Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_12-cv-00617/USCOURTS-caed-2_12-cv-00617-16/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Contract Default

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STIPULATION AND EX PARTE APPLICATION TO CONTINUE TRIAL AND PRETRIAL CONFERENCE 

DATES

m 

BENNETT J. LEE (Bar No. 230482)

ANDREW VAN ORNUM (Bar No. 214040) 

VARELA LEE METZ & GUARINO, LLP 

333 Bush Street, Suite 1500 

San Francisco, CA 94104 

Telephone: 415-623-7000 

Facsimile: 415-623-7001 

Email: avanornu@vlmglaw.com 

 

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

ARCH INSURANCE COMPANY 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA – SACRAMENTO DIVISION 

ARCH INSURANCE COMPANY, 

Plaintiff, 

vs. 

SIERRA EQUIPMENT RENTAL, INC., et 

al. 

Defendants 

Case No. 2:12-CV-00617 KJM (KJN)

STIPULATION AND EX PARTE 

APPLICATION TO CONTINUE TRIAL 

DATE AND PRE-TRIAL CONFERENCE 

DATES; AND ORDER 

Pursuant to Rule 16(b)(4) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, which requires parties 

to seek leave of court for modifications to scheduling orders, and Local Rule 144, Plaintiff Arch 

Insurance Company (“Arch”) and Defendant Karrie Kindell (“Kindell”), through their respective

attorneys of record, hereby submit the following stipulation and ex parte application to continue 

the Trial Date, Final Pre-Trial Conference Date, deadline for joint pre-trial statement, and trial 

brief deadlines. 

Recitals 

1. On February 4, 2016, the Court issued a Status (Pretrial Scheduling) Order that set 

the following case deadlines: joint pretrial conference statement – June 24, 2016; 

Final Pre-Trial Conference -- July 15, 2016; Trial briefs – August 15, 2016 and 

Jury Trial Date – August 29, 206. 

Case 2:12-cv-00617-KJM-DB Document 175 Filed 06/30/16 Page 1 of 6
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STIPULATION AND EX PARTE APPLICATION TO CONTINUE TRIAL AND PRETRIAL CONFERENCE 

DATES 

2. The defendants currently in the case are Kindell; Sierra Equipment Rentals, Inc. 

(“Sierra”), a Nevada corporation who is in forfeited status with the Secretary of 

State and unrepresented by counsel; and Carolyn Scarola, as trustee of the Dry 

Creek Ranches Trust (“Trust”), who is also currently unrepresented. 

3. The undersigned parties agree that good cause exists for the continuance of 

the above trial and pre-trial dates for the following reasons: 

a. Arch’s motion for summary judgment against Sierra is currently pending 

before the Court, and even if that motion does not resolve the case as to 

Sierra, Sierra is a corporation unrepresented by counsel and is in a 

forfeited status such that it cannot defend the action; 

b. Kindell and Arch are in the process of executing a settlement agreement 

that is expected to be accomplished shortly; 

c. The only remaining party is the Trust, who is currently unrepresented by 

counsel. Further, the Trust’s trustee, Ms. Scarola, who appeared in this 

action, claims that she has resigned as trustee of the Trust. Furthermore, 

the Trust’s assets have been determined by judgment to be assets of the 

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy estate of Melvin Weir, in connection with 

Adversary Proceeding number 13-03232, in Northern District 

Bankruptcy Court Case number 13-10048. See Attachment A to this 

Stipulation and Affidavit. 

d. A stipulation was not obtained from Sierra because it is out of business 

and unrepresented. Counsel for Arch contacted Scarola and spoke to her 

and her personal counsel to advise of the joint pre-trial conference 

statement deadline and to discuss the case, but the undersigned was 

advised that Ms. Scarola had resigned as trustee of the Trust. At this 

point it is unclear as to the legal status of the Trust or its trustee, Scarola. 

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STIPULATION AND EX PARTE APPLICATION TO CONTINUE TRIAL AND PRETRIAL CONFERENCE 

DATES 

Stipulation and Ex Parte Application 

Accordingly, Arch and Kindell hereby stipulate, agree and request the following 

adjustment in the pre-trial schedule:

1. To continue the deadline for submission of joint pre-trial statements to at least August 5, 

2016, by which time the undersigned parties expect Kindell to have been dismissed from 

the action, obviating any further involvement of her in this Action;

2. To continue the pre-trial conference to at least August 29, 2016;

3. To continue the deadline for submission of trial briefs to a date to be determined at the 

pre-trial conference; and

4. To vacate the current trial date and have a new trial date set at the pre-trial conference.

IT IS SO STIPULATED AND REQUESTED.

Dated: June 29, 2016 VARELA, LEE, METZ 

 & GUARINO, LLP 

By: /s/ Andrew Van Ornum 6/23/16 

Andrew Van Ornum 

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

ARCH INSURANCE COMPANY

Dated: June 29, 2016 

 LAW OFFICE OF ANDREW R. WIENER

By: /s/ Andrew Wiener 6/23/16

 ANDREW R. WIENER, ESQ. 

Attorneys for Defendant KARRIE 

KINDELL

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STIPULATION AND EX PARTE APPLICATION TO CONTINUE TRIAL AND PRETRIAL CONFERENCE 

DATES 

Affidavit of Andrew Van Ornum 

I, Andrew Van Ornum, declare: 

1. I am an attorney at law licensed to practice in the State of California and in the 

United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. I am a partner in the law firm 

of Varela, Lee, Metz & Guarino, LLP, attorneys of record for Plaintiff Arch Insurance Company 

(“Arch”). I have personal knowledge of the facts set forth herein, unless otherwise indicated, and 

if called as a witness, I could and would competently testify thereto. 

2. Counsel for Kindell and the undersigned have reached a settlement and are in 

process of executing a settlement agreement. 

3. Attached as Attachment “A” is a copy of the judgment entered against the Trust 

declaring that the Trust’s assets were assets of the Chapter 7 Bankruptcy estate of Melvin Weir, in 

connection with Adversary Proceeding number 13-03232, in Northern District Bankruptcy Court 

Case number 13-10048. 

4. I called former counsel for the Trust on June 21, 2016 to request status on the Ms. 

Scarola and the Trust in connection with this litigation. Counsel was unavailable. 

5. I spoke to Carolyn Scarola on June 22, 2016. She advised that I must speak to 

former counsel or her personal counsel. Her personal counsel called me and advised that Ms. 

Scarola resigned as trustee of the Trust but that he did not represent her. He advised that former 

counsel for the Trust may contact me next week. 

6. Given the status of the pending summary judgment motion against Sierra and 

Sierra’s unrepresented and forfeited status, the Trust status and pending settlement progress, it 

appears that a trial is unlikely and unnecessary as currently scheduled. Based on those same 

considerations, it appears that no opposition will be filed to this application. 

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STIPULATION AND EX PARTE APPLICATION TO CONTINUE TRIAL AND PRETRIAL CONFERENCE 

DATES 

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States that the foregoing is 

true and correct to the best of my knowledge, information and belief. 

 By: ____/s/ Andrew Van Ornum 6/23/16_ 

Andrew Van Ornum 

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STIPULATION AND EX PARTE APPLICATION TO CONTINUE TRIAL AND PRETRIAL CONFERENCE 

DATES 

ORDER

Having read and considered the parties’ Stipulation and Ex Parte Application, 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT: 

1. The deadline for submission of joint pre-trial statements shall be August 12, 2016; 

2. The Final Pre-Trial Conference is set for August 26, 2016 at 10:00 a.m.; and

3. The Trial Date of August 29, 2016 and the deadline for trial briefs are hereby vacated. A 

new trial date and associated deadlines shall be set at the Final Pre-Trial Conference.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: February 29, 2016 

 

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