Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_05-cv-00182/USCOURTS-casd-3_05-cv-00182-2/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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1 05cv0182

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

 JERRY E. TORRES, Civil No. 05cv0182-DMS (CAB)

Plaintiff,

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S

MOTION TO COMPEL AS PREMATURE

[Doc. No. 62]

v.

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF

CORRECTIONS, et al.,

Defendants.

Plaintiff, a state prisoner proceeding pro se, filed this action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On

October 17, 2006, Plaintiff filed a motion to compel discovery from Defendants. [Doc. No 62.] The

Court then issued a briefing schedule, giving Plaintiff a deadline to file his memorandum of points and

authorities and Defendants a deadline to file their opposition. [Doc. No. 68.] Plaintiff filed his

memorandum of points and authorities on November 8, 2006. Thereafter, Defendants filed an

“opposition,” informing the Court that Plaintiff has not followed proper discovery procedures. [Doc.

No. 81.] According to Defendants, Plaintiff never actually served the discovery requests on Defendants

and never attempted to meet and confer. Therefore, Plaintiff’s motion to compel is DENIED AS

PREMATURE. The motion is denied without prejudice to Plaintiff refiling the motion to compel once

he has complied with this Court’s discovery procedures.

The Court directs Plaintiff to the following mandatory rules of discovery, with which he must

comply:

1. Plaintiff should not file discovery requests with the Court. Plaintiff must serve discovery

Case 3:05-cv-00182-DMS-CAB Document 82 Filed 11/14/06 Page 1 of 2
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2 05cv0182

requests directly upon Defendant. See e.g., Fed. R. Civ. P. 33(a) (“. . . any party may serve on any other

party written interrogatories . . . .”); see also Civ. L.R. 33.1(c) (“Unless filing is ordered by the court on

motion of a party or upon its own motion, interrogatories, requests for production and the answers

thereto need not be filed unless and until they are used in the proceedings.”).

2. If Plaintiff believes Defendants’ responses to be inadequate, Plaintiff may move to

compel discovery only after meeting and conferring, or attempting to meet and confer, with Defendants.

See Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(a)(2)(A) & Civ. L.R. 26.1(a). Because Plaintiff is currently incarcerated, Plaintiff

may satisfy the meet and confer requirement by a letter to Defendants’ attorney. The letter should lay

out clearly what discovery Plaintiff wants and why he believes Defendants’ responses were inadequate.

3. Only after meeting and conferring with Defendants’ counsel regarding any discovery

dispute can Plaintiff file a discovery motion with this Court, and the Court will issue a briefing schedule. 

Any discovery motion filed by Plaintiff should be accompanied by a declaration indicating that he has

satisfied the meet and confer requirement. See Civ. L.R. 26.1(b).

Defendants’ counsel is advised that, once Plaintiff has filed a discovery motion, if Plaintiff has

not complied with the Court’s discovery procedures, counsel shall notify the Court immediately, rather

than waiting until the date Defendants’ opposition is due.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: November 14, 2006

CATHY ANN BENCIVENGO

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:05-cv-00182-DMS-CAB Document 82 Filed 11/14/06 Page 2 of 2