Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-04351/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-04351-20/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 42:2000e Job Discrimination (Employment)

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MORRISON,

Plaintiff,

 v.

 GONZALES ET AL,

Defendant.

 /

No. C 05-04351 JSW

ORDER GRANTING IN PART

MAY 22, 2007 LETTER BRIEF RE

DISCOVERY AND ORDERING

PLAINTIFF TO SHOW CAUSE

WHY REQUEST SHOULD NOT

BE GRANTED IN ITS ENTIRETY

This matter comes before the Court upon consideration of a Letter Brief dated May 22,

2007, submitted by Defendant. In his letter, Defendant requests access to any Bureau of

Prisons’ computer Plaintiff may have used to draft a letter dated May 7, 2004, that is the subject

of a pending motion in limine. Defendant also requests access to any other computer Plaintiff

may have used to create the letter.

Although counsel for Defendant represents that he attempted to obtain Plaintiff’s

position on this issue, he did so by sending a copy of the letter to Plaintiff’s counsel and

requesting his input. (Letter Brief at 2.) This Court’s Standing Order 7 requires that the parties

“must attest that, prior to filing the request for relief, counsel met and conferred in person and

must concisely summarize those remaining issues that counsel were unable to resolve.” Based

on the statements in the letter brief, it is not clear to the Court that counsel for Defendant fully

complied with this Court’s meet and confer obligations. 

However, because of the impending trial date, and because the Bureau of Prisons’

policies submitted by Defendant make clear that there is no expectation of privacy in the use of

Case 3:05-cv-04351-JSW Document 91 Filed 05/23/07 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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government computers or systems, at this time the Court finds good cause to grant the request in

part. Accordingly, it is HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff shall make available to counsel for Defendant, or to a designated agent

or contractor of counsel for Defendant, any Bureau of Prisons laptop or computer

in his possession or control on which he may have written the May 7, 2004 letter

to Joseph Gunja that is the subject of Defendant’s ex parte motion in limine

(Docket No. 70), and any storage media on which that memorandum may have

been stored.

2. Defendant shall be permitted to perform a forensic analysis of any Bureau of

Prisons computer or storage media produced pursuant to paragraph 1 of this

Order.

3. Defendant shall make a mirror image of any Bureau of Prisons computer hard

drive or storage unit produced by Plaintiff and shall use their best efforts to

return such Bureau of Prisons computer hard drive or storage unit to Plaintiff as

expeditiously as possible and in the same form as it was received from Plaintiff.

4. Defendant’s forensic analysis and search of any Bureau of Prisons computer or

storage media produced by Plaintiff shall be limited to a search for the May 7,

2004 letter.

Because the Court does not have Plaintiff’s position on whether a search of any personal

computer he may have used to create the letter, it is FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff is

Ordered to Show Cause in writing as to why the remainder of Defendant’s letter brief, referring

to any other computer that may have been used to create the May 7, 2004 letter, should not be

granted. Plaintiff’s response shall be due by no later than 1:00 p.m. on May 25, 2007.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 23, 2007 

JEFFREY S. WHITE

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:05-cv-04351-JSW Document 91 Filed 05/23/07 Page 2 of 2