Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_08-cv-02107/USCOURTS-azd-2_08-cv-02107-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 350
Nature of Suit: Motor Vehicle Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Insurance Contract

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Rebecca Graham,

Plaintiff, 

vs.

Geico General Insurance Company, a

foreign entity; American Family Mutual

Automobile Insurance Company, a foreign

entity; John Does I-X; ABC Corporations

I-X and Black and White Partnerships

and/or Sole Proprietorships I-X,

Defendants. 

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No. CV-08-02107-PHX-LOA

NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT

AND ORDER

Pursuant to Local Rule (?LRCiv”) 3.8(a), Rules of Practice, effective

December 1, 2007, all civil cases are, and will be, randomly assigned to a U.S. district

judge or to a U.S. magistrate judge. This matter has been assigned to the undersigned U.S.

Magistrate Judge.

As a result of the aforesaid Local Rule, if all parties consent in writing, the

case will remain with the assigned magistrate judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 636(c)(1) for

all purposes, including trial and final entry of judgment. If any party chooses the district

judge option, the case will be randomly reassigned to a U.S. district judge. To either

consent to the assigned magistrate judge or to elect to have the case heard before a

district judge, the appropriate section of the form, entitled Consent To Exercise Of

Case 2:08-cv-02107-MHM Document 9 Filed 11/24/08 Page 1 of 3
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The consent/election form may be obtained directly from the Clerk of the Court or

by accessing the District of Arizona’s web site at www.azd.uscourts.gov. To find the

consent/election form on the District’s web site, click on “Local Rules” at the top of the page,

then click on “forms” on the left side of the page and then click on and print the appropriate

form.

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Jurisdiction By United States Magistrate Judge1

, must be completed, signed and filed.

The party filing the case or removing it to this Court is responsible for serving all parties

with the consent forms. Each party must file a completed consent form and certificate of

service with the Clerk of the Court not later than 20 days after entry of appearance, and

must serve a copy by mail or hand delivery upon all parties of record in the case.

Any party is free to withhold consent to magistrate judge jurisdiction

without adverse consequences. 28 U.S.C. 636(c)(2); Rule 73(b), Fed.R.Civ.P.; Anderson

v. Woodcreek Venture Ltd., 351 F.3d 911, 913-14 (9th Cir. 2003) (pointing out that

consent is the "touchstone of magistrate judge jurisdiction" under 28 U.S.C. §636(c). “A

party to a federal civil case has, subject to some exceptions, a constitutional right to

proceed before an Article III judge.” Dixon v. Ylst, 990 F.2d 478, 479 (9th Cir. 1993)

(citing Pacemaker Diagnostic Clinic of Am. Inc. v. Instromedix, Inc., 725 F.2d 537, 541

(9th Cir. 1984) (en banc)).

A review of the Court’s file indicates that Defendant Geico General

Insurance Company filed a Notice of Removal on November 14, 2008 and Defendant

American Family Mutual Insurance Company filed an Answer on November 19, 2008.

Defendants Geico General Insurance Company and American Family

Mutual Insurance Company shall each have until Wednesday, December 10, 2008,

within which to make their selections to either consent to magistrate-judge jurisdiction or

elect to proceed before a U. S. district judge. The Court’s docket reflects the appropriate

consent form was electronically transmitted to Defendant Geico General Insurance

Company’s counsel on November 17, 2008 by the Clerk’s office.

Accordingly,

Case 2:08-cv-02107-MHM Document 9 Filed 11/24/08 Page 2 of 3
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IT IS ORDERED that Defendants Geico General Insurance Company and

American Family Mutual Insurance Company shall each have until Wednesday,

December 10, 2008 within which to file their written elections to either consent to

magistrate judge jurisdiction or elect to proceed before a United States district judge.

 IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Plaintiff Rebecca Graham shall either

consent to proceed before a magistrate judge or elect to proceed before a district judge by

Wednesday, December 10, 2008.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that counsel and any party, if

unrepresented, shall hereinafter comply with the Rules of Practice for the United States

District Court for the District of Arizona, as amended on December 1, 2007. The

District’s Rules of Practice may be found on the District Court’s internet web page at

www.azd.uscourts.gov/. All other rules may be found as www.uscourts.gov/rules/. The

fact that a party is acting pro se does not discharge this party's duties to "abide by the

rules of the court in which he litigates." Carter v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue, 784

F.2d 1006, 1008 (9th Cir. 1986).

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that counsel and any party, if

unrepresented, shall use the above caption, number and initials until further order of the

Court.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that defense counsel for Geico General

Insurance Company shall use proper capitalization in all future captions as mandated by

LRCiv 7.1(a)(3).

DATED this 21st day of November, 2008.

Case 2:08-cv-02107-MHM Document 9 Filed 11/24/08 Page 3 of 3