Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-01804/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-01804-12/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 410
Nature of Suit: Antitrust
Cause of Action: 15:15 Antitrust Litigation

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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

IN RE FUNERAL CONSUMERS

Antitrust Litigation.

 /

No. C 05-01804 WHA

Consolidated Cases:

No. C 05-02502 WHA

No. C 05-02501 WHA

No. C 05-02792 WHA

STIPULATION AND ORDER

MODIFYING TIME FOR DEFENDANT

STEWART ENTERPRISES TO MAKE

INITIAL DISCLOSURES

Pursuant to Local Rules 6-1(b) and 6-2, this joint stipulation is entered into between

plaintiffs Funeral Consumers Alliance, Inc., Gloria Jaccarino Bender, Anthony J. Jaccarino,

John Clark, Donna Sprague, Nancy Helman, Ira Helman, Donald Sprague, Robert Chitel,

Francis Rocha, Marsha Berger, Maria Magsarili, and Tony Magsarili (collectively, “plaintiffs”),

and defendant Stewart Enterprises, Inc. (“Stewart”), by and through their respective attorneys of

record, with respect to the following facts:

WHEREAS, in the Consolidation Order, Case Management Order and Referral to

Magistrate Judge for Mediation/Settlement (“Case Management Order”), dated August 4, 2005,

the Court ordered that “All initial disclosures under FRCP 26 must be completed by

September 2, 2005, on pain of preclusion under FRCP) 37(c);” and 

WHEREAS, on Monday, August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the

New Orleans area, inflicting serious wind damage and widespread flooding; and

WHEREAS, Stewart’s headquarters office is located in Jefferson, Louisiana, just

outside New Orleans, and Stewart’s principal outside law firm, Jones, Walker, Waechter,

Case 3:05-cv-01804-WHA Document 164 Filed 09/01/05 Page 1 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre, LLP (“Jones Walker”), is located in downtown New Orleans;

and 

WHEREAS, in the hours leading up to Hurricane Katrina, all the known officers and

employees of Stewart living and working in and around New Orleans evacuated the area, as did

the lawyers at the Jones Walker firm, including David G. Radlauer, M. Richard Schroeder, and

Mark A. Cunningham, the principal lawyers working on this case (as to whom pro hac vice

applications have been granted); and

WHEREAS, as a result of the storm, electricity and other basic services are not

available in New Orleans and the surrounding area, telephone and cell phone communications

have been seriously disrupted, e-mail and computer systems are inoperable, and it is not known

when such services will be restored; and

WHEREAS, because of the devastation and disruption in basic services, it has not been

possible to communicate with employees or representatives of Stewart or (with the exception of

Mr. Radlauer) with lawyers at the Jones Walker firm, and it is not known when such

communications will again be possible; and

WHEREAS, civil authorities in New Orleans have urged the populace not to return to

the City or the surrounding area until relief operations are more advanced; and

WHEREAS, the devastation and disruption caused by the storm, as well as the inability

to communicate with Stewart, have made it impossible for Stewart or its attorneys to comply

with the September 2 initial disclosure schedule set forth in the Case Management Order; and

WHEREAS, Stewart’s local counsel has communicated with Plaintiffs’ lead counsel,

and, in light of the foregoing, Plaintiffs’ lead counsel is agreeable to the following proposed

modification in the schedule for initial disclosures as to Stewart; and

WHEREAS, it is not anticipated that the proposed modification to the schedule for

initial disclosures as to Stewart will have any material effect on the overall schedule for the case

as set forth in the Case Management Order;

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties to this Joint Stipulation hereby agree as follows,

subject to approval by the Court:

Case 3:05-cv-01804-WHA Document 164 Filed 09/01/05 Page 2 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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1. Defendant Stewart shall have a one-week extension of time, to and

including September 9, 2005, within which to make preliminary Initial

Disclosures pursuant to FRCP 26(a), based on information available to Stewart

and its attorneys at the time given the devastation and disruption in the New

Orleans area caused by Hurricane Katrina.

2. Defendant Stewart will use its best efforts to supplement its

preliminary Initial Disclosures by September 16, 2005, provided that, depending

on the progress of recovery efforts in the New Orleans area, including efforts to

restore electricity, telephone and cell phone communications, and other basic

services, if it appears that Stewart and its attorneys will be unable despite their

best efforts to comply with the September 16 date, local counsel for Stewart will

communicate with Plaintiffs’ counsel on or before September 13, 2005 to discuss

such further modifications of the schedule as may be necessary.

Dated: August 31, 2005

Matthew L. Cantor

CONSTANTINE CANNON

450 Lexington Avenue

New York, NY 10017

Telephone: (212) 350-2700

By: ________________/s/__________________

Matthew L. Cantor

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

Robert E. Gooding, Jr.

Shawn M. Kennedy

HOWREY LLP

2020 Main Street, Suite 1000

Irvine, CA 92614

Telephone: (949) 721-6900

Case 3:05-cv-01804-WHA Document 164 Filed 09/01/05 Page 3 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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David G. Radlauer 

M. Richard Schroeder

Mark A. Cunningham

JONES, WALKER, WAECHTER, POITEVENT,

CARRÈRE & DENÈGRE, LLP

201 St. Charles Avenue

New Orleans, Louisiana 70170

Telephone: (504) 582-8000

By: ________________/s/__________________

Robert E. Gooding, Jr.

Attorneys for Defendant 

STEWART ENTERPRISES, INC.

PURSUANT TO STIPULATION, IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 1, 2005. WILLIAM ALSUP

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:05-cv-01804-WHA Document 164 Filed 09/01/05 Page 4 of 4