Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-00472/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-00472-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 362
Nature of Suit: Medical Malpractice
Cause of Action: 28:2674 Federal Tort Claims Act

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

CARLOS ESCOTO, 

 Plaintiff, 

v. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 

 Defendant. 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

) 

Case No. 1:07-CV-00472 SMS 

STIPULATION EXTENDING 

DEADLINE FOR UNITED STATES 

TO FILE THIRD-PARTY 

COMPLAINT; ORDER 

(see Note – last page)

Plaintiff Carlos Escoto and defendant United States of America (“United States”), 

hereby stipulate and agree as follows: 

Recitals

1. On March 26, 2007, plaintiff filed his Complaint for Medical Malpractice 

(“Complaint”), commencing this case. 

2. In the parties’ Joint Scheduling Report filed on August 28, 2007 [Docket No. 11], 

the United States reserved the right to join other parties based on information obtained in 

discovery or otherwise. 

3. Paragraph 3.B of the Court’s Scheduling Conference Order entered on September 

14, 2007 [Docket No. 13], provides, in part, that “[t]he Parties have until December 3, 2007 to 

amend the pleadings, after which time no further joinder of parties or amendments to pleadings is 

permitted, except without leave of court, good cause having been shown.” 

McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney 

LYNN TRINKA ERNCE 

Assistant United States Attorney 

501 I Street, Suite 10-100 

Sacramento, California 95814 

Telephone: (916) 554-2720 

Facsimile: (916) 554-2900 

Attorneys for Defendant 

United States of America 

PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com

Case 1:07-cv-00472-OWW -DLB Document 19 Filed 12/05/07 Page 1 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

4. Since the entry of the Scheduling Conference Order, the United States has begun 

conducting its discovery in this case, which discovery remains ongoing, including by serving 

subpoenas on a number of medical providers, other than the VA Central California Health Care 

System (“VA”), that provided medical treatment to plaintiff during the period of time relevant to 

the Complaint. 

5. Based upon information recently received by the United States in response to 

its subpoenas, the United States has determined that it is necessary and appropriate to implead 

certain of plaintiff’s non-VA medical providers as third-party defendants in this case. 

6. Under California law, “No action based upon the health care provider’s 

professional negligence may be commenced unless the defendant has been given at least 90 

days’ prior notice of the intention to commence the action.” Cal. Civ. Proc. Code § 364(a). 

7. Accordingly, prior to filing any third-party complaint against the medical 

providers, the United States must give the providers 90 days’ notice of the United States’ intent 

to file a third-party complaint. 

8. The current December 3, 2007 deadline for filing a third-party complaint set by 

the Scheduling Conference Order will not permit the United States to provide the 90 days’ notice 

to the medical providers required by California law. 

9. The United States has requested that plaintiff agree to stipulate to extend the 

deadline for the filing of any third-party complaint by 120 days to allow time for the United 

States to comply with California’s 90-day notice provision. Plaintiff agreed to stipulate to the 

United States’ requested extension. 

10. The parties believe that good cause for the requested extension exists because: 

(a) the United States believes that the joinder of additional parties is necessary for a complete 

resolution of the issues in this case; and (b) the requested extension will allow the United States 

to comply with its obligation to provide the required 90 days’ notice to medical providers and to 

prepare and file its third-party complaint after the notice period has expired. 

/// 

/// 

PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com

Case 1:07-cv-00472-OWW -DLB Document 19 Filed 12/05/07 Page 2 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

Stipulation

WHEREFORE, the parties hereby stipulate and agree that deadline for the United 

States file a third-party complaint in this case shall be extended from December 3, 2007 to 

April 3, 2008. 

If the Court grants the requested 120-day extension, the parties believe that good cause 

exists to continue the other deadlines set by the Scheduling Conference Order. In that event, the 

parties respectfully request that the Court provide them guidance regarding whether the Court 

would like to hold a status conference for purposes of setting new deadlines, or if the Court 

prefers that the parties submit a proposed amended scheduling order for the Court’s review. 

DATED: November 30, 2007 McGREGOR W. SCOTT 

United States Attorney 

By: /s/ Lynn Trinka Ernce 

LYNN TRINKA ERNCE 

Assistant United States Attorney 

DATED: November 30, 2007 LAW OFFICES OF DAVID J. ST. LOUIS, INC. 

By: /s/ David J. St. Louis

DAVID J. ST. LOUIS 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

IT IS SO ORDERED. Note: a separate Order will be forthcoming with Amended 

Scheduling Conference dates. 

DATED: 12/3/2007 /s/ Sandra M. Snyder 

SANDRA M. SNYDER 

CHIEF UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 

 

PDF created with pdfFactory trial version www.pdffactory.com

Case 1:07-cv-00472-OWW -DLB Document 19 Filed 12/05/07 Page 3 of 3