Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_13-cv-01568/USCOURTS-caed-2_13-cv-01568-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 446
Nature of Suit: Americans with Disabilities Act - Other
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

----oo0oo---- 

WILLAIM HOPSON, and CYNTHIA 

HOPSON, 

Plaintiffs, 

v. 

ERNIE’S GENERAL STORE, INC., 

ERNEST GIANNECCHINI TRUST, 

VAN DE POL ENTERPRISES INC., 

and DOES 1-5, inclusive, 

Defendants. 

CIV. NO. 2:13-1568 WBS DAD 

FINAL PRETRIAL ORDER 

----oo0oo---- 

 A Final Pretrial Conference was held in this matter, 

pursuant to the provisions of Rule 16(d) of the Federal Rules of 

Civil Procedure and Local Rule 282, on September 29, 2014. 

Russell Humphrey appeared as counsel for plaintiffs; Michael 

Babitzke appeared as counsel for defendants. Following the 

conference, the court enters this Final Pretrial Order: 

I. Jurisdiction – Venue 

 Jurisdiction is predicated upon 28 U.S.C. § 1331 

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because plaintiffs’ Complaint asserts claims under the public 

accommodations provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 

42 U.S.C. § 12182. Venue is undisputed and is hereby found to be 

proper. 

II. Jury – Non-Jury 

 Defendant has demanded a jury trial. Accordingly, 

the action shall be tried, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil 

Procedure 48, before a jury consisting of no less than six and no 

more than twelve members. 

III. Jury Instructions and Proposed Form of Verdict 

 No later than ten court days before the trial date, 

counsel for plaintiffs shall lodge and serve, pursuant to Local 

Rule 163, copies of all jury instructions that plaintiffs request 

be given on plaintiffs’ claims. At that time, counsel for 

plaintiffs shall also file and serve a copy of a proposed form of 

verdict. 

 No later than seven court days before the trial date, 

counsel for defendants shall file and serve any objections to the 

instructions proposed by plaintiffs. At the same time, counsel 

for defendants shall lodge and serve, pursuant to Local Rule 163, 

copies of any and all jury instructions not already proposed by 

plaintiffs, which defendants request be given. Also at that 

time, counsel for defendants shall file and serve a copy of any 

proposed form of verdict and shall also file any objections to 

plaintiffs’ proposed form of verdict. 

 No later than four court days before the trial date, 

counsel for plaintiffs shall file and serve any objections to the 

instructions proposed by defendants and to any proposed form of 

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verdict. 

 Pursuant to Local Rule 163, any other instructions 

thereafter presented will be refused unless it is shown either: 

(1) that the necessity for the request arose in the course of 

trial; could not reasonably have been anticipated prior to trial 

from the pleadings, discovery or nature of the action; and the 

request for such additional instructions is presented to the 

Court as promptly as possible; or (2) that the refusal to give 

such instructions would constitute plain error. 

 Likewise, any objections to proposed instructions not 

made in accordance with this order will be overruled as untimely 

unless it is shown either: (1) that the grounds therefor arose in 

the course of trial and the intention to make such objections is 

communicated to the Court as promptly as possible, or (2) that 

the giving of such instructions would constitute plain error. 

IV. Voir Dire Questions 

 No later than fourteen calendar days before the trial 

date, counsel for each party shall submit all proposed jury voir 

dire questions. 

V. Trial Briefs 

 No later than fourteen calendar days before the trial 

date, counsel for each party shall file trial briefs pursuant to 

Local Rule 285. 

VI. Remaining Claims 

 The sole claims for trial are plaintiffs’ claims under 

(1) the public accommodations provisions of the ADA, 42 U.S.C. § 

12182; (2) the Unruh Civil Rights Act, Cal. Civ. Code § 51 et 

seq.; and (3) the California Disabled Persons Act, Cal. Civ. Code 

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§ 54 et seq. 

VII. Witnesses 

 (A) Plaintiffs anticipate calling the witnesses 

identified at Exhibit “A” attached hereto. 

 (B) Defendants anticipate calling the witnesses 

identified at Exhibit “B” attached hereto. 

 (C) Except for retained experts, each party may call 

any witness designated by any other party. 

 (D) No other witnesses will be permitted to testify at 

trial unless: 

 (1) all parties stipulate that the witness may 

testify; 

 (2) the party offering the witness demonstrates 

that the witness is for the purpose of rebutting evidence which 

could not have been reasonably anticipated at the time of the 

Pretrial Conference; or 

 (3) the witness was discovered after the Pretrial 

Conference. 

 (E) Testimony of a witness not designated in this 

Order, which is offered under paragraph VII(D)(3), above, upon 

the grounds that the witness was discovered after the Pretrial 

Conference, will not be permitted unless: 

 (1) the testimony of the witness could not 

reasonably have been discovered prior to the Pretrial Conference; 

 (2) the court and opposing counsel were promptly 

notified upon discovery of the testimony; and 

 (3) counsel proffered the witness for deposition 

if time permitted or provided all opposing counsel a reasonable 

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summary of the testimony if time did not permit a deposition. 

VIII. Exhibits 

 (A) Plaintiffs intend to offer the exhibits identified 

at Exhibit “C” attached hereto. 

 (B) Defendants intend to offer the exhibits identified 

at Exhibit “D” attached hereto. 

 (C) Each party may offer any exhibit designated by any 

other party. 

 (D) No other exhibits will be received in evidence 

unless: 

 (1) all parties stipulate that the exhibit may be 

received in evidence; 

 (2) the party offering the exhibit demonstrates 

that the exhibit is for the purpose of rebutting evidence which 

could not have been reasonably anticipated at the time of the 

Pretrial Conference; or 

 (3) the exhibit was discovered after the Pretrial 

Conference. 

 (E) An exhibit not designated in this Order, which is 

offered under paragraph VIII(D)(3), above, upon the grounds that 

the exhibit was discovered after the Pretrial Conference, will 

not be received in evidence unless: 

 (1) the exhibit could not reasonably have been 

discovered prior to the Pretrial Conference; 

 (2) the court and opposing counsel were promptly 

notified upon discovery of the exhibit; and 

 (3) counsel provided copies of the exhibit to all 

opposing counsel if physically possible or made the exhibit 

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reasonably available for inspection by all opposing counsel if 

copying was not physically possible. 

 (F) Each party shall exchange copies of all exhibits 

identified in this Order, or make them reasonably available for 

inspection by all other parties, no later than seven calendar 

days before the trial date. Any and all objections to such 

exhibits shall be filed and served not later than four calendar 

days before the trial date. 

 (G) The attorney for each party is directed to appear 

before trial and present an original (and if physically possible 

one copy) of each exhibit to Deputy Clerk Karen Kirksey Smith at 

8:30 a.m. on the date of trial. 

 (H) Each exhibit which has been designated in this 

Order and presented on the morning of the date of trial shall be 

pre-marked by counsel. Plaintiffs’ exhibits shall bear numbers; 

defendants’ exhibits shall bear letters. If no objection has 

been made to such exhibit pursuant to paragraph VIII(F), above, 

such exhibit will require no further foundation and will be 

received in evidence upon the motion of any party at trial. 

IX. Further Discovery and Motions 

 Except for motions in limine, no further motions shall 

be brought before trial except upon order of the court and upon a 

showing of manifest injustice. Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(e). No 

further discovery will be permitted except by the express 

stipulation of all parties or upon order of the court and upon a 

showing of manifest injustice. Id. 

X. Use of Depositions or Interrogatories 

 No later than twenty calendar days before the trial 

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date, counsel for each party shall file and serve a statement 

designating all answers to interrogatories and all portions of 

depositions intended to be offered or read into evidence, with 

the exception of portions to be used only for impeachment or 

rebuttal. No later than ten calendar days before the trial date, 

counsel for any other party may file and serve a counterdesignation of other portions of the same depositions intended to 

be offered or read into evidence and may file evidentiary 

objections to any other parties’ designation. No later than 

seven calendar days before the trial date, the parties may file 

evidentiary objections to any other party’s counter-designation. 

XI. Date and Length of Trial 

 The trial is set for November 25, 2014, in Courtroom 

No. 5. The court estimates that the trial will last 

approximately two to three days. 

XII. Daubert Procedure 

 Any challenges based on Daubert v. Merrell Dow 

Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579 (1993) and Kumho Tire Co. v. 

Carmichael, 526 U.S. 137 (1999) will be raised and resolved 

outside the presence of the jury just prior to when the 

challenged expert will be called to give testimony. Any 

challenged expert shall be present for such a challenge, and 

shall be available for questioning. 

XIII. Evidence Presentation Equipment 

 The court has new technical equipment, but may not have 

all of the “state-of-the-art” audio visual equipment and may not 

have support personnel necessary for the effective presentation 

of evidence by electronic means. Counsel are therefore 

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encouraged to present their documentary evidence by conventional 

means. If any party feels that electronic presentation is 

necessary, they should contact the Courtroom Deputy prior to 

trial to determine what equipment the court has and how to use 

that equipment or bring their own audio visual equipment to the 

courtroom and be prepared to operate it themselves. 

XIV. Objections to Pretrial Order 

 Any objections or suggested modifications to this 

Pretrial Order shall be filed and served within five court days 

from the file-stamped date of this Order. All references herein 

to the date of this Order shall refer to the date the tentative 

order is filed and not to the date any amended order is filed. 

If no objections or modifications are made, this Order will 

become final without further order of the Court and shall control 

the subsequent course of the action, pursuant to Rule 16(e) of 

the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

 Dated: September 30, 2014 

 

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Exhibit A: Plaintiffs’ Witnesses 

Ernie Giannecchini, Defendant 

4407 E. Waterloo Road 

 Stockton, CA 95215 

 

William Hopson, Plaintiff 

Cynthia Hopson, Plaintiff 

 

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Exhibit B: Defendants’ Witnesses 

Ernie Giannecchini, Defendant 

4407 E. Waterloo Road 

 Stockton, CA 95215 

 

Robert Burns 

230 N. Wigwam Drive 

Stockton, CA 

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Exhibit C: Plaintiffs’ Exhibits 

Photos of the condition of the parking lot on the date in 

question. 

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Exhibit D: Defendants’ Exhibits 

Photos of parking lot near the time of claim 

 Repair work estimates and billing done by Burns Construction 

 during the relevant period of time 

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