Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_06-cv-01676/USCOURTS-azd-2_06-cv-01676-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 480
Nature of Suit: Consumer Credit
Cause of Action: 15:1681 Fair Credit Reporting Act

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Carmen Garcia,

Plaintiff,

v.

Trans Union LLC,

Defendant.

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No. CV-06-1676-PHX-SMM

ORDER

On October 5, 2006, this Court issued an Order Setting Rule 16 Preliminary Pretrial

Conference to counsel for Plaintiff, Jennifer Basola, and counsel for Defendant, Donald

Bradley. (Dkt. 14.) This Order expressly provided that a Preliminary Pretrial Conference

was scheduled to take place on December 4, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. (Id.) 

On December 4, 2006, Donald Bradley and Philip Wooten, counsel for Defendant

Trans Union LLC, appeared for the Court-ordered Pretrial Conference, as did Patricia

Norris, Trans Union’s client representative. In contravention of the clear and unambiguous

language of this Court’s order setting the Preliminary Pretrial Conference (see dkt. 14 at ¶¶

1-2), counsel of record for Plaintiff, Jennifer Basola of the law firm Krohn & Moss Ltd., did

not appear at the Preliminary Pretrial Conference. Similarly, in violation of this Court’s

order to appear, neither Plaintiff Carmen Garcia nor a representative of Plaintiff Garcia

appeared at the Preliminary Pretrial Conference. See id. As a result of Ms. Basola’s and

Plaintiff Garcia’s violation of this Court’s Order Setting Pretrial Conference, (i) sanctions

were issued against Ms. Basola and Plaintiff Garcia; (ii) the December 4, 2006 Pretrial

Case 2:06-cv-01676-SMM Document 30 Filed 01/17/07 Page 1 of 4
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Conference was cancelled, and (iii) a new Pretrial Conference was scheduled to take place

on January 16, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. See dkt. 18. Ms. Norris was given permission to attend the

January 16, 2007 Pretrial Conference via telephone. (Id.)

On January 5, 2007, Ms. Basola filed a Motion to Allow Counsel to Appear

Telephonically or, in the alternative, to Allow a Non-Attorney of Record to Appear at the

Preliminary Pretrial Conference scheduled for January 16, 2007 (the “Motion to Appear

Telephonically”). (Dkt. 26.) On January 8, 2007, the Court granted the Motion to Appear

Telephonically in part, specifically ordering Ms. Basola to call the Court at 1:55 p.m. on

January 16, 2007. (Dkt. 28.) In addition, the Court ordered that, if Ms. Basola is

hospitalized at the time of the Preliminary Pretrial Conference, “an attorney who has

properly been admitted to represent Plaintiff and is familiar with the instant case may

appear at the Preliminary Pretrial Conference on January 16, 2007 at 2:00 p.m.” (Id.,

emphasis in original.) 

At 2:00 p.m. on January 16, 2007, Donald Bradley, counsel for Defendant Trans

Union, appeared for the Court-ordered Pretrial Conference, as did Plaintiff Garcia. Patricia

Norris, Trans Union’s client representative, appeared telephonically. Neither Ms. Basola

nor any other attorney appeared in person or by telephone on behalf of Plaintiff Garcia. At

approximately 2:10 p.m., the Court telephoned Krohn & Moss in an attempt to speak with

Ms. Basola. Although Ms. Basola was not at Krohn & Moss, a representative from the law

firm located her at approximately 2:50 p.m. 

Appearing telephonically, Ms. Basola represented to the Court that she was on

maternity leave and had arranged for another attorney to appear at the January 16 conference

on Plaintiff Garcia’s behalf. Ms. Basola further represented that such attorney failed to

appear because the Court did not timely process her Motion for Admission pro hac vice. The

Court investigated this assertion and found that no such Motion has been filed. 

The Court asked Ms. Basola to explain the significance of a letter Trans Union sent

to Plaintiff Garcia in January 2006, in response to a letter Plaintiff sent to Trans Union

Case 2:06-cv-01676-SMM Document 30 Filed 01/17/07 Page 2 of 4
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regarding her credit report. Ms. Basola stated that she had not seen such a letter. Counsel

for TransUnion stated that the letter was included in Trans Union’s initial disclosures,

produced “months ago.” At the request of the Court, counsel for Trans Union agreed to send

Krohn & Moss an additional copy of Plaintiff’s letter to Trans Union and Trans Union’s

January 2006 response to Plaintiff (collectively, the “Correspondence”). Ms. Basola

represented that she would be on maternity leave until April 2007, but that she would make

certain an attorney from Krohn & Moss (i) filed a Motion for Admission pro hac vice; (ii)

reviewed the Correspondence to be sent by counsel for Trans Union; and (iii) appeared on

February 20, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. in order to discuss the Correspondence and the Proposed

Scheduling Order filed by the parties on November 27, 2006. Accordingly, 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that, no later than January 19, 2007, an attorney from

Krohn & Moss Ltd. shall file a Motion for Admission pro hac vice. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that, no later than January 24, 2007, counsel for Trans

Union shall send to Krohn & Moss Ltd. a copy of the letter Plaintiff Garcia sent to Trans

Union and Trans Union’s January 2006 response to Plaintiff Garcia. Both documents shall

be sent to the attention of the attorney from Krohn & Moss who files a Motion for Admission

pro hac vice. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that a Preliminary Pretrial Conference is scheduled

to take place in Courtroom 605, 401 W. Washington Street, Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday,

February 20, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. With the exception of the time and date change, the

provisions of this Court’s Order of October 5, 2006 shall remain binding on both parties and

their counsel. See Dkt. 14. In addition, all counsel shall be prepared to address the

significance, if any, of the letter Plaintiff Garcia sent to Trans Union and Trans Union’s

January 2006 response to Plaintiff Garcia.

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IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Patricia Norris, client representative for

Defendant Trans Union, may appear telephonically at the Rule 16 Preliminary Pretrial

Conference scheduled to take place on February 20, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. Ms. Norris shall call

the Court on one clear telephone line on February 20, 2007 at 3:55 p.m. at 602-322-7555.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff Carmen Garcia may appear

telephonically at the Rule 16 Preliminary Pretrial Conference scheduled to take place on

February 20, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. The Court is unable to coordinate conference calls.

Therefore, if Plaintiff wishes to appear telephonically, she shall inform her attorney of her

intention to do so. Her attorney shall coordinate with counsel for Trans Union so that

Plaintiff and Ms. Norris can telephone the Court on one clear telephone line on February 20,

2007 at 3:55 p.m. at 602-322-7555.

DATED this 16th day of January, 2007.

Case 2:06-cv-01676-SMM Document 30 Filed 01/17/07 Page 4 of 4