Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-01797/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-01797-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: Americans with Disabilities Act

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06cv1797

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

EDWARD M. STEFAN,

Plaintiff,

v.

EDWARD CLARE III, etc., et al.

Defendants. 

 

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Case No. 06-CV-1797-H (JMA)

NOTICE AND ORDER FOR EARLY

NEUTRAL EVALUATION CONFERENCE

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that an Early Neutral Evaluation

Conference will be held on November 2, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. in the

chambers of the Honorable Jan M. Adler, United States Magistrate

Judge, Room 1165, U.S. Courthouse, 940 Front Street, San Diego,

California. 

Pursuant to Rule 16.1(c) of the Local Rules of the United

States District Court for the Southern District of California,

all named parties, all counsel, and any other person(s) whose

authority is required to negotiate and enter into settlement

shall appear in person at the conference, shall be prepared to

discuss the claims and defenses, and shall be legally

Case 3:06-cv-01797-H-JMA Document 4 Filed 09/21/06 Page 1 of 6
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and factually prepared to discuss and resolve the case at the

Early Neutral Evaluation conference. The individual(s) present

at the Early Neutral Evaluation Conference with settlement

authority must have the unfettered discretion and authority on

behalf of the party to: 1) fully explore all settlement options

and to agree during the Early Neutral Evaluation Conference to

any settlement terms acceptable to the party (G. Heileman Brewing

Co., Inc. v. Joseph Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648, 653 (7th Cir.

1989)), 2) change the settlement position of a party during the

course of the Early Neutral Evaluation Conference (Pitman v.

Brinker Int'l, Inc., 216 F.R.D. 481, 485-86 (D. Ariz. 2003)), and

3) negotiate a settlement without being restricted by any

predetermined level of authority (Nick v. Morgan's Foods, Inc.,

270 F.3d 590, 596 (8th Cir. 2001)).

Retained outside corporate counsel shall not appear on

behalf of a corporation as the party who has the authority to

negotiate and enter into a settlement. The failure of any

counsel, party or authorized person to appear at the Early

Neutral Evaluation Conference as required will result in the

immediate imposition of sanctions. 

All conference discussions will be informal, off the record,

privileged, and confidential.

Counsel for any non-English speaking parties is responsible

for arranging for the appearance of an interpreter at the

conference.

Based upon the Court’s familiarity with cases brought

pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, and in the

interest of promoting the just, efficient, and economical

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determination of this action, the Court issues the following

orders:

1. All discovery shall be stayed in this case until after

the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(f) conference;

2. Twenty-one (21) days prior to the Early Neutral

Evaluation Conference, Plaintiff’s(s') counsel shall lodge with

Magistrate Judge Adler’s chambers, and serve on opposing counsel,

a statement not in excess of two pages, including the following

information:

(a) An itemized list of the specific issues on the

subject premises which are the basis of the claimed violations

under the Americans with Disabilities Act. A recitation of

regulations, by number, will not satisfy this requirement. The

claimed violations must be specifically described. 

(b) A statement of the amount and category of damages

claimed by Plaintiff(s) in this action.

(c) The amount claimed for attorneys’ fees and costs;

and

(d) The Plaintiff’s(s') demand for settlement of the

case in its entirety.

3. Fourteen (14) days prior to the Early Neutral

Evaluation Conference, counsel for the parties shall meet and

confer regarding settlement of:

(a) The premises violations alleged; and

(b) Damages, costs, and attorneys' fees claims.

4. Seven (7) days prior to the Early Neutral Evaluation

Conference, counsel shall lodge with Magistrate Judge Adler's

chambers a joint statement advising the Court of the status of

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settlement negotiations and setting forth all issues in dispute,

including property issues, Plaintiff's(s') alleged damages, and

the claim for attorneys' fees and costs, along with a description

of any settlement demands and/or offers exchanged.

5. Plaintiff’s(s') counsel shall be prepared to present to

the Court for in camera review at the Early Neutral Evaluation

Conference documentation supporting the amount of attorneys' fees

and costs claimed.

Rule 26 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply

to this case. In the event the case does not settle at the Early

Neutral Evaluation Conference, the parties shall also be prepared

to discuss the following matters at the conclusion of the

conference:

1. Any anticipated objections under Federal Rule of Civil

Procedure 26(a)(1) to the initial disclosure provisions of Rule

26(a)(1)(A-D);

2. The scheduling of the Rule 26(f) conference;

3. The date of initial disclosures and the date for

lodging the discovery plan following the Rule 26(f) conference;

and

4. The scheduling of a Case Management Conference pursuant

to Rule 16(b).

Plaintiff's(s') counsel shall give notice of the Early

Neutral Evaluation Conference to parties responding to the

complaint after September 21, 2006.

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Questions regarding this case may be directed to the

Magistrate Judge's law clerk at (619) 557-5585.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: September 21, 2006

Jan M. Adler

U.S. Magistrate Judge

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K:\COMMON\Adler\CASES\Stefan v. Clare\ene ada order.wpd 6 06cv1797

NOTICE OF RIGHT TO CONSENT TO TRIAL

BEFORE A UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), YOU

ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT A U.S. MAGISTRATE JUDGE OF THIS DISTRICT

MAY, UPON THE CONSENT OF ALL PARTIES, ON FORM 1A AVAILABLE IN THE

CLERK'S OFFICE, CONDUCT ANY OR ALL PROCEEDINGS, INCLUDING A JURY

OR NON-JURY TRIAL, AND ORDER THE ENTRY OF A FINAL JUDGMENT. 

COUNSEL FOR THE PLAINTIFF SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OBTAINING THE

CONSENT OF ALL PARTIES, SHOULD THEY DESIRE TO CONSENT.

YOU SHOULD BE AWARE THAT YOUR DECISION TO CONSENT OR NOT TO

CONSENT IS ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY AND SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED SOLELY

TO THE CLERK OF COURT. ONLY IF ALL PARTIES CONSENT WILL THE

JUDGE OR MAGISTRATE JUDGE TO WHOM THE CASE HAS BEEN ASSIGNED BE

INFORMED OF YOUR DECISION.

JUDGMENTS OF THE U.S. MAGISTRATE JUDGES ARE APPEALABLE TO

THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS STATUTE AND THE

FEDERAL RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE.

Case 3:06-cv-01797-H-JMA Document 4 Filed 09/21/06 Page 6 of 6