Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-02392/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-02392-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 362
Nature of Suit: Medical Malpractice
Cause of Action: 28:1346 Tort Claim

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McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

JOHN F. GISLA, SB #42829

Assistant U.S. Attorney

501 I Street, Suite 10-100

Sacramento, California 95814

Telephone: (916) 554-2740

Attorneys for the United States

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ROBERT L. EASTHAM,

Plaintiff,

v.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

DEL NORTE CLINICS, INC.,

PRINCE SHAH, M.D., and

DOES I through XX, inclusive,

Defendants.

No. 2:06-cv-02392-WBS-EFB

STIPULATION TO AMEND

COMPLAINT; ORDER

It is stipulated between the undersigned counsel as follows:

1. At the time of the incident that is the subject of

plaintiff's COMPLAINT FOR MEDICAL MALPRACTICE AND DAMAGES,

defendants DEL NORTE CLINICS, INC. and PRINCE SHAH, M.D., were

deemed to be employees of the United States Public Health Service,

an agency of the United States of America, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §

 233(g); were acting within the scope of their federal employment as

employees of the United States of America; and were covered under

the Federal Tort Claims Act for liability for medical malpractice.

2. An employee of the United States acting in the scope of

Case 2:06-cv-02392-WBS -KJM Document 12 Filed 02/23/07 Page 1 of 4
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federal employment is absolutely immune under the Federal Tort

Claims Act from liability for common law torts. 42 U.S.C. §

 233(g)(a)(A); 28 U.S.C. § 2679(b)(1). Under the Federal Tort

Claims Act, the United States of America is therefore the only

proper defendant. Defendants DEL NORTE CLINICS, INC. and PRINCE

SHAH, M.D. should therefore be dismissed from this action, and the

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA substituted in their place as the proper

defendant.

3. The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure do not provide for

suing fictitious parties, and a suit naming Doe defendants may not

be maintained in federal court. The DOE defendants should therefore

be dismissed.

4. 28 U.S.C. § 2402 provides: "Any action against the United

States under section 1346 shall be tried by the court without a

jury. . . ." A jury trial is therefore statutorily prohibited in an

FTCA suit against the United States. Plaintiff is therefore not

entitled to a jury trial relating to her claims against the United

States, and plaintiff's demand for one should be stricken.

5. It is therefore stipulated that Plaintiff's Complaint be

amended to dismiss Defendants DEL NORTE CLINICS, INC. and PRINCE

SHAH, M.D., and the DOE Defendants; and to substitute as the proper

Defendant the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

6. It is further stipulated that Plaintiff's demand for a jury

be stricken.

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DATED: February 20, 2007 McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

 By: /s/ John F. Gisla 

JOHN F. GISLA

Assistant United States Attorney

Attorneys for the United States

DATED: February 7, 2007 /s/ James J. Thompson 

JAMES J. THOMPSON

Attorney for Plaintiff

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ORDER

Pursuant to the foregoing stipulation:

1. Defendants DEL NORTE CLINICS, INC. and PRINCE SHAH, are

dismissed from this action, and the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is

substituted in their place as the proper Defendant.

2. The DOE Defendants are dismissed.

3. Plaintiff's demand for a jury is stricken.

DATED: February 22, 2007

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