Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-01634/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-01634-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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06cv1634-BEN (BLM)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JAMES K. MELROD,

Plaintiff, 

v.

OFFICER LUCAS BEHNE and Does 1

through 20,

Defendants. 

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Case No. 06cv1634-BEN(BLM)

ORDER GRANTING JOINT MOTION TO

CONTINUE MANDATORY SETTLEMENT

CONFERENCE 

[Doc. No. 10]

THE PARTIES HAVING STIPULATED THERETO, AND GOOD CAUSE

APPEARING THEREFOR, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Mandatory

Settlement Conference set for May 2, 2007, is continued to June 27,

2007 at 1:30 p.m. The conference will be held in the chambers of

Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major located at 940 Front Street,

Suite 5140, San Diego, CA 92101. All discussions at the Mandatory

Settlement Conference will be informal, off the record, privileged,

and confidential. Counsel for any non-English speaking party is

responsible for arranging for the appearance of an interpreter at

the conference.

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Case 3:06-cv-01634-BEN-BLM Document 11 Filed 04/13/07 Page 1 of 4
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1. "Full settlement authority" means that the individuals at the

settlement conference must be authorized to explore settlement options fully and

to agree at that time to any settlement terms acceptable to the parties.

Heileman Brewing Co. v. Joseph Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648, 653 (7th Cir. 1989). The

person needs to have "unfettered discretion and authority" to change the

settlement position of a party. Pitman v. Brinker Int'l, Inc., 216 F.R.D. 481,

485-86 (D. Ariz. 2003). The purpose of requiring a person with unlimited

settlement authority to attend the conference contemplates that the person's view

of the case may be altered during the face to face conference. Id. at 486. A

limited or a sum certain of authority is not adequate. See Nick v. Morgan's

Foods, Inc., 270 F.3d 590, 595-97 (8th Cir. 2001).

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06cv1634-BEN (BLM)

1. Personal Appearance of Parties Required: All parties,

adjusters for insured defendants, and other representatives of a

party having full and complete authority to enter into a binding

settlement, as well as the principal attorneys responsible for the

litigation, must be present in person and legally and factually

prepared to discuss settlement of the case. Counsel appearing

without their clients (whether or not counsel has been given

settlement authority) will be cause for immediate imposition of

sanctions and may also result in the immediate termination of the

conference.

Unless there are extraordinary circumstances, persons required

to attend the conference pursuant to this Order shall not be

excused from personal attendance. Requests for excuse from

attendance for extraordinary circumstances shall be made in writing

at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the conference. Failure

to appear in person at the Mandatory Settlement Conference will be

grounds for sanctions.

2. Full Settlement Authority Required: In addition to

counsel who will try the case, a party or party representative with

full settlement authority1/ must be present for the conference. In

the case of a corporate entity, an authorized representative of the

corporation who is not retained outside counsel must be present and

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06cv1634-BEN (BLM)

must have discretionary authority to commit the company to pay an

amount up to the amount of the Plaintiff's prayer (excluding

punitive damages prayers). The purpose of this requirement is to

have representatives present who can settle the case during the

course of the conference without consulting a superior. Counsel

for a government entity may be excused from this requirement so

long as the government attorney who attends the Mandatory

Settlement Conference (1) has primary responsibility for handling

the case, and (2) may negotiate settlement offers which the

attorney is willing to recommend to the government official having

ultimate settlement authority.

3. Confidential Settlement Statements Required: No later

than June 20, 2007, the parties shall submit directly to Magistrate

Judge Major's chambers confidential settlement statements no more

than five (5) pages in length. These confidential statements shall

not be filed or served on opposing counsel. Each party's

confidential statement must include the following:

(a) A brief description of the case, the claims and/or

counterclaims asserted, and the applicable defenses or position

regarding the asserted claims;

(b) A specific and current demand or offer for

settlement addressing all relief or remedies sought. If a specific

demand or offer for settlement cannot be made at the time the brief

is submitted, then the reasons therefore must be stated along with

a statement as to when the party will be in a position to state a

demand or make an offer; and

(c) A brief description of any previous settlement

negotiations, mediation sessions, or mediation efforts.

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06cv1634-BEN (BLM)

General statements that a party will "negotiate in good faith"

is not a specific demand or offer contemplated by this Order. It

is assumed that all parties will negotiate in good faith.

4. Requests to Continue a Mandatory Settlement Conference:

Any request to continue the Mandatory Settlement Conference or

request for relief from any of the provisions or requirements of

this Order must be sought by a written ex parte application. The

application must (1) be supported by a declaration of counsel

setting forth the reasons and justifications for the relief

requested, (2) confirm compliance with Civil Local Rule 26.1, and

(3) report the position of opposing counsel or any unrepresented

parties subject to the Order.

If the case is settled in its entirety before the scheduled

date of the conference, counsel and any unrepresented parties must

still appear in person, unless a written joint motion confirming

the complete settlement of the case is submitted no less than

twenty-four (24) hours before the scheduled conference.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: April 13, 2007

BARBARA L. MAJOR

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:06-cv-01634-BEN-BLM Document 11 Filed 04/13/07 Page 4 of 4