Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-01600/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-01600-83/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

THOMAS CLINTON, No. 2:05-cv-1600-JAM-CMK-P

Plaintiff, 

vs. ORDER

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF

CORRECTIONS, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

Plaintiff, a former state prisoner proceeding pro se, brings this civil rights action

pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. On August 22, 2014, the court ordered the parties to file status

reports in order to set this case for trial. The parties have filed the status reports , and the court 1

finds this case ready to proceed to trial. 

 The parties will be required to file pre-trial statements in accordance with the

schedule set forth below. In addition to the matters already required to be addressed in the pretrial statement in accordance with Eastern District of California Local Rule 281, plaintiff is

informed that he may be required to make a particularized showing in his pre-trial statement in

Defendant filed a motion for additional time to file a status report (Doc. 568) due 1

to unavailability of counsel. The status report has since been filed. 

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order to obtain the attendance of witnesses. Failure to comply with the procedures set forth

below may result in the preclusion of any and all witnesses named in his pre-trial statement. 

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

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

kinds of trial evidence: (1) exhibits; and (2) the 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 witness testimony. If plaintiff wants to call witnesses to testify, he must

follow certain procedures to ensure that the witnesses will be at the trial and available to testify.

Although plaintiff does not indicate he intends to call any incarcerated witnesses,

the following information is provided to assist plaintiff. An incarcerated witness who agrees

voluntarily to attend trial to give testimony cannot come to court unless this court orders the

warden or other custodian to permit the witness to be transported to court. This court will not

issue such an order (called a writ of habeas corpus ad testificandum) unless it is satisfied that: (1)

the prospective witness is willing to attend; and (2) the prospective witness has actual knowledge

of relevant facts.

With the pre-trial statement, a party intending to introduce the testimony of

incarcerated witnesses who have agreed voluntarily to attend the trial must serve and file a

written motion for a court order requiring that such witnesses be brought to court at the time of

trial. The motion must:

1. State the name, CDC Identification number, and address of each such

witness; and

2. Be accompanied by affidavits showing that each witness is willing to

testify and that each witness has actual knowledge of relevant facts.

The willingness of the prospective witness can be shown in one of two ways:

1. The party himself can swear by affidavit that the prospective witness has

informed the party that he or she is willing to testify voluntarily without

being subpoenaed. The party must state in the affidavit when and where

the prospective witness informed the party of this willingness; or

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2. The party can serve and file an affidavit sworn to by the prospective

witness, in which the witness states that he or she is willing to testify

without being subpoenaed.

The prospective witness’ actual knowledge of relevant facts can be shown in one of two ways:

1. The party himself can swear by affidavit that the prospective witness has

actual knowledge. However, this can be done only if the party has actual

firsthand knowledge that the prospective witness was an eyewitness or an

ear-witness to the relevant facts. For example, if an incident occurred in

the plaintiff’s cell and, at the time, the plaintiff saw that a cellmate was

present and observed the incident, the plaintiff may swear to the cellmate’s

ability to testify; or

2. The party can serve and file an affidavit sworn to by the prospective

witness in which the witness describes the relevant facts to which the

prospective witness was an eye- or ear-witness. Whether the affidavit is

made by the plaintiff or by the prospective witness, it must be specific

about what the incident was, when and where it occurred, who was

present, and how the prospective witness happened to be in a position to

see or to hear what occurred at the time it occurred.

The court will review and rule on the motion for attendance of incarcerated witnesses, specifying

which prospective witnesses must be brought to court. Subsequently, the court will issue the

order necessary to cause the witness’ custodian to bring the witness to court.

If a party seeks to obtain the attendance of incarcerated witnesses who refuse to

testify voluntarily, the party should submit with his pre-trial statement a motion for the

attendance of such witnesses. Such motion should be in the form described above. In addition,

the party must indicate in the motion that the incarcerated witnesses are not willing to testify

voluntarily.

It is the responsibility of the party who has secured an unincarcerated witness’

voluntary attendance to notify the witness of the time and date of trial. No action need be sought

or obtained from the court.

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

voluntarily, not earlier than four weeks and not later than two weeks before trial, the party must

prepare and submit to the United States Marshal a subpoena for service by the Marshal upon the

witness. Blank subpoena forms may be obtained from the Clerk of the Court. Also, the party

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seeking the witness’ presence must tender an appropriate sum of money to the witness through

the United States Marshal. In the case of an unincarcerated witness, the appropriate sum of

money is the daily witness fee of $40.00 plus the witness’ travel expenses. A subpoena will not

be served by the United States Marshal upon an unincarcerated witness unless the subpoena is

accompanied by a money order made payable to the witness for the full amount of the witness’

travel expenses plus the daily witness fee of $40.00, and a copy of the court’s order granting

plaintiff in forma pauperis status. Because no statute authorizes the use of public funds for these

expenses in civil cases, the tendering of witness fees and travel expenses is required even if the

party was granted leave to proceed in forma pauperis.

Failure to comply with any portion of this order may result in the imposition of

appropriate sanctions, including dismissal of the entire action. See Local Rule 110. 

Having considered the parties’ status reports, the court makes the following orders

and sets the following schedule:

1. Defendant’s motion for additional time to file the status report (Doc. 568)

is granted;

2. Plaintiff shall file and serve his pre-trial statement, and any motions

necessary to obtain the attendance of witnesses at trial, on or before March 7, 2016; 

3. Defendants shall file their pre-trial statement on or before March 21, 2016; 

4. A pre-trial conference, as described in Local Rule 282, shall be conducted

by the undersigned on the file only, without appearances, following submission of the pre-trial

statements; and

/ / / 

/ / / 

/ / /

/ / /

/ / /

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5. A jury trial is hereby set for May 16, 2016, at 9:00 a.m., before the

Honorable John A. Mendez in courtroom #6, 14th Floor, United States District Court, Eastern

District of California, 501 I Street, Sacramento, California. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: January 11, 2016

______________________________________

CRAIG M. KELLISON

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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