Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-00991/USCOURTS-caed-2_07-cv-00991-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 362
Nature of Suit: Medical Malpractice
Cause of Action: 28:2671 Federal Tort Claims Act

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1

McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

TODD A. PICKLES (SBN 215629)

Assistant U.S. Attorney

501 I Street, Suite 10-100

Sacramento, California 95814

Telephone: (916) 554-2766

Facsimile: (916) 554-2900

Email: todd.pickles@usdoj.gov

Attorneys for the United States of America

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MARK E. BELLAND and

LILLIAN J. BELLAND,

Plaintiffs,

v.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Defendant.

No. 2:07-cv-00991-RRB-EFB

STIPULATION TO PARTICIPATE

IN AN EARLY SETTLEMENT

CONFERENCE AND WAIVER OF

DISQUALIFICATION OF

MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Defendant the United States of America and Plaintiffs Mark and Lillian Belland, through their

respective counsel, hereby submit the following stipulation to participate in an early settlement

conference and to waive any disqualification of the selected magistrate judge to further involvement in

the case.

Recitals

1. The parties have actively litigated the matter, including propounding and responding to

written discovery. The parties also have planned to take numerous depositions in the matter,

beginning the week of January 21, 2008. The parties anticipate litigation will also involve significant

expert witness testimony.

Case 2:07-cv-00991-RRB-EFB Document 22 Filed 12/18/07 Page 1 of 4
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2. Based upon discussions between the parties, the parties believe participation in an early

settlement conference is appropriate at this stage of the litigation.

3. Counsel for Plaintiffs is located in Richmond, Virginia, and counsel for Plaintiffs has

limited availability in January 2008 and early February 2008 due to attention to other matters. 

Accordingly, the parties’ availability for an early settlement conference is limited. The week of

January 21, 2008, is presently available to counsel to the parties.

4. The deadline for expert disclosures is presently set for February 28, 2008. To the extent

that the matter does not resolve at the early settlement conference, the parties will need sufficient time

to depose important fact witnesses and to prepare expert reports. This further limits the time period in

which an early settlement conference can occur without the Court continuing certain of the pretrial

dates.

5. The parties acknowledge that should the matter not be resolved, there is a possibility

that certain matters, including discovery motions, may be submitted to a magistrate judge for

resolution, and that the same magistrate judge may have conducted the settlement conference.

Stipulation

Accordingly, based upon the foregoing, the parties hereby STIPULATE that:

1. The parties shall participate in an early settlement conference before a magistrate judge

determined by this Court.

2. The parties request that the settlement conference be set for the week of January 21,

2008, in light of the availability of counsel and the parties and the pretrial dates in this matter.

3. The parties agree to waive any claim to disqualify the selected magistrate judge from

further involvement in this case, including ruling on any discovery motions or other matters properly

submitted to the magistrate judge.

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IT IS SO STIPULATED.

DATED: December 17, 2007 McGREGOR W. SCOTT

United States Attorney

 /s/

By 

TODD A. PICKLES

Assistant United States Attorney

Attorneys for Defendant

the United States of America

DATED: December 17, 2007 RAWLS & McNELIS PC

 /s/

By 

JOHN D. McCHESNEY

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

Mark and Lillian Belland

Case 2:07-cv-00991-RRB-EFB Document 22 Filed 12/18/07 Page 3 of 4
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 ORDER

Having read and considered the parties’ Stipulation to Participate in an Early Settlement

Conference and Waiver of Disqualification of Magistrate Judge, and for good cause showing, IT IS

HEREBY ORDERED THAT the parties shall appear at a settlement conference before a Magistrate

Judge .

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Date: December 17, 2007 /s/ Ralph R. Beistline 

Honorable Ralph R. Beistline

District Court Judge

U.S. District Court for Eastern District of California

Case 2:07-cv-00991-RRB-EFB Document 22 Filed 12/18/07 Page 4 of 4