Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_18-cv-04715/USCOURTS-cand-3_18-cv-04715-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 895
Nature of Suit: Freedom of Information Act of 1974
Cause of Action: 05:552 Freedom of Information Act

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SIERRA CLUB, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 

ENERGY,

Defendant.

Case No. 18-cv-04715-TSH 

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO 

COMPEL AND ORDERING PARTIES 

TO MEET AND CONFER IN PERSON

Re: Dkt. No. 33

The Court’s Discovery Standing Order provides that “upon the development of an impasse 

with respect to discovery in a pending case assigned to Judge Hixson, no motions to compel shall 

be considered. Instead, the parties must first meet and confer. That is, counsel for each party shall 

meet and confer in person, or, if counsel are located outside the Bay Area, by telephone, to attempt 

to resolve their dispute informally. A mere exchange of letters, e-mails, telephone calls or 

facsimile transmissions does not satisfy the meet and confer requirement.”

The order further provides that “[i]f the parties are unable to resolve their dispute 

informally after a good faith effort, including meet and confer efforts conducted by lead counsel, 

the parties have two options.” First, “[i]f the dispute is straightforward, or the parties believe 

some initial informal guidance from the Court may help the parties resolve their dispute without 

the need for briefing, the parties may contact Judge Hixson’s Courtroom Deputy, Rose Maher, to 

arrange a telephonic conference with Judge Hixson.” Second, “[f]or more complex disputes, the 

parties shall prepare a joint statement of not more than five pages (12-point or greater font) that 

contains the following” items listed in the order.

On May 1, 2019 Plaintiffs Sierra Club and Environmental Defense Fund filed a motion to 

compel in violation of this order. ECF No. 33. It is DENIED. The motion also contains no 

Case 3:18-cv-04715-TSH Document 34 Filed 05/02/19 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

indication that the required meet and confer took place. As counsel for both sides are located in 

the Bay Area, the Court ORDERS them to meet and confer in person in Courtroom A on the 15th 

floor at 450 Golden Gate Avenue on May 9, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. If they are unable to resolve their 

dispute, they may either contact Rose Maher to arrange for a telephonic hearing or file a joint 

letter brief.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 2, 2019

THOMAS S. HIXSON

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:18-cv-04715-TSH Document 34 Filed 05/02/19 Page 2 of 2