Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_90-cv-00520/USCOURTS-caed-2_90-cv-00520-931/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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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

RALPH COLEMAN, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

EDMUND J. BROWN, JR., et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:90-cv-0520 KJM DB P 

ORDER APPOINTING 

NEUTRAL EXPERT 

The court appoints Charles J. Stevens, Esq. of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP to 

serve as the court’s neutral expert in accordance with Federal Rule of Evidence 706. Mr. Stevens 

may utilize additional staff from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP or retain additional staff to form 

an investigative team as he deems necessary to the full, fair and efficient fulfillment of the neutral 

expert’s duties under this order. The additional staff may include but not be limited to Benjamin 

Wagner, Esq. Mr. Stevens shall identify any additional staff besides Mr. Wagner for approval by 

the court in advance of their utilization or retention. 

 The purpose of this appointment is to assist the court in investigating allegations 

raised in the verified report of Dr. Michael Golding, Chief Psychiatrist for the California 

Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) (Golding Report), ECF No. 5988, to 

determine whether defendants have committed any fraud on the court or the Special Master, or 

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have intentionally provided false or misleading information to the court or the Special Master.1 

See Orders filed November 13 and 29, 2018, and December 13, 2018. The specific areas of 

investigation are described below. 

A. Duties of the Neutral Expert 

It is HEREBY ORDERED that the duties of the neutral expert are and shall be 

limited to the following: 

1. To conduct an independent investigation to identify whether facts exist raising 

a question whether defendants committed fraud on the court or intentionally misled the court or 

the Special Master regarding the following matters raised in the Golding Report: 

 a. Lengthening the intervals between psychiatric appointments beyond 

court-mandated timelines for inmate-patients at the Correctional Clinical Case Management 

System (CCCMS) and Enhanced Outpatient Program (EOP) levels of care who are transferred to 

new institutions by resetting the clock for such appointments from the time of transfer rather than 

from the last completed appointment, rescheduling such appointments at the maximum time 

allowed in the Program Guide, and reporting compliance with Program Guide requirements using 

the reset timelines. See Golding Report, ECF No. 5988-1 at 1, 14-23.2

 b. Lengthening the interval between psychiatrist appointments for EOP 

inmate-patients and reporting compliance based on the extended intervals. See id. at 2, 23-26. 

 c. Combining CCCMS and EOP appointment compliance numbers into 

one reporting category. See id. at 26-27. 

 d. Inflating compliance numbers by counting every encounter between a 

psychiatrist and an inmate-patient as an appointment for purposes of measuring Program Guide 

 1

 The redacted version of the Golding Declaration and Report and accompanying exhibits 

is filed at ECF No. 5988 and is the version to which the court cites in this and all related orders. 

An unredacted version of the Golding Report is maintained under seal at ECF No. 5990 and will 

be made available to the independent investigator following his appointment. 

2

 The page numbers in this order for documents filed in the court’s Electronic Case Filing 

(ECF) system are to the page number assigned by the ECF system located in the upper righthand 

corner of each page. 

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timeline compliance, without regard to whether the encounter was a psychiatry appointment or, 

e.g., a wellness check or a cell-front attempt to communicate with an inmate patient. See id. at 5-

6, 54-57. 

 e. The manner of reporting of scheduled appointments and missed 

appointments. See id. at 7-8, 35-47, 62-63. 

 f. Failing to report that psychiatric supervisors were also performing some 

or all the functions of staff psychiatrists. See id. at 5, 56-57. 

 g. The way in which medication non-compliance is measured. See id. at 8, 

58-62. 

The scope of the court’s expert’s investigation may be expanded by order of this 

court after consideration of a request of the expert, the Special Master, or any party, based on a 

showing that allegations of the Golding Report or facts identified during the investigation, or 

both, warrant such expansion. 

2. To consult with the Special Master as necessary to achieve efficiencies in the 

discharge of the investigative duties required by this order, without involving the Special Master 

in the investigation itself. In particular, the expert shall consult with the Special Master to assist 

in the determination of what types of data and information in the areas covered by section 

A(1)(a)-(g) above are required by the Program Guide, orders of this court, and directives of the 

Special Master. All such consultations shall be conducted in the presence of the parties to this 

action. 

3. To submit to the court within four months a report identifying whether there is 

evidence sufficient to warrant an evidentiary hearing into whether defendants have intentionally 

presented false or misleading information to the court in one or more of the areas addressed in the 

Golding Report and, if so, identifying that evidence. The time allowed for completion of the 

report will be extended only upon a showing that substantial work remains to complete the duties 

assigned by this order. The court will distribute the report to the parties upon receipt, and make 

further orders for filing and consideration of the report upon consultation with the parties. 

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4. The duties set forth in this order may be further specified, expanded or 

modified only by order of this court. 

B. Powers of the Neutral Expert 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the neutral expert shall have such powers as are 

necessary to the duties assigned by this order, including: 

1. To interview correctional staff, employees, and appointees of the California 

Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). Defendants shall provide suitable 

facilities and arrange for such interviews to be conducted under conditions satisfactory to the 

neutral expert. 

2. To interview defendant Governor Edmund G. Brown and members of his staff. 

Defendants shall provide suitable facilities and arrange for such interviews to be conducted under 

conditions satisfactory to the neutral expert. 

3. To interview counsel for defendants and members of their staff. Defendants 

shall provide suitable facilities and arrange for such interviews to be conducted under conditions 

satisfactory to the neutral expert. 

 4. To have access to the records, files and papers maintained by defendants to the 

extent that such access is related to the performance of the neutral expert’s duties under this 

Order. Such access shall include all departmental, institutional, and inmate records, including but 

not limited to, central files, medical records, and mental health records. The neutral expert may 

obtain copies of all such relevant records, files, and papers. 

5. The powers described herein may only be modified by order of this court. 

C. Compensation of the Neutral Expert 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the neutral expert and any of his staff shall be 

compensated at a reasonable blended hourly rate per hour for services performed as approved by 

the court. The expert shall not be compensated for travel time to and from Sacramento, 

California. All reasonable expenses incurred by the neutral expert in performing duties under this 

order shall be reimbursed as costs. 

///// 

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The independent investigator’s fees and expenses shall be borne by the defendants, 

consonant with the provisions of Federal Rule of Evidence 706(c), as part of the costs of this 

action. The matter of payment of the independent investigator’s fees is referred to the assigned 

magistrate judge. The fees will be paid using the following process: 

(1) The independent investigator will submit to the court a proposed monthly 

invoice for services rendered, summarizing time spent and expenses incurred, which the court 

will initially review. The proposed invoice shall be emailed to dborders@caed.uscourts. After 

review the court will provide a copy of the invoice to the parties. 

(2) Any party shall have seven (7) days after receipt of the invoice from the court 

to submit to the court objections, if any, to the amount billed in the invoice. Any objections shall 

be emailed to dborders@caed.uscourts.gov. 

(3) Within seven (7) days thereafter, the independent investigator shall submit to 

the court and serve on the parties a final monthly invoice for services rendered accompanied by 

an explanation of the independent investigator’s response to any objections. The final monthly 

invoice shall be emailed to dborders@caed.uscourts.gov and be accompanied by proof of service 

on the parties. 

After this process has been completed in full, the matter of payment of the invoice 

will then be submitted to the court for review and, as appropriate, issuance of an order for 

payment of the final invoice. 

DATED: December 14, 2018. 

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