in the imposition of appropriate sanctions, which may include the preclusion

of testimony or other evidence offered through the expert witness. In particular, this Court will enforce

preclusion of testimony or other evidence if F.R.Civ.P. 26(e) is not strictly complied with. 

4. Discovery Cutoffs And Limits

All nonexpert discovery and related discovery motions (including motions to compel) shall be

completed or heard no later than May 2, 2008. All expert discovery and related discovery motions

(including motions to compel) shall be completed or heard no later than June 6, 2008.

5. Pretrial Motion Schedule

All pretrial motions, both dispositive and nondispositive (except discovery motions addressed

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above), shall be served and filed no later than July 1, 2008. All pretrial dispositive and nondispositive

motions (except discovery motions addressed above) shall be set before the appropriate judge for a

hearing to be conducted no later than August 15, 2008.

At the pretrial conference, the Court will set filing and hearing dates for motions in limine.

6. Mandatory Settlement Conference

This Court sets no settlement conference at this time. This Court will set a settlement conference

if the parties jointly request a settlement conference by telephoning the Court at (559) 499-5690 to

arrange a settlement conference before a U.S. Magistrate Judge other than Magistrate Judge Snyder. 

If this Court conducts a settlement conference and unless otherwise permitted in advance by the

Court, the attorneys who will try the case shall appear at the settlement conference with the parties and

the person or persons having full authority to negotiate and settle the case, on any terms, at the

conference. 

No later than seven days prior to the settlement conference, each party shall submit directly

to the settlement conference judge’s chambers a confidential settlement conference statement. This

statement should neither be filed with the clerk of the Court nor served on any other party. Each

statement shall be clearly marked “CONFIDENTIAL” with the date and time of the mandatory

settlement conference indicated prominently. Counsel are urged to request the return of their statements.

If such request is not made, the Court will dispose of the statement.

The confidential settlement conference statement shall include the following: 

A. A brief statement of the facts of the case; 

B. A brief statement of the claims and defenses (i.e., statutory or other grounds upon which

the claims or defenses are based), a forthright evaluation of the parties' likelihood of prevailing on the

claims and defenses, and a description of the major issues in dispute;

C. A summary of the proceedings to date;

D. An estimate of the cost and time to be expended for further pretrial and trial matters,

including discovery;

E. The relief sought; and

F. The party's position on settlement, including the amount which or otherwise what the

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party will accept to settle, realistic settlement expectations, present demands and offers, and a history

of past settlement discussions, offers, and demands.

This Court will vacate the settlement conference iftheCourtfinds the settlement conference will

be neither productive nor meaningful to attempt to resolve all or part of this case. As far in advance of

the settlement conference as possible, a party shall inform the Court and other parties that it believes the

case is not in a settlement posture so the Court may vacate orreset the settlement conference. Otherwise

the parties shall proceed with the settlement conference in good faith to attempt to resolve all or part of

the case.

7. Pretrial Conference

This Court sets a pretrial conference for September 3, 2008 at 8:30 a.m. in Department 10

(GSA) of this Court. The parties are directed to file a joint pretrial statement which complies with the

requirements of this Court’s Local Rule 16-281. In addition, the joint pretrial statement should include

a brief factual summary and an agreed upon neutral statement of the case. An additional copy of the

joint pretrial statement, carefully prepared and executed by all counsel, shall be electronically filed in

CM/ECF and shall be e-mailed in WordPerfect format to ljoorders@caed.uscourts.gov.

The parties’ attention is directed to this Court’s Local Rules 16-281 and 16-282. This Court will

insist upon strict compliance with those rules.

At the pretrial conference, the Court will set deadlines, among others, to file motions in limine,

final witness and exhibits lists, objections thereto, and other trial documents.

8. Trial Date

A 6-10 jury day trial is set for October 13, 2008 at 9 a.m. in Department 10 (GSA) of this Court.

At this time, the parties request no bifurcation of issues. 

9. Effect Of This Order

This order representsthe best estimate of the Court and parties as to the agenda most suitable to

dispose of this case. If the parties determine at any time that the schedule outlined in this order cannot

be met, the parties are ordered to notify the Court immediately of that fact so that adjustments may be

made, either by stipulation or by subsequent status conference. Stipulations extending the deadlines

contained herein will not be considered unless they are accompanied by affidavits or declarations with

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attached exhibits, where appropriate, which establish good cause for granting the relief requested.

Failure to comply with this order shall result in the imposition of sanctions. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 31, 2007 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

66h44d UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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