Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-00574/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-00574-8/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 710
Nature of Suit: Fair Labor Standards Act
Cause of Action: 29:201 Fair Labor Standards Act

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

MERCEDES ALVAREZ, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

FARMERS INSURANCE EXCHANGE,

Defendant.

Case No. 14-cv-00574-WHO 

ORDER DENYING WITHOUT 

PREJUDICE THE JONES’ PLAINTIFFS 

MOTION TO INTERVENE

Re: Dkt. No. 120

 Plaintiffs in the recently certified state class action in Jones v. Famers Insurance 

Exchange, pending in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles, seek to 

intervene in this case under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 24. The Jones case concerns claims 

under the California Labor Code on behalf of a class of Farmers Insurance employees, as does this 

case, and it is not yet obvious whether or how the claims in the two cases overlap. 

Because of that uncertainty, the motion to intervene is not ripe, and it is neither useful nor 

necessary to rule on it at this time. 1 I DENY it without prejudice. 2

 

1 On this record, I would be inclined to find that the Jones plaintiffs cannot intervene as a matter of 

right because the representation by plaintiffs’ counsel here is adequate, and there appears to be no 

substantive difference between the positions being advocated by plaintiffs’ counsel in each case. 

The record is not sufficiently developed yet to know if it is appropriate to exercise my discretion 

to allow permissive intervention. Rather than adjudicate the motion based on the current record, I 

prefer to wait for determination of the class certification motion in this case. 

2

To make clear that I have considered the evidence filed with respect to this motion to intervene, I 

will rule on certain ancillary motions before me. The Jones plaintiffs request that I take judicial 

notice of: 1.Complaint in Jones v. Farmers, filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court of the State of 

California on or about April 23, 2009 2. Decision of the Division Three of the Second District 

Court of Appeals for the State of California reversing the denial of and order [sic] the Superior 

Court to grant Certification and class certification in the Jones v. Farmers Case 3. Second 

Amended Complaint in Jones v. Farmers filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court 4. Docket entry 

after the hearing on Plaintiffs [sic] motion for class certification after remand to the Superior 

Court, certifying the class. Dkt. No. 120. No party opposed the request and it is GRANTED. 

Jones plaintiff’s additional, unopposed request that I take judicial notice of the Jones v. Farmers 

Insurance class certification order is GRANTED. Dkt. No. 125-2. Farmers Insurance unopposed 

request for judicial notice is also granted. Dkt. No. 123. Defendant’s motion for leave to file their 

Case 3:14-cv-00574-WHO Document 134 Filed 10/02/15 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

The critical facts will be known after I decide the motion for class certification in this case. 

The hearing is set on December 2, 2015. After ruling on that motion, I will set a Case 

Management Conference and invite counsel for the Jones plaintiffs to participate, and will 

consider at that time what other orders would promote the speedy, just, and inexpensive handling 

of the claims at issue. In the meantime, to protect the interests of the Jones plaintiffs, I ORDER 

that their counsel be notified of and have the right to participate in discovery directed at the Jones 

plaintiffs in this case. This includes the right to make objections at depositions of any Jones

plaintiffs. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 2, 2015 

______________________________________ 

WILLIAM H. ORRICK 

United States District Judge 

 

sur-reply, Dkt. No. 131, is also GRANTED. 

Case 3:14-cv-00574-WHO Document 134 Filed 10/02/15 Page 2 of 2