Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-02445/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-02445-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1345 Property Damage

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Granting USA Leave 

BENJAMIN B. WAGNER

United States Attorney 

KELLI L. TAYLOR 

TODD A. PICKLES 

Assistant United States Attorneys 

United States Courthouse 

501 “I” Street, Suite 10-100 

Sacramento, California 95814 

Telephone: (916) 554-2700 

Facsimile: (916) 554-2900 

Of Counsel: 

JEFF MOULTON 

Regional Attorney 

RACHEL A. BIRKEY 

Attorney 

Office of the General Counsel 

United States Department of Agriculture 

33 New Montgomery Street, 17th Floor 

San Francisco, California 94105 

Telephone: (415) 744-3011 

Facsimile: (415) 744-3170 

Attorneys for the United States of America

DOWNEY BRAND LLP

WILLIAM R. WARNE (Bar No. 141280) 

ANNIE S. AMARAL (Bar No. 238189) 

MICHAEL SCHAPS (Bar No. 247423) 

621 Capitol Mall, 18th Floor 

Sacramento, CA 95814-4731 

Telephone: (916) 444-1000 

Facsimile: (916) 444-2100 

bwarne@downeybrand.com

aamaral@downeybrand.com

mschaps@downeybrand.com

Attorneys for Defendant 

SIERRA PACIFIC INDUSTRIES 

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff, 

v. 

SIERRA PACIFIC INDUSTRIES, et al., 

Defendants. 

Case No. 2:09-cv-02445-JAM-EFB

STIPULATION AND ORDER 

PERMITTING THE UNITED STATES 

OF AMERICA TO FILE SECOND 

AMENDED COMPLAINT AND TO 

WITHDRAW ITS MOTION TO DISMISS 

SPI’S COUNTERCLAIMS AND TO 

STRIKE CERTAIN OF ITS 

AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES 

[Fed.R.Civ.P. 16] 

AND RELATED CROSS-ACTIONS. 

 

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Case 2:09-cv-02445-WBS-AC Document 52 Filed 05/24/10 Page 1 of 5
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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Granting USA Leave 

Pursuant to Rule 16 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Plaintiff the United States of 

America, Defendants Sierra Pacific Industries, et al. (collectively “Defendants”) and Third PartyDefendant Caterpillar, Inc., through their respective counsel, hereby submit the following stipulation and 

proposed order to grant the United States leave to file a second amended complaint. 

RECITALS

1. On August 31, 2009, the United States filed its complaint in this action. On October 22, 

2009, the United States filed a First Amended Complaint, which is the operative complaint in this action. 

Service has been completed on all named Defendants. 

2. Defendants have filed answers to the First Amended Complaint and asserted various crossclaims and third-party claims. Sierra Pacific Industries (“SPI”) has also asserted counterclaims against 

the United States. 

3. On February 11, 2010, this Court entered its status (pretrial scheduling) order that, among 

other things, provided that amendment would only be allowed by leave of Court with good cause shown. 

4. On March 15, 2010, the United States filed a motion to dismiss SPI’s counterclaims and to 

strike certain of its affirmative defenses [Docket No. 47]. The motion is noticed to be heard by the Court 

on May 19, 2010. 

5. Subsequent to the Court’s February 22, 2010 scheduling order, discovery has occurred in 

consolidated actions pending in California superior court that arise from the same Moonlight Fire that is 

at issue in this action. The parties have also begun written discovery in this matter. 

6. Based on the discovery that has occurred to date, the United States seeks leave of Court to 

file a Second Amended Complaint to assert additional claims against some or all of the Defendants. 

7. Additionally, absent the filing of an amended pleading by the United States, SPI might 

seek leave to make various amendments to its answer and counterclaims against the United States, 

including amendments based on information obtained on or around May 3, 2010, concerning the Herger 

Feinstein Quincy Library Group Forest Recovery Act. 

8. The parties agree that it is in the interest of judicial efficiency to permit the United States 

to file the Second Amended Complaint attached hereto as Exhibit A and to allow Defendants, including 

SPI, to file any appropriate responsive pleadings. 

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Granting USA Leave 

9. By reaching such agreement, the parties in no way concede, explicitly or implicitly, the 

truth or legal sufficiency of any allegations in the Second Amended Complaint or in any pleadings by 

Defendants in response to the Second Amended Complaint. Nor do any of the parties waive any 

defenses, claims, or arguments they have to Second Amended Complaint or to any pleadings by 

Defendants in response to the Second Amended Complaint. 

10. Permitting the United States to file the attached Second Amended Complaint, which will 

entitle Defendants, including SPI, to file new responsive pleadings, will also render moot the United 

States’s motion to dismiss and motion to strike, set for hearing on May 19, 2010. 

STIPULATION

Based on the foregoing recitals, the parties hereby STIPULATE that: 

1. The United States shall file the attached Second Amended Complaint no later than twenty 

(20) days from the date of an order of the Court granting the United States leave to file a Second 

Amended Complaint; 

2. Defendants shall file their responsive pleadings to the Second Amended Complaint no later 

than twenty (20) days after the United States files its Second Amended Complaint; 

3. The United States shall have twenty (20) days to file a responsive pleading to any 

counterclaims asserted by Defendants against the United States; 

4. The parties expressly reserve the right to file any appropriate responsive pleading 

permitted under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12, or otherwise, to the Second Amended Complaint and 

to any counterclaims asserted by Defendants, and in no way waive any defense, claims, or argument to the 

allegations stated in the Second Amended Complaint or to any pleadings filed in response thereto; 

5. The United States shall withdraw its motion to dismiss and to strike [Docket No. 47] upon 

an order of the Court granting the United States leave to file a Second Amended Complaint; and 

6. All remaining dates and deadlines as set by the Court in its February 11, 2010 Scheduling 

Order remain and are otherwise unaffected by this Stipulation and Proposed Order. 

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Granting USA Leave 

DATED: May 13, 2010 BENJAMIN B. WAGNER 

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY 

By: /s/ Kelli L. Taylor 

KELLI L. TAYLOR 

TODD A. PICKLES 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys 

Attorney for Plaintiff, 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

DATED: May 13, 2010 DOWNEY BRAND LLP

By: /s/ William R. Warne

WILLIAM R. WARNE 

Attorney for Defendant, 

SIERRA PACIFIC INDUSTRIES 

DATED: May 13, 2010 RUSHFORD & BONOTTO, LLP

By: /s/ Phillip R. Bonotto

PHILLIP R. BONOTTO, Esq. 

Attorney for Defendant, 

EUNICE E. HOWELL, individually and d/b/a 

HOWELL’S FOREST HARVESTING 

COMPANY 

DATED: May 13,2010 MATHENY, SEARS, LINKERT & JAIME 

LLP 

By: /s/ Richard S. Linkert

RICHARD S. LINKERT, Esq. 

Attorney for Defendants, 

W.M. BEATY AND ASSOCIATES, INC. and 

LANDOWNER DEFENDANTS 

DATED: May 14, 2010 SEDGWICK, DETERT, MORAN & ARNOLD

By: /s/ Frederic Grannis

FREDERIC GRANNIS, Esq. 

Attorney for Third Party Defendant, 

CATERPILLAR INC. 

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Stipulation and [Proposed] Order Granting USA Leave 

ORDER 

This matter came before the Court on the parties’ Stipulation to Permit the United States of 

America to File a Second Amended Complaint and to Withdraw Its Motion to Dismiss SPI’s 

Counterclaims and to Strike Certain of Its Affirmative Defenses. For the reasons stated in the Stipulation 

and for good cause showing under Rule 16 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Court ADOPTS 

the Stipulation and GRANTS the relief requested therein. 

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT: 

1. The United States is granted leave to file the attached Second Amended Complaint and the 

Defendants may file any appropriate responsive pleadings thereto, all in accordance with the times set 

forth in the Stipulation. The United States may also file a responsive pleading to any counterclaims 

asserted against it in accordance with the times set forth in the Stipulation. 

2. The United States’s motion to dismiss [Docket No. 47] is withdrawn and the hearing set 

for May 19, 2010 is vacated. 

3. All remaining dates and deadlines as set by the Court’s February 11, 2010 Scheduling 

Order remain as set and are otherwise unaffected by this Order. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: May 21, 2010

/s/ John A. Mendez_______

Honorable John A. Mendez 

United States District Judge 

Eastern District of California 

 

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