Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_09-cv-00781/USCOURTS-caed-1_09-cv-00781-22/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Federal Question: Bivens Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DONTE ROLANDO HARRIS,

 Plaintiff,

 v.

H.A. RIOS, et al., 

 Defendants.

Case No. 1:09-cv-00781-MJS (PC)

SECOND SCHEDULING ORDER

DIRECTING CLERK’S OFFICE TO SEND

COPY OF LOCAL RULE 281 TO 

PLAINTIFF

Telephonic Trial Confirmation

Hearing: April 16, 2015 at 1:30 p.m.

 in Courtroom 6 (MJS)

Trial: June 2, 2015 at 8:30

 a.m. in Courtroom 6 (MJS)

Plaintiff is a federal prisoner proceeding pro se in this civil rights action filed pursuant 

to Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 

(1971). In accordance with Rule 16(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Court by 

this Order sets a further schedule for this litigation.

The parties are required to file pretrial statements in accordance with the schedule 

set forth below. The pretrial statements must comply with the provisions of Local Rule 281.

In addition, Plaintiff must make a particularized showing to obtain the attendance of 

witnesses. The procedures and requirements for doing so are outlined in detail below.

Case 1:09-cv-00781-MJS Document 116 Filed 09/12/14 Page 1 of 6
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Failure to comply with the provisions of this Order may result in the 

imposition of sanctions which could include dismissal of the action or entry of 

default.

A. Special Procedures for Plaintiff’s Witnesses

At the trial of this case, Plaintiff must be prepared to introduce evidence to prove

each of the alleged facts that support claims made in the lawsuit. In general, there are two 

kinds of trial evidence: (1) exhibits and (2) testimony of witnesses. It is Plaintiff’s 

responsibility to produce all of the evidence to prove his case, whether that evidence is in

the form of exhibits or testimony from witnesses. If Plaintiff wants to call witnesses to 

testify, he must comply with the following procedures to ensure that the witnesses will

appear at trial and be available to testify. Failure to comply with the procedures set forth 

below may result in the Court precluding testimony from Plaintiff’s witnesses.

1. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Incarcerated Witnesses Who

Agree to Testify Voluntarily

An incarcerated witness who agrees to come to court and testify at trial can only do 

so if the Court orders the warden or other custodian to allow him or her to be transported to 

court. The Court will not issue such an order unless it is satisfied that: (a) the prospective 

witness is willing to attend; and (b) he or she has actual knowledge of relevant facts.

If Plaintiff wants to call such witnesses, Plaintiff must serve and file with the pretrial

statement a written motion for a court order directing that the witnesses be brought to trial. 

The motion must: (1) state the name, address, and prison identification number of each 

such witness; and (2) include declarations showing that each witness is willing to testify and 

that each witness has actual knowledge of relevant facts. The motion should be entitled 

“Motion for Attendance of Incarcerated Witnesses.”

The willingness of the prospective witness to come and testify can be shown in one 

of two ways: (a) the Plaintiff can swear under penalty of perjury that the prospective witness 

has informed him that he or she is willing to testify voluntarily without being subpoenaed; if 

so, the declaration must state when and where the witness so advised the Plaintiff; or (b) 

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Plaintiff can serve and file a declaration, signed under penalty of perjury by the prospective 

witness, in which the witness states he or she is willing to testify without being subpoenaed.

The prospective witness’s actual knowledge of relevant facts also can be shown in

one of two ways: (a) if Plaintiff has actual firsthand knowledge that the prospective witness 

was an eyewitness or an ear-witness to the relevant facts (for example, if the incident

occurred in Plaintiff’s cell and Plaintiff saw that a cellmate was present at the time and

observed the incident), Plaintiff can swear by declaration under penalty of perjury that the 

prospective witness has actual knowledge; or (b) Plaintiff can serve and file a declaration 

signed under penalty of perjury by the prospective witness in which the witness describes 

the relevant facts to which he or she was an eye- or ear-witness. 

Whether the declaration is made by the Plaintiff or by the prospective witness, it 

must be specific about the incident, when and where it occurred, who was present, and 

how the prospective witness happened to be in a position to see or hear what occurred.

The Court has discretion to grant a motion for the attendance of incarcerated 

witnesses if the moving party shows that the witnesses have relevant information and the 

Court finds that the witnesses’ presence will substantially further the resolution of the case. 

Wiggins v. County of Alameda, 717 F.2d 466, 468 n.1 (9th Cir. 1983). The Court will review 

and rule on the motion for attendance of incarcerated witnesses, specifying which will be 

brought to court. Subsequently, the Court will order the witness’s custodian to bring the 

witness to court.

Motions for the attendance of incarcerated witnesses, if any, must be filed

on or before March 6, 2015. Oppositions, if any, must be filed on or before March 27,

2015.

2. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Incarcerated Witnesses Who

Refuse to Testify Voluntarily

If Plaintiff seeks to obtain the attendance of incarcerated witnesses who refuse to 

testify voluntarily, Plaintiff should submit with his or her pretrial statement a motion for the 

attendance of such witnesses. Such motion should be in the form, and contain the same 

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information, called for above and show that the witnesses have relevant information. In 

addition, Plaintiff must indicate that the incarcerated witnesses are not willing to testify 

voluntarily.

3. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Unincarcerated Witnesses Who

Agree to Testify Voluntarily

Plaintiff does not need Court permission or a Court Order to have unincarcerated 

witnesses appear and testify if the witnesses are willing to do so voluntarily (and Plaintiff 

has properly identified the witnesses in his Pretrial Statement). It is Plaintiff’s sole 

responsibility to notify the witness of the time and date of trial and arrange for his presence. 

The Court need not be involved.

4. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Unincarcerated Witnesses Who

Refuse to Testify Voluntarily

If a prospective witness is not incarcerated, and he or she refuses to testify 

voluntarily, the witness must be served with a subpoena. Fed. R. Civ. P. 45. In addition, the 

party seeking the witness’s presence must deposit fees for the witness in advance of 

subpoenaing the witness. Id. In the case of an unincarcerated witness, the fee that must be 

deposited is the daily witness fee of $40.00 plus the witness’s travel expenses. 28 U.S.C. § 

1821.

If Plaintiff wishes to obtain the attendance of one or more unincarcerated witnesses 

who refuse to testify voluntarily, Plaintiff must first notify the Court in writing of the name 

and location of each unincarcerated witness. Plaintiff is to notify the Court of the names 

and locations of such witnesses on or before March 6, 2015.

The Court will calculate the travel expense for each such witness and notify Plaintiff 

of the amount(s) to be deposited for each. Plaintiff must then, for each witness, submit a 

money order made payable to the witness for the full amount of the witness’s travel 

expenses plus the daily witness fee of $40.00. The subpoena will not be served on the 

unincarcerated witness by the United States Marshal unless the money order is tendered to 

the Court. There is no legal basis for using public funds to cover such expenses in civil 

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cases even for parties proceeding in forma pauperis.

If Plaintiff wishes to have the Marshal serve any unincarcerated witnesses who 

refuse to testify voluntarily, Plaintiff must submit the money orders to the Court on or 

before March 27, 2015. 

B. Scheduling Order

With regard to the further litigation and trial of this matter, the Court specifically 

ORDERS as follows:

1. This matter is set for telephonic trial confirmation hearing before the

Honorable Michael J. Seng, U.S. Magistrate Judge, on April 16, 2015, at 

1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 6;

2. This matter is set for trial before the Honorable Michael J. Seng on June 2, 

2015, at 8:30 a.m. in Courtroom 6;

3. Counsel for Defendants is required to arrange for the participation of Plaintiff 

in the telephonic trial confirmation hearing and to initiate the telephonic 

hearing at (559) 499-5946;

4. Plaintiff shall serve and file a pretrial statement as described in this Order on 

or before March 6, 2015;

5. Defendants shall serve and file a pretrial statement as described in this Order 

on or before March 27, 2015;

6. In addition to electronically filing their pretrial statement, Defendants shall email the pretrial statement to: mjsorders@caed.uscourts.gov;

7. If Plaintiff intends to call incarcerated witnesses at time of trial, Plaintiff shall 

serve and file a motion for attendance of incarcerated witnesses as described 

in this Order on or before March 6, 2015;

8. The opposition to the motion for the attendance of incarcerated witnesses, if 

any, shall be filed on or before March 27, 2015;

9. If Plaintiff wishes to obtain the attendance of unincarcerated witnesses who 

refuse to testify voluntarily, Plaintiff must notify the Court of their names and 

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locations on or before March 6, 2015, and Plaintiff must submit the money 

orders, as described in section A subsection 4 of this Order, to the Court on 

or before March 27, 2015;

10. The Clerk’s Office shall send Plaintiff a copy of Local Rule 281.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 12, 2014 /s/Michael J. Seng 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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