Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_23-cv-00935/USCOURTS-caed-1_23-cv-00935-13/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

ROBERT MEDINA, JR.,

Plaintiff,

v.

GUSTAVO MARTINEZ, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No. 1:23-cv-00935-KES-EPG (PC)

ORDER REQUIRING PARTIES TO 

EXCHANGE DOCUMENTS

Plaintiff Robert Medina, Jr. was confined in Fresno County Jail (FCJ) at the time the 

events giving rise to this civil rights action filed pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Plaintiff 

proceeds pro se and in forma pauperis on his Eighth Amendment claim against Defendants 

J. Alvarez, Gustavo Martinez, and First-Name-Unknown (FNU) Martinez. Only Defendant 

Alvarez was served and answered Plaintiff’s complaint. (ECF No. 37).

On November 13, 2024, the Court issued an order requiring the parties to file 

scheduling and discovery statements within 30 days. (ECF No. 41). Defendant Alvarez filed his 

statement. (ECF No. 44). Plaintiff did not file his, and the time to do so has passed.

The Court has reviewed this case and Defendant Alvarez’s statement. To secure the 

just, speedy, and inexpensive disposition of this action,1the Court will direct that certain 

documents that are central to the dispute be promptly produced.2

1 See, e.g., United States v. W.R. Grace, 526 F.3d 499, 508–09 (9th Cir. 2008) (“We begin with 

the principle that the district court is charged with effectuating the speedy and orderly administration of 

justice. There is universal acceptance in the federal courts that, in carrying out this mandate, a district 

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Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that:

1. Each party has sixty days from the date of service of this order to serve opposing 

parties, or their counsel, if represented, with copies of the following documents

and/or evidence if they have them in their possession, custody, or control, to the 

extent the parties have not already done so.

3 This order applies to all documents 

including confidential documents. Moreover, the parties are required to produce 

these documents, or lodge objections as described below, without awaiting a 

discovery request.

a. Documents regarding exhaustion of Plaintiff’s claims, including 602s, 

Form 22s, and responses from the appeals office.

b. All documents regarding the Rules Violation Report associated with the 

incident(s) alleged in the complaint, including disciplinary charges and 

findings.

c. Witness statements and evidence that were generated from 

investigation(s) related to the event(s) at issue in the complaint, such as 

an investigation stemming from the processing of Plaintiff’s 

grievance(s).

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court has the authority to enter pretrial case management and discovery orders designed to ensure that 

the relevant issues to be tried are identified, that the parties have an opportunity to engage in appropriate 

discovery and that the parties are adequately and timely prepared so that the trial can proceed efficiently 

and intelligibly.”).

2 Advisory Committee Notes to 1993 Amendment to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure regarding 

Rule 26(a) (“The enumeration in Rule 26(a) of items to be disclosed does not prevent a court from 

requiring by order or local rule that the parties disclose additional information without a discovery 

request.”). 

3 Defense counsel is requested to obtain these documents from Plaintiff’s institution(s) of 

confinement. If defense counsel is unable to do so, defense counsel should inform Plaintiff that a third 

party subpoena is required.

4 See Woodford v. Ngo, 548 U.S. 81, 94–95 (2006) (“[P]roper exhaustion improves the quality 

of those prisoner suits that are eventually filed because proper exhaustion often results in the creation of 

an administrative record that is helpful to the court. When a grievance is filed shortly after the event 

giving rise to the grievance, witnesses can be identified and questioned while memories are still fresh, 

and evidence can be gathered and preserved.”).

The Court notes that Defendant(s) only need to produce documents such as a Confidential 

Appeal Inquiry or a Use of Force Critique to the extent those documents contain witness statements 

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d. Incident reports regarding the use of force incident(s) alleged in the 

complaint.

e. All of Plaintiff’s medical records related to the incident(s) and/or 

condition(s) at issue in the case.

f. Chronos for transfer or Administrative Segregation placement related to 

the incident(s) alleged in the complaint.

g. Video recordings and photographs related to the incident(s) at issue in 

the complaint, including video recordings and photographs of Plaintiff 

taken following the incident(s).

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h. A copy of all documents, electronically stored information, and tangible 

things that the disclosing party has in its possession, custody, or control 

and may use to support its claims or defenses, unless the use would be 

solely for impeachment. 

2. If any party obtains documents and/or other evidence described above later in 

the case (including, but not limited to, documents and/or other evidence from a 

third party), that party shall provide all other parties with copies of the

documents and/or evidence within thirty days. The failure of a party to comply 

with this requirement may result, among other things, in the party not being able 

to rely on the pertinent information later in the case.

3. Parties do not need to produce documents or evidence that they have already 

produced.

4. Parties do not need to produce documents or evidence that were provided to 

them by the opposing party.

related to the incident(s) alleged in the complaint and/or evidence related to the incident(s) alleged in the 

complaint that will not be provided to Plaintiff separately.

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If Plaintiff is not allowed possess, or is unable to play, video recording(s), defense counsel 

shall work with staff at Plaintiff’s institution of confinement to ensure that Plaintiff is able to view the 

video recording(s).

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5. Parties may object to producing any of the above-listed documents and/or 

evidence. Objections shall be filed with the Court and served on all other parties 

within sixty days from the date of service of this order (or within thirty days of 

receiving additional documents and/or evidence). The objection should include 

the basis for not providing the documents and/or evidence. If Defendant(s) 

object based on the official information privilege, Defendant(s) shall follow the 

procedures described in the Court’s scheduling order. If a party files an 

objection, all other parties have fourteen days from the date the objection is filed 

to file a response. If any party files a response to an objection, the Court will 

issue a ruling on the objection.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 24, 2024 /s/

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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