Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_04-cv-02990/USCOURTS-cand-5_04-cv-02990-4/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 245
Nature of Suit: Real Property Product Liability
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Tort/Non-Motor Vehicle

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

State Farm General Insurance Co.,

Plaintiff(s),

 v.

Maytag Corporation,

Defendant(s). /

No. C 04-02990 JW 

ORDER FOLLOWING PRELIMINARY

PRETRIAL CONFERENCE 

On March 27, 2006, the Court conducted a preliminary pretrial conference. The Court

orders the parties to comply with the following:

A. Meet and Confer Requirement

1. On or before August 1, 2006, the parties shall meet and confer with respect to the

Joint Pretrial Conference Statement, submission of a joint list of witnesses, a joint list of trial

exhibits and a joint list of discovery material which each party intends to offer in evidence as a part

of its case-in-chief. Unless objections are made in accord with this Order, all witnesses, exhibits and

discovery material contained on the joint submission shall be deemed admissible into evidence by

stipulation.

B. Objections and Lodging Disputed Material with the Court

2. If a party objects to receipt into evidence of a witness, exhibits or discovery response,

the party shall advise all opposing parties during the conference and attempt to resolve the dispute. 

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If the parties are unsuccessful in resolving the dispute, any party wishing to object to receipt of the

testimony of any witness, any exhibit or discovery response into evidence shall lodge with

Chambers a copy of the disputed material on or before August 11, 2006, together with a brief

statement of the objection and any response by the proffering party. The Court will indicate on the

submitted copy whether the objection is overruled or sustained and return the material to counsel.

C. Lodging Joint Pretrial Conference Statement and In Limine Motions

3. On or before August 11, 2006, the parties shall file and lodge with Chambers the

following:

a. Joint Pretrial Conference Statement: The parties shall file a joint pretrial

statement which shall contain the following information: (1) a brief description of

the substance of each claim which remains to be decided (the description must list the

essential elements which the party contends it must prove in order to prevail on each

claim); (2) as to each claim, a detailed statement of all the relief requested,

particularly itemizing the amount of damages being requested; (3) as to each claim, a

description of each defense which is being asserted; (4) a plain and concise statement

of any relevant facts not disputed to which the parties stipulate; (5) a list of all fact

witnesses likely to be called at trial, other than solely for impeachment or rebuttal; (6)

a list of all expert witnesses and the field of expertise in which the witness is tendered

as an expert; (7) an estimate of the number of hours needed for the presentation of

each party's case; and (8) any other subjects relevant to the trial of the action, or

material to its just, speedy and inexpensive determination. 

Counsel are directed to meet and confer in advance of the date for submission

of pretrial material with respect to the pretrial conference statement.

b. In Limine Motions: Any In limine motions shall be filed in writing and

submitted along with the Joint Final Pretrial Conference Statement. Any opposition

shall be filed in writing and served on or before September 1, 2006. These motions

will be deemed submitted without oral argument, unless the Court orders otherwise.

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D. Final Pretrial Conference

4. The Court will conduct a Final Pretrial Conference with the parties on September 11,

2006 at 3:00 p.m. The trial attorneys must attend the conference. At the final pretrial conference

the Court will consider issues raised in the Final Pretrial Conference Statement, motions in limine

and discuss the procedures for trial of the case.

E. Lodging Witness Lists, Exhibit Lists and Proposed Jury Instructions

5. On September 26, 2006, the parties shall lodge with Chambers the joint list of 

witnesses, and a joint list of exhibits. Unless otherwise ordered, all exhibits shall be in a format

compatible with either the video or digital evidence presentation system utilized by the Court. The

proffering party shall retain custody of all exhibits, schedules, summaries, diagrams or charts to be

used at the trial. 

6. Upon request, in noncomplex cases the Court will excuse the parties from using

electronic formatted documents. In that event on the first day of trial, the parties shall submit

exhibits as follows:

a. A copy for the trial judge;

b. A copy for the witness stand. The Court prefers the parties to prepare a binder for

each witness, which contains only those documents pertinent to that witness.

c. No duplicates of a document shall be submitted, unless the duplicate copy has

independent evidentiary value to prove some disputed issue of material fact (e.g., date stamp to

prove receipt on a particular date, where date of receipt is a disputed issue of a material fact).

7. At the Final Pretrial Conference, the parties shall submit proposed jury instructions

and verdict forms on both hard copy and disk format. The Court will give the preliminary

instructions contained in the Model Jury Instructions of the Ninth Circuit at the beginning of the trial

and will give the standard closing instructions Model Jury Instructions of the Ninth Circuit prior to

closing argument. The parties need not submit preliminary or introductory closing instructions,

unless they wish the Court to consider giving a particular instruction. 

8. If the parties are unable to agree on a particular substantive instruction, the set of

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instructions submitted by the parties shall contain each party's version of the contested instruction

containing a citation of authority for the instruction.

F. Proposed Findings (Nonjury Trials)

9. In nonjury trials, on the first day of trial, each party shall submit its proposed

findings of fact and conclusions of law.

G. Trial Schedule

10. Pursuant to stipulation, the trial schedule for this case will be as follows: jury

selection on September 26, 2006 at 9:00 a.m., trial sessions from 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. on September

27-29, October 3-6, and October 10, 2006, and final arguments on October 11, 2006.

11. The time allowed for trial shall be divided equally between the plaintiff’s side and the

defendant’s side. Co-parties are ordered to meet, confer and agree to an allocation among

themselves. A party may spend its allocated time presenting its own case or on cross-examination of

witnesses called by other parties or for presentation of a counterclaim. When a party's allocated time

period has expired, unless otherwise ordered for good cause shown, no further time will be allowed

to that party if it would interfere with the ability of the opposing party to present its case.

H. Settlement Conference

12. The parties are referred to Magistrate Judge Seeborg for a settlement conference. 

The parties shall contact Bernie Kunkel at (408) 535-5357 no later than April 10, 2006 to schedule a

conference.

Dated: March 27, 2006 /s/James Ware 

JAMES WARE

United States District Judge

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THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT COPIES OF THIS ORDER HAVE BEEN DELIVERED TO:

Christopher William Angius Chris.angius@hklaw.com

Chung-Han Lee chung.lee@hklaw.com

Lawrence James Conlan ljconlan@hklaw.com

Rebecca Connolly Rebecca.Connolly@grunskylaw.com

Dated: March 27, 2006 Richard W. Wieking, Clerk

By: /s/JW Chambers 

Melissa Peralta

Courtroom Deputy

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