Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-02776/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-02776-14/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

DURRELL ANTHONY PUCKETT,

Plaintiff,

v.

A. AGBOLI, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 2:14-CV-2776-JAM-DMC-P

ORDER

Plaintiff, a prisoner proceeding pro se, brings this civil rights action pursuant to 42 

U.S.C. § 1983. Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 16(b), the Court sets the following

schedule for this litigation.

 In due course, 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 pre-trial statement in accordance with Eastern District of California Local Rule 281, plaintiff 

will be required to make a particularized showing in his pre-trial statement in order to obtain the 

attendance of witnesses. Plaintiff is advised that 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. 

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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 sufficient 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.

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, CDCR 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

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.

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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 

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’ 

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

plaintiff in forma pauperis status. As noted earlier, 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 will set the following 

schedule:

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

necessary to obtain the attendance of witnesses at trial, within 30 days of the date of this order;

2. Defendants shall file their pre-trial statement within 30 days from the date 

of service of plaintiff’s pre-trial statement;

3. 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 pre-trial 

statements; and

5. The matter will be set for trial by separate final pre-trial order following the 

pre-trial conference on the file.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: February 12, 2020

____________________________________

DENNIS M. COTA

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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