Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_14-cv-02373/USCOURTS-cand-4_14-cv-02373-7/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 370
Nature of Suit: Other Fraud
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Fraud

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

KRISTINE BARNES,

Plaintiff,

v.

RICK MORTELL, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 14-cv-02373-KAW 

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE TO 

DEFENDANT RICK MORTELL FOR 

FAILURE TO APPEAR AT THE JUNE 18, 

2015 DEPOSITION 

On May 26, 2015, the Court held a case management conference, where Defendant Rick 

Mortell (a/k/a Eric Mortell) appeared. At the hearing, Defendant was advised of his obligation to

appear at his properly noticed deposition on June 18, 2015. (See 5/26/15 Minute Entry, Dkt. No. 

83.)

On June 17, 2015, Plaintiff’s counsel made a settlement demand to the defendants through 

Defendant Darlene Mortell’s bankruptcy attorney. (Defs.’ 8/3/15 Case Management Conference 

Statement, Dkt. No. 86 at 4.) On June 18, 2015, Defendant did not appear at the deposition, 

purportedly because a counter-offer was emailed to Mrs. Mortell’s bankruptcy attorney on June 

17, 2015 “with the instruction to inform Donald Walker that Eric (Rick) would not be attending 

the deposition as there was no point since we were trying to arrive at a settlement.” Id. at 3-4.

Settlement negotiations, however, do not relieve a party of his obligation to appear at a 

noticed deposition. Mr. Mortell certainly was not entitled to unilaterally cancel his deposition 

without a stipulation from Mr. Walker, who flew to Texas from California to depose Mr. Mortell. 

Since Mr. Mortell has been repeatedly advised of his obligation to participate in discovery—

including his obligation to appear at the June 18, 2015 deposition—but has continued to neglect

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Case 4:14-cv-02373-KAW Document 90 Filed 08/12/15 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

this obligation, it is ORDERED that:

1. Rick Mortell shall SHOW CAUSE, in writing, by no later than August 24, 2015, 

why he should not pay monetary sanctions to reimburse Plaintiff’s counsel for the expenses 

incurred as a result of his failure to appear at the June 18, 2015 deposition.

2. Also by August 24, 2015, Plaintiff’s counsel shall file a declaration setting forth his 

costs and fees incurred for attending the June 18, 2015 deposition at which Mr. Mortell failed to 

appear.

Failure to comply with this order may result in the imposition of sanctions against Mr. 

Mortell.

Dated: August 11, 2015

______________________________________

KANDIS A. WESTMORE

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 4:14-cv-02373-KAW Document 90 Filed 08/12/15 Page 2 of 2