Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-00282/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-00282-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question: Review Agency Decision

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

30

31

LAW OFFICE OF PHILLIP L. FRAAS

Phillip L. Fraas (Admitted to Appear Pro Hac Vice, ECF No. 387)

1001 G Street, NW, Suite 800

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: (202) 280-2411

E-mail: phil@phillipfraaslaw.com

STINSON LEONARD STREET LLP

Michael E. Tucci (Admitted to Appear Pro Hac Vice, ECF No. 388) 

1775 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 800

Washington, DC 20006

Phone: (202) 728-3010

E-mail: michael.tucci@stinson.com

Michael J. Farrell (Attorney No. 177506)

1850 N. Central Avenue, Suite 2100

Phoenix, AZ 85004

Phone: (602) 279-1600

E-mail: michael.farrell@stinson.com

Attorneys for Plaintiff

GLORIA P. MORALEZ

BENJAMIN B. WAGNER

United States Attorney

JOSEPH B. FRUEH

Assistant United States Attorney

501 I Street, Suite 10-100

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916) 554-2702

Facsimile: (916) 554-2900

Attorneys for Defendant

THOMAS J. VILSACK

Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GUADALUPE L. GARCIA, JR., et al.,

 Plaintiffs,

 v.

THOMAS J. VILSACK, Secretary THE 

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 

AGRICULTURE,

 Defendant.

Case No. 1:16-CV-00282-AWI-BAM

ORDER APPROVING STIPULATION TO 

FILE FOURTH AMENDED COMPLAINT

ORDER CONTINUING INITIAL 

SCHEDULING CONFERENCE 

New Date: July 27, 2016

Time: 9:00 a.m.

Dept: Courtroom 8(BAM)

Case 1:16-cv-00282-AWI-BAM Document 390 Filed 05/12/16 Page 1 of 4
1

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

30

31

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between Plaintiff Gloria P. Moralez and Defendant

Thomas J. Vilsack, through their undersigned counsel and subject to Court approval, that:

1. Moralez may file the attached Fourth Amended Complaint, which shall serve as her 

operative pleading in the above-captioned case;

2. Defendant shall have up to and including June 13, 2016, to file his initial response to the 

Fourth Amended Complaint; and

3. The Mandatory Scheduling Conference currently scheduled for May 24, 2016, shall be 

continued to July 26, 2016, or as soon thereafter as the Court’s calendar may permit.

The reasons for this Stipulation are as follows:

A. This case was originally filed on October 13, 2000, in the U.S. District Court for the 

District of Columbia as a putative class action lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(“USDA”) regarding credit decisions on farm loans sought by Hispanic farmers between 1981 and 2000. 

Among other claims, the complaint alleged violations of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, 15 U.S.C. 

§§ 1691–1691f, which imposes civil liability on creditors who discriminate in credit transactions. The 

district court ultimately denied class certification, and the denial became final in 2010 after the U.S. 

Supreme Court denied review.

B. After the Supreme Court denied review, USDA established a voluntary alternative 

dispute resolution (“ADR”) program to resolve the claims of the named plaintiffs and putative class 

members. In light of the establishment of the voluntary ADR program, USDA never filed a responsive 

pleading.

C. Most of the named plaintiffs participated in the voluntary ADR program, but a few—

including Moralez—elected to continue to litigate their claims in federal court. Because the alleged 

incidents giving rise to Moralez’s claims occurred in the Eastern District of California, her case was 

transferred to this District on March 1, 2016. The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of 

California was notified of the case and appeared on behalf of Defendant on March 16, 2016. See ECF 

Nos. 376, 381.

D. After the case was transferred, Moralez’s Washington, D.C., counsel required several

weeks to (1) locate and associate with co-counsel admitted to practice in this District, (2) apply and 

Case 1:16-cv-00282-AWI-BAM Document 390 Filed 05/12/16 Page 2 of 4
2

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

30

31

obtain approval to appear pro hac vice, and (3) prepare the attached Fourth Amended Complaint 

(“FAC”). The FAC contains allegations relevant to Moralez’s individual claims and dispenses with 

allegations related to the 80 other parties originally named in the putative class action complaint.

E. The parties agree that Defendant shall file his initial response to the FAC on or before 

June 13, 2016.

F. In light of the filing of the operative pleading at this time and the fairly complex factual 

and procedural history of this case spanning several decades, the parties require additional time to confer 

regarding the nature of plaintiff’s claims and plan for discovery pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil 

Procedure 26(f). Accordingly, the parties respectfully request that the Mandatory Scheduling 

Conference scheduled for May 24, 2016, be continued to July 26, 2016, or as soon thereafter as the 

Court’s calendar may permit.

Dated: April 27, 2016 LAW OFFICE OF PHILLIP L. FRAAS

STINSON LEONARD STREET LLP

Michael E. Tucci

Michael J. Farrell

By: /s/ Phillip L. Fraas (as authorized on April 27, 2016)

PHILLIP L. FRAAS

Attorneys for Plaintiff

GLORIA P. MORALEZ

Dated: April 27, 2016 BENJAMIN B. WAGNER

United States Attorney

By: /s/ Joseph B. Frueh

JOSEPH B. FRUEH

Assistant United States Attorney

Attorneys for Defendant

THOMAS J. VILSACK

Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Case 1:16-cv-00282-AWI-BAM Document 390 Filed 05/12/16 Page 3 of 4
3

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

30

31

ORDER

Based upon the parties’ above Joint Stipulation and for good cause having been shown, this 

Court hereby orders as follows:

1. Plaintiff GLORIA P. MORALEZ’S request for leave to file a Fourth Amended 

Complaint is GRANTED; 

2. On or before May 13, 2016, Plaintiff shall file her Fourth Amended Complaint, 

attached as Exhibit 1 to the Stipulation, as a separate entry in the docket for purposes of 

clarifying the record;

3. On or before June 13, 2016, Defendant shall file his initial response to the Fourth 

Amended Complaint; 

4. The Initial Scheduling Conference is continued from May 24, 2016 to July 27, 

2016 at 9:00 a.m. in Department 8, before Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe. A JOINT 

Scheduling Conference Report, carefully prepared and executed by all counsel, shall be 

electronically filed in full compliance with the requirements set forth in the Order Setting 

Mandatory Scheduling Conference, one (1) full week prior to the Scheduling Conference.

The parties are encouraged to appear at the mandatory scheduling conference by telephone 

by arranging a one-line conference call and then adding the Court at (559) 499-5789.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 11, 2016 /s/ Barbara A. McAuliffe _

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:16-cv-00282-AWI-BAM Document 390 Filed 05/12/16 Page 4 of 4