Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_16-cv-01693/USCOURTS-casd-3_16-cv-01693-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 446
Nature of Suit: Americans with Disabilities Act - Other
Cause of Action: 29:0794 Job Discrimination (Handicap)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Leonie K. Hall,

Plaintiff,

v.

Tri-City Healthcare District,

Defendant.

Case No.: 16-cv-01693-GPC-AGS

ORDER SETTING MANDATORY 

SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE

BEFORE MAGISTRATE JUDGE 

JILL L. BURKHARDT

The Court hereby SETS a Mandatory Settlement Conference (“MSC”) for June 26, 

2018, at 1:45 PM in the Chambers of Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt, Edward J. 

Schwartz U.S. Courthouse, 221 West Broadway, Suite 5140, San Diego, California 92101.

The following are mandatory directions for the parties preparing for the MSC. 

Absent express permission obtained from this Court, and notwithstanding the 

pendency of any motion, counsel shall timely comply with the dates and deadlines

ordered herein.

1. Purpose of Conference: The purpose of the MSC is to permit an informal 

discussion between the attorneys, parties, and the settlement judge of every aspect of the 

lawsuit in an effort to achieve a resolution of the case. All conference discussions will be 

informal, off the record, privileged and confidential. Counsel for any non-English speaking 

parties is responsible for arranging for the appearance of an interpreter at the conference.

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2. Personal Appearance of Parties Required: All parties, adjusters for insured 

defendants, and other representatives of a party having full settlement authority as 

explained below, and the principal attorneys responsible for the litigation, must be present 

in person and legally and factually prepared to discuss settlement of the case. Counsel 

appearing without their clients (whether or not counsel has been given settlement authority) 

will be cause for immediate imposition of sanctions and may also result in the immediate 

termination of the conference. If each of the principal attorneys responsible for the 

litigation is not listed on the docket as an “ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED,” then they each 

shall enter their appearance on the docket as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 

ten calendar days prior to the MSC.

Unless there are extraordinary circumstances, persons required to attend the 

conference pursuant to this Order shall not be excused from personal attendance. Requests 

for excuse from attendance for extraordinary circumstances shall be filed as a motion

at least ten calendar days prior to the conference. Failure to appear at the MSC will be 

grounds for sanctions.

3. Full Settlement Authority Required: In addition to counsel who will try the 

case, a party or party representative with full settlement authority1 must be present for the 

conference. In the case of a corporate entity, an authorized representative of the 

corporation who is not retained outside counsel must be present and must have 

discretionary authority to commit the company to pay an amount up to the amount of the 

Plaintiff’s prayer (excluding punitive damages prayers). The purpose of this requirement 

 

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“Full settlement authority” means that the individuals at the settlement conference must be authorized to 

explore settlement options fully and to agree at that time to any settlement terms acceptable to the parties. 

Heileman Brewing Co. v. Joseph Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648, 653 (7th Cir. 1989). The person needs to have 

“unfettered discretion and authority” to change the settlement position of a party. Pitman v. Brinker Int’l, 

Inc., 216 F.R.D. 481, 485-86 (D. Ariz. 2003). The purpose of requiring a person with unlimited settlement 

authority to attend the conference contemplates that the person’s view of the case may be altered during 

the face to face conference. Id. at 486. A limited or a sum certain of authority is not adequate. See Nick 

v. Morgan’s Foods, Inc., 270 F.3d 590, 595-97 (8th Cir. 2001).

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is to have representatives present who can settle the case during the course of the 

conference without consulting a superior.

4. MSC Statements Required: On or before June 15, 2018, the parties shall 

lodge statements of five pages or less directly to the chambers of Magistrate Judge 

Burkhardt outlining the nature of the case, the claims, the defenses, and the parties’ 

positions regarding settlement of the case. The settlement position must include a specific 

and current demand or offer addressing all relief or remedies sought. If a specific demand 

or offer cannot be made at the time the brief is submitted, then the reasons therefor must 

be stated along with a statement as to when the party will be in a position to state a demand 

or offer. A general statement that a party will “negotiate in good faith,” “offer a nominal 

cash sum,” or “be prepared to make an offer at the conference” is not a specific demand or 

offer. The statement shall also list all attorney and non-attorney conference attendees for 

that side, including the name(s) and title(s)/position(s) of the party/party representative(s) 

who will attend and have settlement authority at the conference. 

MSC statements shall be lodged via email at efile_burkhardt@casd.uscourts.gov. If 

exhibits are attached and the total submission amounts to more than 20 pages, a hard copy 

must also be delivered directly to chambers. Whether these statements are submitted 

confidentially or whether they are served on opposing counsel is within the parties’ 

discretion. Statements of more than five pages will not be considered.

5. Requests to Continue or Reschedule an MSC: Local Rule 16.3 governs 

MSCs. Requests to continue MSCs are rarely granted. However, the Court will consider 

formal, filed ex parte or joint motions to continue an MSC when extraordinary 

circumstances exist that make a continuance appropriate. In and of itself, having to travel 

a long distance to appear in person is not “extraordinary.” Absent extraordinary 

circumstances, requests for continuances will not be considered unless filed no less than 

ten calendar days prior to the scheduled conference.

6. Settlement Prior to MSC: The Court encourages the parties to work on 

settling the matter in advance of the MSC. In the event that the parties resolve the matter 

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prior to the day of the MSC, the following procedures must be followed before the Court 

will vacate the MSC and excuse the parties from appearing:

a. The parties may file a Joint Motion to Dismiss and separately lodge by email 

a proposed order to the assigned District Judge.

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 If a Joint Motion to Dismiss 

is filed, the Court will vacate the MSC. The parties are encouraged to contact 

Judge Burkhardt’s Chambers by telephone to notify the Court of their pending 

Joint Motion;

b. If the parties settle more than 24 hours before the conference but are not able 

to file a Joint Motion to Dismiss, they must file a Notice of Settlement 

containing the electronic signatures of counsel for all settling parties and 

identifying a date by which the Joint Motion to Dismiss will be filed. The 

parties are encouraged to contact Judge Burkhardt’s Chambers by telephone 

to notify the Court of their filed Notice of Settlement;

c. If the parties settle less than 24 hours before the conference, counsel for the 

settling parties must JOINTLY call chambers and inform the Court of the 

settlement and receive Court permission to not appear at the MSC.

After having reviewed Judge Burkhardt’s Civil Chambers Rules, appropriate 

questions regarding this case or the mandatory directions set forth herein may be 

addressed through a joint call by the parties to Judge Burkhardt’s law clerks at (619) 557-

6624. For additional information, please see Judge Burkhardt’s Civil Chambers Rules.

Dated: June 7, 2018

 

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See Electronic Case Filing Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual, United States District Court 

for the Southern District of California § 2(h), for the chambers’ official email address and procedures on 

emailing proposed orders.

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