Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_19-cv-00231/USCOURTS-caed-1_19-cv-00231-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Breach of Contract

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STIPULATION AND ORDER FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF ALL DATES PURSUANT TO THE EXISTING 

SCHEDULING ORDER

MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE &

CARRUTH LLP

7647 NORTH FRESNO STREET

FRESNO, CA 93720

McCormick, Barstow, Sheppard,

Wayte & Carruth LLP

Gordon M. Park, #72190

 gordon.park@mccormickbarstow.com

Dana B. Denno, #227971

 dana.denno@mccormickbarstow.com

Andreanne Breton, #322893

 andreanne.breton@mccormickbarstow.com

7647 North Fresno Street

Fresno, California 93720

Telephone: (559) 433-1300

Facsimile: (559) 433-2300

Attorneys for Defendant

UNITED FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, FRESNO DIVISION

VALLEY PROTEIN, LLC,

Plaintiff,

v.

UNITED FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY, 

and Does 1 through 100, inclusive,

Defendants.

Case No. 1:19-CV-00231-AWI-SKO

STIPULATION AND ORDER FOR THE 

CONTINUANCE OF ALL DATES 

PURSUANT TO THE EXISTING 

SCHEDULING ORDER

Hon. Sheila K. Oberto

U.S. Magistrate Judge

Ctrm: #7 (6th Floor) 

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED, by and between the parties through their respective counsel 

of records, Plaintiff, VALLEY PROTEIN, LLC (“Valley Protein”) and Defendant, UNITED FIRE 

& CASUALTY COMPANY (“United Fire”), as follows:

1. The parties stipulate and agree that good cause exists for an extension of the dates 

set forth herein, as the parties require an extension to complete necessary discovery, including the 

opportunity to complete written discovery, complete lay witness depositions, depose experts, and 

file dispositive and non-dispositive motions due to obstacles posed by schedule conflicts, out-ofCase 1:19-cv-00231-AWI-SKO Document 23 Filed 02/28/20 Page 1 of 5
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STIPULATION AND ORDER FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF ALL DATES PURSUANT TO THE EXISTING 

SCHEDULING ORDER

MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE &

CARRUTH LLP

7647 NORTH FRESNO STREET

FRESNO, CA 93720

state witnesses and an upcoming mediation in this case. For the same reasons, the parties also 

stipulate to vacate the current trial date of October 6, 2020 and request a new trial date of October 

5, 2021.

2. The parties have agreed to jointly request that deadlines be continued, that the current 

trial date be vacated and that trial be set for October 5, 2021.

3. On December 16, 2019, the parties met and conferred regarding mediation. The 

parties agreed to go to mediation in the above-captioned case in order to engage in settlement 

negotiations in good faith. During their meet and confer, the parties further agreed to stop conducting 

depositions until after the mediation in order to minimize expenses. The parties also agreed to retain 

Retired Justice Stephen J. Kane as a mediator.

4. The office of Gordon M. Park contacted the office of Retired Justice Stephen J. Kane 

and inquired about his availabilities for mediation based on the agreed-upon available dates for 

counsel for both parties. Retired Justice Stephen J. Kane’s availabilities coincided with counsels’ 

availabilities starting in May.

5. After requesting his availabilities for mediation, the parties had initially agreed to 

tentatively schedule mediation with Retired Justice Stephen J. Kane for March 11, 2020, but that 

date is being continued to a later date in May or June 2020.

6. The parties have agreed to make a good faith effort to resolve this matter in 

mediation. The parties also recognize that they might need to schedule a second phase to the

mediation, in the likely event that the first mediation provides insufficient time to discuss all issues 

and to negotiate a settlement.

7. The parties agree that there is good cause to grant the requested continuance. The 

parties seek to extend the discovery deadlines and, consequently, all other upcoming dates on the 

existing Scheduling Order, in order to permit the parties to engage in mediation without also 

incurring considerable expense to complete discovery. If the parties are unable to settle this matter 

in good faith, they agree that they will need additional time to conduct discovery because a number 

of depositions will have to be taken out of the state of California. The parties also agree that there 

is good cause to vacate the current trial date of October 6, 2020, and to set a new trial date of October 

Case 1:19-cv-00231-AWI-SKO Document 23 Filed 02/28/20 Page 2 of 5
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STIPULATION AND ORDER FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF ALL DATES PURSUANT TO THE EXISTING 

SCHEDULING ORDER

MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE &

CARRUTH LLP

7647 NORTH FRESNO STREET

FRESNO, CA 93720

5, 2021, in order to allow enough time for the parties to engage in mediation and to conduct all 

necessary discovery in the event the parties are unable to settle.

8. The parties agree that the existing Scheduling Order’s dates will be insufficient to 

complete discovery within the time limits due to the upcoming mediation, the parties’ agreed-upon 

moratorium on discovery until mediation, and the necessary deposition of out-of-state witnesses.

9. The existing Scheduling Order sets forth non expert discovery and expert 

disclosures deadlines, which will now be vacated and reset pursuant to the new trial date.

10. In consideration of the above and with the new trial date, the parties propose the 

following new deadlines be set with a new scheduling order:

a. An extension of the Non Expert Discovery cutoff date of March 1, 2020, to 

February 28, 2021;

b. An extension of the Expert Disclosures date of March 6, 2020, to March 5, 

2021;

c. An extension of the Rebuttal Expert Disclosures date of March 17, 2020, to 

March 16, 2021;

d. An extension of the Expert Discovery cutoff date of May 1, 2020, to April 

30, 2021;

e. An extension of the Non-Dispositive Motion Filing Deadline of May 4, 2020, 

to May 3, 2021;

f. An extension of the Non-Dispositive Motion Hearing Deadline of June 3, 

2020, to June 2, 2021; 

g. An extension of the Dispositive Motion Filing Deadline of May 4, 2020, to 

May 3, 2021; 

h. An extension of the Dispositive Motion Hearing Deadline of June 15, 2020, 

to June 14, 2021;

i. An extension of the Settlement Conference of March 26, 2020, to March 25, 

2021;

j. An extension of the Pre-Trial Conference of August 12, 2020, to August 11, 

Case 1:19-cv-00231-AWI-SKO Document 23 Filed 02/28/20 Page 3 of 5
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STIPULATION AND ORDER FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF ALL DATES PURSUANT TO THE EXISTING 

SCHEDULING ORDER

MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE &

CARRUTH LLP

7647 NORTH FRESNO STREET

FRESNO, CA 93720

2021;

k. That the trial date of October 6, 2020, be vacated and that a new trial date of 

October 5, 2021 be set.

11. This Stipulation and [Proposed] Order is filed in compliance with Local Rule 143.

Dated: February _25, 2020 McCORMICK, BARSTOW, SHEPPARD,

WAYTE & CARRUTH LLP

By: /s/Heather Hall Melaas

Heather Hall Melaas

Andrew Rebennack

Attorneys for Plaintiff

VALLEY PROTEIN, LLC

Dated: February _25 , 2020 McCORMICK, BARSTOW, SHEPPARD,

WAYTE & CARRUTH LLP

By: /s/Gordon M. Park

Gordon M. Park

Dana B. Denno

Andreanne Breton

Attorneys for Defendant

UNITED FIRE & CASUALTY COMPANY

028253-000037 6612144.1 

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STIPULATION AND ORDER FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF ALL DATES PURSUANT TO THE EXISTING 

SCHEDULING ORDER

MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE &

CARRUTH LLP

7647 NORTH FRESNO STREET

FRESNO, CA 93720

ORDER

Pursuant to the parties’ above stipulation, (Doc. 22), for good cause shown, the Court 

GRANTS the parties’ stipulated request and MODIFIES the scheduling order as follows:

1. The non-expert discovery deadline is extended to March 1, 2021;1

2. The expert disclosures deadline is extended to March 5, 2021;

3. The rebuttal expert disclosures deadline is extended to March 16, 2021;

4. The expert discovery deadline is extended to April 30, 2021;

5. The non-dispositive motions filing deadline is extended to May 3, 2021;

6. The non-dispositive motions hearing deadline is extended to June 2, 2021;

7. The dispositive motions filing deadline is extended to May 3, 2021;

8. The dispositive motions hearing deadline is extended to June 14, 2021;

9. The settlement conference is continued to March 25, 2021;

10. The pre-trial conference date is continued to August 11, 2021; and

11. The trial date is continued to October 5, 2021. 

All other directives in the scheduling order, (Doc. 20), remain unchanged.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 28, 2020 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto .

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

1 The Court adjusts this date as the parties’ requested date of February 28, 2021 falls on a Sunday. 

Case 1:19-cv-00231-AWI-SKO Document 23 Filed 02/28/20 Page 5 of 5