Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-00047/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-00047-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 380
Nature of Suit: Other Personal Property Damage
Cause of Action: 28:1346 Tort Claim

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07cv47

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

STEPHEN PHILLIP RUTHERFORD,

Plaintiff,

v.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Defendant.

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Civil No. 07cv47-L(AJB)

ORDER AFTER PRETRIAL

CONFERENCE

On November 10, 2008 this matter came on for a pretrial conference. Shawn E. Caine,

Esq. appeared on behalf of Plaintiff. Thomas B. Reeve, Jr., AUSA and David B. Wallace,

AUSA appeared on behalf of the United States. A status conference shall be held on Monday,

February 2, 2009 at 11:00 a.m.

This is an action to recover damages from the 2002 Pines Fire which was caused by a

National Guard helicopter striking a power line. Approximately 6,000 acres of Plaintiff’s

property burned in that fire. He seeks over $8.6 million in damages from the government under

the Federal Tort Claims Act (“FTCA”) for negligence and trespass. While the government

accepts responsibility for the Pines Fire, it disputes that it caused Plaintiff’s claimed damages.

The court hereby FINDS AND ORDERS as follows:

1. The court has subject matter jurisdiction over this action because United States is a

defendant, 28 U.S.C. § 1346(b)(1). Based on the government’s representations at the pretrial

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conference, the government does not intend to challenge the jurisdiction of the court or

Plaintiff’s exhaustion of administrative remedies under the FTCA.

2. After considering the filings in this case, the parties’ proposed pretrial order and the

parties’ representations at the pretrial conference, the court finds this case is not ready for a final

pretrial conference. The parties indicated that they still needed to complete certain discovery

and that they are still in the process of resolving several fundamental factual issues, such as

Plaintiff’s ownership of the property, property boundaries and boundaries of the Pines Fire. 

Despite numerous extensions of time the parties had requested and obtained from Magistrate

Judge Anthony J. Battaglia and from this court, the case is far from being ready for a pretrial

conference. It therefore does not appear that the parties have diligently prosecuted the case to

date.

3. The proposed pretrial order is REJECTED first and foremost because the case is not

in a position for a pretrial conference, and second because it fails to comply with Civil Local

Rule 16.1(f)(6). Specifically, the parties failed to state the grounds for subject matter

jurisdiction and venue. Civ. Local R. 16.1(f)(6)(c)(I). Furthermore, they failed to identify the

exhibits and witnesses. They did not list the exhibits they intended to offer at trial in the

sequence in which they intend to offer them and did not comply with many other particulars of

Civil Local Rule 16.1(f)(6)(c)(VII). Furthermore, listing large numbers of documents as one

exhibit and identifying them by vague descriptions is unacceptable. It appears that the parties

included every document in the case as an exhibit. The parties should include in their proposed

pretrial order only those documents they intend to introduce at trial. As to witnesses, many were

not identified by name, the witness list was open-ended and did not identify the party calling the

witness. See Civ. Local Rule 16.1.(f)(6)(c)(VIII). The parties need to provide witness names for

all witnesses and list each document as a separate exhibit. Last, it does not appear that the

parties had thought through the factual and legal issues. The proposed pretrial order appears to

be a jumble of various issues, sometimes redundant and not in any particular order, which may

or may not be disputed. Once the parties have determined which factual and legal issues they

intend to bring to trial, they must list them in a non-duplicative and logical manner in the

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proposed pretrial order. Given the state of the proposed pretrial order, it is doubtful that the

parties complied with the meet and confer requirement of Civil Local Rule 16.1(f)(4).

4. On October 31, 2008 and November 3, 2008, respectively, the parties filed objections

to certain witnesses listed in Rule 26(a)(3) pretrial disclosures, claiming that the witnesses were

not timely disclosed as required by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26. To the extent the parties

intend to pursue these objections, they shall file motions under Rule 37(c) for failure to timely

disclose. Any of these failure to disclose issues not raised in a Rule 37(c) motion as provided

herein, shall be waived. Any such Rule 37(c) motions are hereby referred to Magistrate Judge

Battaglia for decision under Rule 72(a). The parties shall not raise these failure to disclose

issues in motions in limine. 

5. The parties informed the court that they still need to conduct discovery as to certain

recently-disclosed witnesses, and represented that the discovery would be completed by the end

of January 2009. The parties are hereby ordered immediately to schedule a case management

conference before Magistrate Judge Battaglia for the purpose of supervising this discovery

process with a view to completion no later than January 31, 2009. At the case management

conference the parties must inform Judge Battaglia if they intend to file any Rule 37(c) motions

pursuant to Paragraph 5 above.

6. Prior to the status conference, the parties shall meet and confer in an attempt to reach

an agreement regarding Plaintiff’s ownership of the real property at issue as it pertains to the

unrecorded grant deed allegedly transferring 50% of the land from Plaintiff’s sister to Plaintiff. 

The parties shall meet and confer with a view toward resolving this issue before the status

conference. 

7. Prior to the status conference, the parties shall meet and confer in an attempt to reach

an agreement regarding the boundaries of the real property at issue in this case. Based on the

parties’ representations at the pretrial conference, this is an issue that can be resolved by

agreement after consulting appropriate maps and other real estate documents. The parties shall

meet and confer with a view toward resolving this issue before the status conference. 

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8. Prior to the February 2, 2009 status conference, the parties shall meet and confer in an

attempt to reach an agreement regarding the geographical “footprint” of the Pines Fire as it

relates to the real property at issue in this case. Based on the government’s representations at the

pretrial conference, this issue can be resolved by consulting appropriate maps and authorities. 

Based on the government’s representations it also appears that an agreement on the geographical

area of the fire affecting Plaintiff’s property resolves the issue of causation of damages. The

parties shall meet and confer with a view toward resolving this issue before the status

conference. 

9. The parties are further advised that failure to cooperate in the foregoing process or any

failure to comply with court orders or the Civil Local Rules may lead to sanctions pursuant to

Civil Local Rule 83.1.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: November 12, 2008

M. James Lorenz

United States District Court Judge

COPY TO: 

HON. ANTHONY J. BATTAGLIA

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

ALL PARTIES/COUNSEL

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