Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_11-cv-02047/USCOURTS-caed-1_11-cv-02047-18/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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DANIEL CEDERBORG (SBN 124260)

OFFICE OF FRESNO COUNTY COUNSEL

2220 Tulare Street, Room 500

Fresno, CA 93721

Telephone: (559) 600-3479

Fax: (559) 600-3480

ATTORNEYS FOR DEFENDANT

DONALD SPECTER (SBN 83925)

KELLY KNAPP (SBN 252013)

PRISON LAW OFFICE

1917 Fifth Street

Berkeley, CA 94710

Telephone: (510) 280-2621

Fax: (510) 280-2704

ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFFS

[ADDITIONAL COUNSEL LISTED ON 

NEXT PAGE]

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

QUENTIN HALL, SHAWN GONZALES,

ROBERT MERRYMAN, DAWN SINGH, and 

BRIAN MURPHY, on behalf of themselves 

and all others similarly situated,

Plaintiffs,

v.

COUNTY OF FRESNO

Defendant.

Case No. 1:11-CV-02047-LJO-BAM

JOINT REQUEST FOR APPOINTMENT 

OF COURT EXPERT AND ORDER

Date: 

Courtroom: 8

Judge: Hon. Barbara McAullife

Action Filed: December 13, 2011

Case 1:11-cv-02047-JLT-BAM Document 198 Filed 02/11/16 Page 1 of 5
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JOINT REQUEST FOR APPOINTMENT OF COURT EXPERT AND ORDER

MAUREEN P. ALGER (SBN 208522)

MONIQUE R. SHERMAN (SBN 227494)

COOLEY LLP

Five Palo Alto Square

3000 El Camino Real

Palo Alto, CA 94306-2155

Telephone: (650) 843-5000

MARY KATHRYN KELLEY (SBN 170259)

SHANNON SORRELLS (SBN 278492)

COOLEY LLP

4401 Eastgate Mall

San Diego, CA 92121-1909

Telephone: (858) 490-6000

MELINDA BIRD (SBN 102236)

DISABILITY RIGHTS CALIFORNIA

350 South Bixel Street, Suite 209

Los Angeles, CA 90017

Telephone: (213) 213-8000

Fax: (213) 213-8001

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

[ADDITIONAL COUNSEL LISTED ON 

CAPTION PAGE]

Case 1:11-cv-02047-JLT-BAM Document 198 Filed 02/11/16 Page 2 of 5
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JOINT REQUEST FOR APPOINTMENT OF COURT EXPERT AND ORDER

1

Pursuant to the Consent Decree (ECF 112-1) approved by this Court on November 

2, 2015 (ECF 170), the parties shall “jointly request the appointment of three Court 

experts pursuant to rule 706 of the Federal Rules of Evidence to advise the Court on the 

adequacy of implementation of the Remedial Plan.” (ECF 112-1 at ¶ 10.) It further 

provides, “The Court experts shall be entitled to reasonable compensation in an amount 

approved by the Court, which shall be paid by Defendant.” (Id. at ¶ 11.) 

The parties have agreed on Dr. Michael Puisis as one of the three Court experts. 

His curriculum vitae is attached as Exhibit A. Dr. Puisis will complete evaluations and 

reports regarding medical care in the Fresno County Jail. His first tour of the jail is 

scheduled on February 22 - 26, 2016. Defendant has agreed to compensate him at a rate 

of $295 an hour for work performed and $142.50 an hour for time spent traveling, and 

will reimburse him for reasonable travel expenses. 

Defendant has provided Dr. Puisis with a copy of the Expert’s Duties (ECF 112-1, 

Appendix B, at 42-43). 

The parties hereby request appointment of Dr. Michael Puisis as Court expert and 

approval of the compensation in the amount described above. 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Dated: February 3, 2016 PRISON LAW OFFICE

:/s/ Kelly Knapp

Kelly Knapp

Attorney Plaintiffs Quentin Hall, Shawn 

Gonzales, Robert Merryman, Brian Murphy, 

Dawn Singh, and the Plaintiff Class

Dated: February 3, 2016 OFFICE OF FRESNO COUNTY COUNSEL

:/s/ Daniel Cederborg

Daniel Cederborg

Attorney for Defendant

//

//

Case 1:11-cv-02047-JLT-BAM Document 198 Filed 02/11/16 Page 3 of 5
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JOINT REQUEST FOR APPOINTMENT OF COURT EXPERT AND ORDER

2

The Court approves the appointment of Dr. Michael Puisis as Court expert to be 

paid by Defendant in the amount of $295 an hour for work performed and $142.50 an 

hour for time spent traveling. Defendant will also reimburse him for reasonable travel 

expenses. 

Rule 706(b) of the Federal Rules of Evidence requires the Court to “ inform the 

expert of the expert’s duties.” The expert’s duties are as follows:

1. Pursuant to rule 706 of the Federal Rules of Evidence, the Courts’ experts 

shall advise the Court on the adequacy of the implementation of the Remedial Plan. 

2. During the first year of the Consent Decree, the three Court experts shall 

each complete one comprehensive review and report to advise the Court on defendant’s 

progress in implementing the Remedial Plan. For the remaining duration of the Consent 

Decree, the Court experts shall complete comprehensive reviews and reports as they 

determine to be necessary, or as jointly requested by the parties, but not more than once a 

year, to advise the parties and the Court on the adequacy of defendant’s implementation of 

the Remedial Plan. To form the basis of their reports, the Court experts shall have access 

to all parts of any County jail facility, with adequate notice provided in advance of the 

same to ensure appropriate security is provided, all relevant budgetary, custody, and 

health care documents, persons (including confidential interviews with consenting staff 

and consenting prisoners) and institutional meetings, proceedings, and programs to the 

extent the experts reasonably determine such access is needed to fulfill their obligations. 

The Court experts shall not have access to personnel files, including records and 

information deemed confidential pursuant to California Penal Code § 832.7. Attorneys 

shall not have ex parte contact with experts regarding their preliminary and proposed 

opinions to be presented to the parties. 

Case 1:11-cv-02047-JLT-BAM Document 198 Filed 02/11/16 Page 4 of 5
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JOINT REQUEST FOR APPOINTMENT OF COURT EXPERT AND ORDER

3

3. At the request of either party, the Court experts shall participate in the 

dispute resolution process, as described in Paragraph 18 of the Consent Decree, by 

evaluating the issue in dispute and preparing a report, including but not limited to whether 

defendant is in substantial compliance with the terms of the Remedial Plan. The expert(s) 

shall devote his or her best efforts to provide his or her report regarding the area of 

disagreement within 45 days of the request. 

4. The Court experts shall be available to meet jointly with the parties in 

person or by telephone in a manner that is reasonable and convenient for the purpose of 

resolving disputes between the parties.

5. At the request of the Court, the Court experts shall attend any negotiations, 

mediation sessions, or court hearings. 

6. The Court experts shall be entitled to reasonable compensation in an 

amount approved by the Court, which shall be paid by Defendant, for time incurred to 

prepare reports, resolve disputes, or attend hearings or meetings as requested by the Court. 

The Court experts shall provide defendant with a detailed written itemization of the 

claimed fees and costs, itemized by date, amount of time spent, and task, as well as 

records and bills evidencing the costs claimed, on a quarterly basis. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 10, 2016 /s/ Lawrence J. O’Neill 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:11-cv-02047-JLT-BAM Document 198 Filed 02/11/16 Page 5 of 5