Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_02-cv-06001/USCOURTS-caed-1_02-cv-06001-33/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GREGORIO C. FUNTANILLA, JR.,

Plaintiff,

v.

DAVID TRISTAN, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

1:02-cv-06001-OWW-GSA-PC

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S

MOTION TO MODIFY SCHEDULING

ORDER

(Doc. 245.)

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION

FOR EXTENSION OF TIME TO FILE A

DISPOSITIVE MOTION

(Doc. 246.)

ORDER VACATING DISPOSITIVE MOTIONS

DEADLINE PENDING RESOLUTION OF

APPEAL

Dispositive Motions Deadline - Vacated

I. BACKGROUND

Gregorio C. Funtanilla, Jr. (“plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se in this civil rights

action filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff initiated this action on August 16, 2002. (Doc.

1.) The action now proceeds on plaintiff’s second amended complaint filed on March 10, 2003. 

(Doc. 36.) On March 30, 2010, the court issued an order granting defendants’ motion to dismiss

misjoined defendants and sever claims. (Doc. 242.) As a result, this action now proceeds only

against defendant Means (“Defendant”) on plaintiff’s Eighth Amendment failure to protect claim,

for failing to place inmate Manago on plaintiff’s enemy list. On May 4, 2010, plaintiff appealed the 1

All other claims and defendants were dismissed from this action on March 30, 2010 by the court’s order

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granting defendants’ motion. (Doc. 242.)

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court’s March 30, 2010 order to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. (Doc. 243.) Plaintiff’s appeal

is now pending. 

On October 31, 2008, the Court issued a Scheduling Order in this action, establishing pretrial

deadlines. (Doc. 197.) On May 14, 2010, Defendant filed a motion to modify the Scheduling Order

to extend the dispositive motions deadline until six months after plaintiff’s appeal is resolved. (Doc.

245.) On May 24, 2010, plaintiff filed an opposition to Defendant’s motion, and brought a crossmotion for an extension of time to file a dispositive motion. (Doc. 246.) The parties’ motions are

now before the court.

II. MODIFICATION OF SCHEDULING ORDER

A court may modify a scheduling order for good cause. Fed.R.Civ.P 16(b)(4). This good

cause standard “primarily considers the diligence of the party seeking the amendment.” Johnson v.

Mammoth Recreations, Inc., 975 F.2d 604, 609 (9th Cir. 1992). “The district court may modify the

pretrial schedule ‘if it cannot reasonably be met despite the diligence of the party seeking the

extension.’” Id.

Defendant seeks modification of the Scheduling Order to enable him to file a dispositive

motion in this action after plaintiff’s appeal is resolved, at which time Defendant will know the full

scope of the claims and parties in this action. Plaintiff argues in opposition that Defendant’s purpose

for the motion is only to “delay [plaintiff’s] day in court.” Plaintiff maintains that Defendant has had

ample time during the past eight years to validly defend against plaintiff’s claims, and no additional

time should be granted. 

Plaintiff brings a cross-motion to grant him an extension of time until June 11, 2010, to file

a dispositive motion, to enable him to file a motion for summary judgment against Defendant, which

he predicts will close this case. Plaintiff argues that the extension of time is needed because his

access to the law library was recently limited due to events at the prison out of his control.

Both parties have presented good cause to modify the court’s Scheduling Order. The

pendency of plaintiff’s appeal causes uncertainty as to which defendants and claims remain in this

action. Moreover, the filing of a notice of appeal generally divests a district court of jurisdiction to

determine the “substantial rights” at issue in an action during the pendency of the appeal. Pyrodyne

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Corp. v. Pyrotronics Corp., 847 F. 2d 1398, 1403 (9th Cir. 1988). All parties to this action should

be afforded the opportunity to re-evaluate their positions and move to resolve the case after the 

resolution of the appeal is known. The only deadline at issue is the deadline for the filing of pretrial

dispositive motions. The court finds it prudent to vacate the dispositive motions deadline until after

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plaintiff’s appeal has been resolved at the Ninth Circuit, at which time a new deadline shall be

established by further order of the court.

III. CONCLUSION

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. The deadline for the parties to file pretrial dispositive motions is VACATED;

2. Defendant’s motion to modify the court’s Scheduling Order is GRANTED;

3. Plaintiff’s motion for an extension of time to file a dispositive motion is GRANTED;

and

4. Upon the resolution of plaintiff’s notice of appeal by the Ninth Circuit, the court shall

issue an order establishing a new deadline for the parties to file pretrial dispositive

motions. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: May 26, 2010 /s/ Gary S. Austin 

6i0kij UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

The deadline to file unenumerated Rule 12(b) motions, November 27, 2008, was extended to December

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29, 2008 and has since expired. (Doc. 202.) The deadline to amend pleadings, March 27, 2009, has expired. The

deadline to complete discovery, May 27, 2009, has expired. The deadline to file pre-trial dispositive motions, July

27, 2009, was extended to May 17, 2010, was pending at the time defendant filed his motion to modify the

Scheduling Order, and has since expired. (Doc. 235.)

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