Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_05-cv-00117/USCOURTS-caed-1_05-cv-00117-7/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:1132 E.R.I.S.A.-Employee Benefits

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

OPTISTREAMS, INC., )

 )

Plaintiff, )

)

v. )

)

SEAN GAHAN, et al., )

)

 Defendants. )

______________________________)

)

SEAN GAHAN, )

 )

 Counter-Claimant, )

 )

v. )

 )

OPTISTREAMS, INC., )

 )

 Counter-Defendant. )

 )

1:05-cv-00117-REC-SMS

ORDER GRANTING MOTION OF DAVID A.

ROBERTS TO WITHDRAW AS COUNSEL

FOR PLAINTIFF AND COUNTERDEFENDANT OPTISTREAMS, INC. (DOC.

56)

INFORMATIONAL ORDER TO PARTY AND

COUNSEL

ORDER REQUIRING CORPORATE PARTY

TO HAVE COUNSEL SUBSTITUTE IN TO

THIS ACTION NO LATER THAN THIRTY

DAYS AFTER THE DATE OF SERVICE OF

THIS ORDER

ORDER SETTING STATUS CONFERENCE

DATE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2006

TIME: 11:00 A.M.

Courtroom: 4

ORDER DIRECTING THE CLERK TO MAIL

A COPY OF THIS ORDER TO PLAINTIFF

AND COUNTER-DEFENDANT

The motion of David A. Roberts and Caswell, Bell & Hillison,

LLP to withdraw as attorney of record for Plaintiff and CounterDefendant Optistreams, Inc., came on for hearing after the

Court’s having shortened time for notice, on December 7, 2005, at

1:35 p.m. in Courtroom 4 before the Honorable Sandra M. Snyder,

Case 1:05-cv-00117-AWI -SMS Document 63 Filed 12/08/05 Page 1 of 5
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United States Magistrate Judge. David A. Roberts appeared; Howard

Sagaser appeared on behalf of Defendant and Counter-Claimant Sean

Gahan; and no other person appeared. The matter was submitted to

the Court on the notice of motion and motion, points and

authorities, and declaration submitted in support of the motion,

which had been served by telefax as directed by the court and by

hand on Plaintiff and Counter-Defendant Optistreams; and on the

notice of non-opposition if certain safeguards were included,

which was filed by Defendant and Counter-Claimant Sean Gahan. 

I. Granting of Motion to Withdraw

Local Rule 83-182 provides that an attorney may request

withdrawal if grounds exist pursuant to the Rules of Professional

Conduct of the State Bar of California. RPC 3-700(A) provides in

substance that a member must obtain permission to withdraw if

rules of a tribunal require it; a member shall not withdraw from

employment until the member has taken reasonable steps to avoid

reasonably foreseeable prejudice to the rights of the client,

including giving due notice to the client, allowing time for

employment of other counsel, promptly releasing papers and

property, and complying with applicable laws and rules. RPC 3-

700(C)910(f) permits withdrawal if the client breaches an

agreement or obligation to the members as to expenses or fees. 

RPC 3-700(C)(1)(d) permits withdrawal if the client by his or her

conduct renders it unreasonably difficult for the member to carry

out the employment effectively; Rule 3-700(C)(6) permits

withdrawal if the member believes in good faith in a proceeding

pending before a tribunal that the tribunal will find he

existence of good cause for withdrawal. 

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It is concluded that good cause for permitting withdrawal

has been shown. There is no opposition to the motion.

GOOD CAUSE APPEARING, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the motion

of David A. Roberts to withdraw as attorney of record for

Plaintiff and Counter-Defendant Optistreams, Inc. is GRANTED, and

whose last known mailing address is:

Optistreams, Inc.

7545 North Del Mar Avenue, Suite 203

Fresno, California 93711.

Telephone (559) 440-1334

The Clerk IS DIRECTED to mail a copy of this order to the

Plaintiff and Counter-Defendant, Optistreams, Inc., at the last

known mailing address stated hereinabove.

II. Informational Order

The parties and counsel ARE INFORMED that Local Rule 5-

135(g) states:

All attorneys who wish to file documents in the Eastern 

District of California must be admitted to practice or

admitted to appear pro hac vice. Admission to practice

in the Eastern District of California includes the

requirement that the attorney complete an e-filing

registration form and receive a username and password.

Completion of the registration form will permit 

electronic filing of documents and, unless an attorney

opts out, will authorize acceptance of service by

electronic means. To do this an attorney must have a valid

internet e-mail address. After registration, attorneys

will receive a unique user name and password. Registration

enables an attorney to file documents electronically with

the Clerk. The court registration name and password

when utilized for the electronic filing of documents with

the Clerk will serve as the party’s signature for 

Fed. R. Civ. P. Rule 11 purposes. See also L.R. 7-131.

In conjunction with the court filing registration

requirement, registration for PACER, see L.R. 5-135(g)(3), 

is also mandated in order to permit access to images of 

documents maintained within court electronic records.

Plaintiff and Counter-Defendant Optistreams, Inc., is

advised that failure to take appropriate legal action may result

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in serious legal consequences, and consideration of obtaining

legal assistance is strongly advised. Further, if Plaintiff is a

corporation, Plaintiff must obtain legal counsel. Corporations

may participate in this action only through legal counsel.

III. Scheduled Discovery and Other Dates

With respect to depositions set by Defendant and CounterClaimant presently scheduled for December 12 and 19, 2005,

Defendant’s counsel agreed to cancel them for a brief delay

before resetting them in order to permit Plaintiff and Counterdefendant Optistreams, Inc., to obtain new counsel. This was done

with the understanding that Defendant would be fully protected

from the presently set discovery cutoff and expert disclosure

dates of December 30 and January 14, respectively. The Court

further noted that it was inclined to impose the costs of renoticing and rescheduling these depositions on Plaintiff and

Counter-defendant Optistreams, Inc., upon application therefor by

Defendant.

IV. Deadline for New Counsel to Substitute in to Action

The Court has determined that Plaintiff Optistreams, Inc.,

shall have a reasonable time within which to procure new counsel.

New counsel for Plaintiff and Counter-defendant Optistreams,

Inc., shall substitute in as counsel of record in this action no

later than thirty days after the date this order is served.

Plaintiff IS INFORMED that a failure to comply with this

order will result in a recommendation that this action be

dismissed, and that dismissal could result from such a

recommendation. 

V. Status Conference

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In order to consider scheduling, discovery, and any other

pertinent matters, it IS ORDERED that a status conference BE HELD

on Friday, January 20, 2006, at 11:00 a.m., in the courtroom of

the undersigned Magistrate Judge. Either personal or telephonic

appearances of counsel will be permitted.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 7, 2005 /s/ Sandra M. Snyder 

icido3 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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