Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_14-cv-03998/USCOURTS-cand-4_14-cv-03998-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 850
Nature of Suit: Securities, Commodities, Exchange
Cause of Action: 12:22 Securities Fraud

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

In re ROCKET FUEL SECURITIES

LITIGATION

Case No. 14-cv-03998-PJH 

ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR 

LEAVE TO FILE SURREPLY AND 

GRANTING MOTION TO STAY CLASS 

CERTIFICATION BRIEFING 

SCHEDULE

Re: Dkt. Nos. 181, 187

Before the court are (1) defendants’ administrative motion for leave to file a 

surreply brief in opposition to plaintiffs’ motion for class certification, and (2) plaintiffs’ 

administrative motion to stay the class certification briefing schedule. Dkt. 181, 187. 

Having read the papers filed by the parties and carefully considered their arguments and 

the relevant legal authority, and good cause appearing, the court hereby rules as follows.

Regarding the first motion, the court DENIES defendants leave to file a surreply 

brief on class certification at this time. The request is premature because plaintiffs have 

not yet filed a reply brief in support of class certification. At this stage, defendants’

presumption that plaintiffs’ reply brief will rely upon new arguments and evidence is 

speculative. This denial is without prejudice to defendants seeking leave to file a surreply 

brief in the future, if and when a reply brief has been filed. At that time, the court will be 

able to evaluate whether a surreply brief is necessary or justified.

Regarding the second motion, the court will GRANT lead plaintiffs’ request to stay 

the class certification briefing schedule in light of their recently-filed motion for leave to 

amend their complaint. See Dkt. 186. The court finds that good cause exists to stay the 

briefing schedule because of the danger of wasted resources by the parties and the court 

in briefing and hearing a class certification motion that may be mooted or withdrawn,

depending upon the resolution of the motion for leave to amend. 

Case 4:14-cv-03998-PJH Document 193 Filed 12/28/16 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

Accordingly, the court hereby STAYS the class certification briefing schedule 

pending resolution of the motion for leave to amend. In particular, the court VACATES 

the February 1, 2017 deadline for plaintiffs’ reply brief in support of class certification and 

the March 1, 2017 hearing date for the certification motion. If necessary, the court will set 

a new deadline for the reply brief and hearing date following resolution of the motion for 

leave to amend.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 28, 2016

__________________________________

PHYLLIS J. HAMILTON

United States District Judge

Case 4:14-cv-03998-PJH Document 193 Filed 12/28/16 Page 2 of 2