Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-01172/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-01172-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 28:1132 E.R.I.S.A.

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BERNADETTE GOUGH,

Plaintiff, No. CIV S-05-1172 DFL GGH

vs.

PACIFIC TELESIS GROUP

COMPREHENSIVE DISABILITY BENEFITS

PLAN, et al.,

Defendants. ORDER

 /

Presently pending on this court’s law and motion calendar for October 5, 2006,

are plaintiff’s motion to compel discovery, filed August 10, 2006, and defendant Pacific Telesis

Group Comprehensive Disability Benefits Plan’s motion to compel initial disclosures and

responses to special interrogatories, filed August 31, 2006. The discovery cutoff in this case was

September 1, 2006. Judge Levi’s scheduling order provided:

All discovery shall be completed by September 1, 2006. In

this context, “completed” means that all discovery shall have

been conducted so that all depositions have been taken and any

disputes relative to discovery shall have been resolved by

appropriate order if necessary and, where discovery has been

ordered, the order has been complied with.

Status (pre-trial scheduling) Order, filed June 30, 2006.

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Case 2:05-cv-01172-JAM-GGH Document 42 Filed 10/05/06 Page 1 of 2
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In defendants’ motion, the discovery cutoff was not even mentioned. The parties

cannot impliedly stipulate their way out of a discovery deadline. Plaintiff attempts to argue in

support of her motion, that she does “not view this motion as a ‘discovery matter.’” Despite the

limitations on review of extrinsic evidence in an ERISA action, plaintiff clearly seeks discovery,

and both motions are clearly discovery motions. The parties cannot file discovery motions on the

eve of the cutoff, and assume they have complied with the scheduling order. Therefore, this

court is unable to hear their motions under the present scheduling order.

Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that plaintiff’s motion to compel discovery, filed

August 10, 2006, and defendant Pacific Telesis Group Comprehensive Disability Benefits Plan’s 

motion to compel initial disclosures and responses to special interrogatories, filed August 31,

2006, are vacated from the calendar.

DATED: 10/5/06

/s/ Gregory G. Hollows

____________________________________

 GREGORY G. HOLLOWS

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

GGH:076

Gough1172.vac.wpd

Case 2:05-cv-01172-JAM-GGH Document 42 Filed 10/05/06 Page 2 of 2