Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-05363/USCOURTS-caed-1_03-cv-05363-14/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MICHAEL GONZALES,

Plaintiff,

v.

TOMLIN, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

CASE NO. 1:03-cv-05363-LJO-DLB PC

SECOND SCHEDULING ORDER

ORDER REQUIRING PARTIES TO

NOTIFY COURT WHETHER THEY

CONSENT TO MAGISTRATE JUDGE

JURISDICTION WITHIN THIRTY DAYS

ORDER DIRECTING CLERK’S OFFICE

TO SEND LOCAL RULE 16-281 TO

PLAINTIFF AND CONSENT FORMS TO

PARTIES

Telephonic Trial Confirmation

Hearing: March 14, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. in

Courtroom 9 (DLB)

Jury Trial: April 21, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. in

Courtroom 4 (LJO)

Plaintiff Michael Gonzales(“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma

pauperis in this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. This action is proceeding on

plaintiff’s amended complaint, filed June 16, 2006, against defendants Perez, Riddle and Yrigollen

for using excessive physical force, in violation of the Eighth Amendment. The deadline for filing

pretrial dispositive motions was January 22, 2008, and neither plaintiff nor defendants filed a motion.

(Doc. 32.) Accordingly, pursuant to Rule 16(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the court

will, by this order, set a further schedule for this litigation.

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The parties are required to file pre-trial statements in accordance with the schedule set forth

herein. In addition to the matters already required to be addressed in the pre-trial statement in

accordance with Local Rule 16-281, plaintiff will be required to make a particularized showing in

order to obtain the attendance of witnesses. The procedures and requirements for making such a

showing are outlined in detail below. Plaintiff is advised that failure to comply with the procedures

set forth below may result in the preclusion of any and all witnesses named in his pre-trial statement.

At the trial of this case, plaintiff must be prepared to introduce evidence to prove each of the

alleged facts that support the claims raised in the lawsuit. In general, there are two kinds of trial

evidence: (1) exhibits and (2) the testimony of witnesses. It is plaintiff’s responsibility to produce

all of the evidence to prove his case, whether that evidence is in the form of exhibits or witness

testimony. If plaintiff wants to call witnesses to testify, he must follow certain procedures to ensure

that the witnesses will be at the trial and available to testify.

1. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Incarcerated Witnesses Who Agree to Testify

Voluntarily - An incarcerated witness who agrees voluntarilyto attend trial to give testimony cannot

come to court unless this court orders the warden or other custodian to permit the witness to be

transported to court. This court will not issue such an order unless it is satisfied that: (a) the

prospective witness is willing to attend; and (b) the prospective witness has actual knowledge of

relevant facts.

A party intending to introduce the testimony of incarcerated witnesses who have agreed

voluntarily to attend the trial must serve and file concurrent with the pre-trial statement a written

motion for a court order requiring that such witnesses be brought to court at the time of trial. The

motion must: (1) state the name, address, and prison identification number of each such witness; and

(2) be accompanied by declarations showing that each witness is willing to testify and that each

witness has actual knowledge of relevant facts. The motion should be entitled “Motion for

Attendance of Incarcerated Witnesses.”

The willingness of the prospective witness can be shown in one of two ways: (1) the party

himself can swear by declaration under penalty of perjury that the prospective witness has informed

the party that he or she is willing to testify voluntarily without being subpoenaed, in which

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declaration the party must state when and where the prospective witness informed the party of this

willingness; or (2) the party can serve and file a declaration, signed under penalty of perjury by the

prospective witness, in which the witness states that he or she is willing to testify without being

subpoenaed.

The prospective witness’s actual knowledge of relevant facts can be shown in one of two

ways: (1) if the party has actual firsthand knowledge that the prospective witness was an eyewitness

or an ear-witness to the relevant facts (i.e., if an incident occurred in plaintiff’s cell and, at the time,

plaintiff saw that a cellmate was present and observed the incident, plaintiff may swear to the

cellmate’s ability to testify), the party himself can swear by declaration under penalty of perjury that

the prospective witness has actual knowledge; or (2) the party can serve and file a declaration signed

under penalty of perjury by the prospective witness in which the witness describes the relevant facts

to which the prospective witness was an eye- or ear-witness. Whether the declaration is made by the

party or by the prospective witness, it must be specific about the incident, when and where it

occurred, who was present, and how the prospective witness happened to be in a position to see or

to hear what occurred at the time it occurred.

The court will review and rule on the motion for attendance of incarcerated witnesses,

specifying which prospective witnesses must be brought to court. Subsequently, the court will issue

the order necessary to cause the witness’s custodian to bring the witness to court. 

Motions for the attendance of incarcerated witnesses, if any, must be filed on or before

February 26, 2008. Oppositions, if any, must be filed on or before March 4, 2008. 

2. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Incarcerated Witnesses Who Refuse to

Testify Voluntarily - If a party seeks to obtain the attendance of incarcerated witnesses who refuse

to testify voluntarily, the party should submit with his pre-trial statement a motion for the attendance

of such witnesses. Such motion should be in the form described above. In addition, the party must

indicate in the motion that the incarcerated witnesses are not willing to testify voluntarily.

3. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Unincarcerated Witnesses Who Agree to

Testify Voluntarily - It is the responsibility of the party who has secured an unincarcerated 

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witness’s voluntary attendance to notify the witness of the time and date of trial. No action need be

sought or obtained from the court.

4. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Unincarcerated Witnesses Who Refuse to

Testify Voluntarily - If a prospective witness is not incarcerated, and he or she refuses to testify

voluntarily, the witness must be served with a subpoena. Fed. R. Civ. P. 45. In addition, the party

seeking the witness’s presence must tender an appropriate sum of money for the witness. Id. In the

case of an unincarcerated witness, the appropriate sum of money is the daily witness fee of $40.00

plus the witness’s travel expenses. 28 U.S.C. § 1821. 

If plaintiff wishes to obtain the attendance of one or more unincarcerated witnesses who

refuse to testify voluntarily, plaintiff must first notify the court in writing of the name and location

of each unincarcerated witness. The court will calculate the travel expense for each unincarcerated

witness and notify plaintiff of the amount(s). Plaintiff must then, for each witness, submit a money

order made payable to the witness for the full amount of the witness’s travel expenses plus the daily

witness fee of $40.00. The subpoena will not be served upon the unincarcerated witness by the

United States Marshal unless the money orderis tendered to the court. Because no statute authorizes

the use of public funds for these expenses in civil cases, the tendering of witness fees and travel

expenses is required even if the party was granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis.

If plaintiff wishes to have the Marshal serve any unincarcerated witnesses who refuse

to testify voluntarily, plaintiff must submit the money orders to the court no later than

February 26, 2008. In order to ensure timely submission of the money orders, plaintiff should

notify the court of the names and locations of his witnesses, in compliance with step one, as soon

as possible. 

The parties are advised that failure to file pre-trial statements as required by this order may

result in the imposition of appropriate sanctions, which may include dismissal of the action or entry

of default.

Finally, the court shall direct the Clerk’s Office to provide the parties with consent/decline

forms. Within thirty days from the date of service of this order, the parties shall inform the court

whether they consent to or decline Magistrate Judge jurisdiction by filling out the forms and

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returning them to the court. 

Accordingly, the court HEREBY ORDERS as follows:

1. This matter is set for telephonic trial confirmation hearing before the Honorable

Dennis L. Beck on March 14, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom 4;

2. This matter is set for jury trial before the Honorable Lawrence J. O’Neill on April

21, 2008, at 9:00 a.m. in Courtroom 4;

3. Counsel for defendants is required to arrange for the participation of plaintiff in the

telephonic trial confirmation hearing and to initiate the telephonic hearing at (559)

499-5670;

4. Plaintiff shall serve and file a pretrial statement as described in this order on or

before February 26, 2008;

5. Defendants shall serve and file a pretrial statement as described in this order on or

before March 4, 2008; 

6. In addition to electronically filing their pretrial statement, defendants shall e-mail the

pretrial statement to: dlborders@caed.uscourts.gov;

7. If plaintiff intends to call incarcerated witnesses at time of trial, plaintiff shall serve

and file a motion for attendance of incarcerated witnesses as described in this order

on or before February 26, 2008;

8. The opposition to the motion for the attendance of incarcerated witnesses, if any,

shall be filed on or before March 4, 2008;

9. If plaintiff wishes to obtain the attendance of unincarcerated witnesses who refuse

to testify voluntarily, plaintiff must submit the money orders, as described in

subsection 4 of this order, to the court on or before February 26, 2008;

10. The Clerk’s Office shall send the parties consent/decline forms; 

11. Within thirty (30) days from the date of service of this order, the parties shall notify

the court whether they consent to or decline Magistrate Judge jurisdiction by filling

out the enclosed forms and returning them to the court; and

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12. The Clerk’s Office shall send plaintiff a copy of Local Rule 16-281.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: February 1, 2008 /s/ Dennis L. Beck 

3c0h UNI j8 TED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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