Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01127/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-01127-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 360
Nature of Suit: Other Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Personal Injury

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Before the Court is the stipulation of counsel to “Transfer . . . this action to the United States 

District Court for the Eastern District of California.” (Doc. 9 at 2) For the reasons set forth below, the 

stipulation is DENIED.

For nearly every year over the last decade, the Eastern District of California has carried the 

highest weighted caseload of any district in the entire federal system. The judges carry caseloads 

which are approaching triple the national average. The causes for this are many-fold. First, over the 

last 30 years, California’s population has expanded significantly and many of these people live in this 

District. Likewise, numerous prisons have been constructed in this District bringing thousands and 

thousands of inmates to this area. This growth of inmate and non-inmate populations has caused the 

civil and criminal caseloads to explode.

Second, the Eastern District of California has not had a new judgeship in about 30 years. Thus, 

the same number of judicial officers are handling exponentially more cases now than the same number 

JAIME BELTRAN,

 Plaintiff,

v.

THE HOME DEPOT,

Defendant.

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Case No.: 1:14-cv-01127 --- JLT

ORDER DENYING STIPULATION TO 

TRANSFER VENUE

(Doc. 9)

Case 1:14-cv-01127-JLT Document 10 Filed 09/15/14 Page 1 of 2
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of judges handled 30 years ago. As it stands, the Fresno Division has only one active district judge and 

one part-time senior district judge who are constitutionally obligated to place priority on criminal 

matters. Despite this, more than half of the civil cases filed in the District are filed in the Fresno 

Division. The Sacramento Division has four active district judges and two senior district judges so the 

Court has been forced to redirect many of the civil cases filed in the Fresno Division to the Sacramento 

Division. At the onset of this case, the parties were reminded of this judicial crisis and were advised 

that their case had been randomly selected to be reassigned to the Sacramento Division. (Doc. 6-1) 

However, now before the Court is the stipulation of counsel in which the parties seek to “optout” of the reassignment to the Sacramento Division. (Doc. 9) They assert that the convenience of the 

parties and witnesses require the return of the case to the Fresno Division. Id. at 2. However, in 

making this argument, counsel ignore that every other case selected for reassignment to the Sacramento 

Division faces this same situation.

Unfortunately, the choice with which the Court is confronted is to simply suspend most if not 

all of the civil cases filed in the Fresno Division or to provide the parties the option of consenting to 

magistrate judge jurisdiction—and allow their case to proceed in the convenient forum—or, to decline

this option and allow the case to proceed in Sacramento. The Court understands the frustration of 

counsel and hardship on the parties but unless and until this Court is afforded additional judicial 

resources, it simply cannot continue to hear the continued onslaught of civil cases. The parties and 

counsel are encouraged to contact their senators and congress members to press for change but change 

occurs, the Court must employ all reasonable tactics to attempt to advance the cases through the 

system.

Therefore, the stipulation for a change of venue/transfer to the Fresno Division (Doc. 9) is 

DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 15, 2014 /s/ Jennifer L. Thurston 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:14-cv-01127-JLT Document 10 Filed 09/15/14 Page 2 of 2