Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_03-cv-04927/USCOURTS-cand-3_03-cv-04927-8/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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 In an order dated November 8, 2005, the Court denied defendants' motion to the extent

it sought terminating sanctions. The hearing conducted on November 30, 2005, concerned only

whether and in what amount the Court should order monetary sanctions against plaintiff Santoro.

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

Jade Santoro, Adam Snyder, No. C 03-4927 JSW (WDB)

Plaintiffs, ORDER FOLLOWING HEARING ON

DEFE NDANT S ' MOT ION FO R

SANCTIONS

v. 

City and County of San Francisco, et al.

Defendants.

___________________________________/

On November 30, 2005, the Court conducted a hearing on defendants' motion for

sanctions against plaintiff Jade Santoro.1 Dennis Cunningham, Esq., appeared on behalf of

plaintiff Santoro. Sean Connolly, Esq., and David Newdorf, Esq., appeared on behalf of the City

defendants and Alex Fagan, Sr. Lina Guillen, Esq., appeared on behalf of defendant Earl

Sanders. As ordered by the Court on November 8, 2005, plaintiff Santoro and plaintiff Santoro's

former counsel, Andrew Schwartz, Esq., were also present at the hearing.

Case 3:03-cv-04927-JSW Document 247 Filed 12/02/05 Page 1 of 3
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 Two documents, an invoice from the court reporting service of Bonnie Wagner and

Associates for the deposition of Jade Santoro scheduled to occur on August 2, 2005, and

correspondence from Michelle Estrada, legal assistant to Andrew Schwartz, to plaintiff Jade

Santoro, dated July 21, 2005, were submitted to the Court for the first time during the hearing.

The Court's clerk filed these documents and returned conformed copies to the parties.

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 The Court notes that on December 1, 2005, Ms. Guillen faxed a proof of service, signed

September 15, 2005 by a Laura Helland (presumably an employee of Moscone, Emblidge &

Quadra LLP). This document has already been filed on the Court's docket.

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After consideration of all of the relevant written submissions2, as well as the oral

arguments and factual representations made on the record at the hearing, the Court ORDERS as

follows:

1. Ms. Guillen must submit to chambers, via facsimile, the proof of service showing that

plaintiff was personally served with her clients' joinder in the City defendants' motion for

terminating sanctions.3

2. Ms. Guillen must submit correspondence to the undersigned that states the hourly rate

her firm is actually charging for her work in this case (and, if different in any material respect,

the amount her firm is actually being paid for her work in this case). She must also serve a copy

of this correspondence on plaintiff's counsel Cunningham.

3. The Court FINDS that plaintiff Santoro's failure to appear at the deposition scheduled

August 2, 2005, violated this Court's Order of June 23, 2005. The Court further FINDS that

plaintiff's failure to appear at his deposition was not "substantially justified". Fed. R. Civ. Proc.

37(b)(2).

4. Balancing the harm suffered by the defendants, the stated reasons for which plaintiff

did not attend his deposition, and plaintiff's limited financial resources, the Court hereby

SANCTIONS plaintiff in the amount of $950.00.

The $950.00 must be paid either by plaintiff or his attorney Dennis Cunningham (or some

combination thereof) and must be paid to defendants City and County of San Francisco. The

money may be paid either in installments or a lump sum but in any case must be paid no later 

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Case 3:03-cv-04927-JSW Document 247 Filed 12/02/05 Page 2 of 3
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than June 1, 2006.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: December 2, 2005 

WAYNE D. BRAZIL

United States Magistrate Judge

Copies to:

Parties, Andrew Schwartz, Esq.,

WDB, JSW, stats

Case 3:03-cv-04927-JSW Document 247 Filed 12/02/05 Page 3 of 3