Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-01436/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-01436-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Insurance Contract

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

(11/01) PRETRIAL INSTRUCTIONS 

Honorable Susan Illston 

 

 

COUNSEL SHALL MEET AND CONFER IN GOOD FAITH IN ADVANCE OF COMPLYING

WITH THE FOLLOWING PRETRIAL REQUIREMENTS.

1. PRETRIAL CONFERENCE andSTATEMENT- The parties shall comply in allrespects

with F.R.Civ.P 16. The statement is due ten court days prior to the Pretrial Conference. The Pretrial

Statement must contain the following:

(a) Pretrial Conference Statement: The parties shall file a joint pretrial conference statement

containing the following information:

(1) The Action

(A) Substance of the Action. A brief description of the substance of claims 

and defenses which remain to be decided.

(B) Relief Prayed. A detailed statement of all the relief claimed, particularly

itemizing all elements of damages claimed as well as witnesses, documents or other evidentiary material to be

presented concerning the amount of those damages. 

(2) The Factual Basis of the Action

(A) Undisputed Facts. A plain and concise statement of all relevant facts not

reasonably disputable, as well as which facts parties willstipulate forincorporation into the trialrecord without

the necessity of supporting testimony or exhibits.

(B) Disputed Factual Issues. A plain and concise statement of all disputed factual

issues which remain to be decided.

(C) Agreed Statement. A statement assessing whether all or part ofthe actionmay

be presented upon an agreed statement of facts.

(D) Stipulations. A statement of stipulations requested or proposed for

pretrial or trial purposes.

(3) Disputed Legal Issues

(A) Points of Law. Without extended legal argument, a concise statement of each

disputed point of law concerning liability or relief, citing supporting statutes and decisions setting forth briefly

the nature of each party's contentions concerning each disputed point of law, including procedural and

evidentiary issues.

(B) Proposed Conclusions of Law. If the case is to be tried without a jury, unless

otherwise ordered, parties should briefly indicate objections to proposed conclusions of law.

(4) Trial Preparation

(A) Witnesses to be Called. A list of all witnesses likely to be called at trial, other

than solely for impeachment or rebuttal, together with a brief statement following each name describing the

substance of the testimony to be given.

 

Case 3:05-cv-01436-SI Document 32 Filed 07/19/05 Page 1 of 4
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Trial Preparation-continuation

(B) Exhibits, Schedules and Summaries. A list of all documents and other items

to be offered as exhibits at the trial, other than solely for impeachment or rebuttal, with a brief statement

followingeach, describingitssubstance or purpose and the identity ofthe sponsoring witness. Unless otherwise

ordered, parties will indicate their objections to the receipt in evidence of exhibits and materials lodged and that

counsel have conferred respecting such objections.

(C) Trial. If the trial is to be to a jury, parties will indicate objections to use of

materials served and filed (proposed voir dire questions, jury instructions and verdict forms) and that counsel

have conferred respecting such objections.

(D) Estimate of Trial Time. An estimate of the number of court days needed for

the presentation of each party's case, indicating possible reductions in time through proposed stipulations,

agreed statements of facts, or expedited means of presenting testimony and exhibits.

(E) Use of Discovery Responses. Counsel shall cite possible presentation at 

trialof evidence, other than solely for impeachment or rebuttal, through use of excerpts fromdepositions, from

interrogatory answers, or from responses to requests for admission. Counsel shall indicate any objections to

use of these materials and that counsel has conferred respecting such objections.

(F) Further Discovery or Motions. A statement of all remaining discovery or

motions, including motions in limine.

(5) Trial Alternatives and Options

(A) Settlement Discussion. A statement summarizing the status of settlement

negotiations and indicating whether further negotiations are likely to be productive.

(B) Consent to TrialBefore a Magistrate Judge. A statement whether reference

of all or part of the action to a master or magistrate judge is feasible, including whether the parties consent to

a court or jury trial before a magistrate judge, with appeal directly to the Ninth Circuit.

(C) Amendments,Dismissals. A statement of requested or proposed amendments

to pleadings or dismissals of parties, claims or defenses.

(D) Bifurcation, Separate Trial of Issues. A statement of whether bifurcation or

a separate trial of specific issues is feasible and desired.

2. WITNESSES

a. Jury Trials. The Pretrial Conference Statement shall include the witness list required

in part by 1(a)(4)(A) above. In addition, in the case of expert witnesses, the summary shall clearly state the

expert's theories and conclusions and the basis therefore and shall be accompanied by a curriculum vitae;ifthe

expert has prepared a report in preparation for the testimony, a copy thereof shall be furnished to opposing

counsel. Witnesses not included on the list may be excluded from testifying.

b. Non-Jury Trials. In non-jury cases, each party shall serve and lodge with the Court

a written narrative statement of the proposed direct testimony of each witness under that party's control in lieu

of a summary. Each statement shall be marked as an exhibit and shall be in a formsuitable to be received into

evidence.

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United States District Court

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3. JURY INSTRUCTIONS

a. Joint Set of Agreed Upon Instructions. The parties shall jointly prepare a set of

agreed upon jury instructions, and shall file an original and two copies of same ten court days prior to the

PretrialConference. Counsel shall deliver to Chambers a copy of their proposed jury instructions, in the same

order as their jointsubmission, on a 3-1/2"disk in WordPerfect 6.1 orWordPerfect 8format. The disk label

shall include the case number and a description of the documents.

b. Separate Instructions. Separate instructions may be submitted only as to those

instructions upon which the parties cannot agree. Separate instructions shall note on their face the identity of

the party submitting them. Prior to the required filing date, copies of these separate instructions shall be

exchanged by the parties and the party or parties objecting to the instruction shall note the basis for the

objection on the face ofthe instruction. An original and two copies of the separate instructions with objections

shall be filed ten court days prior to the Pretrial Conference.

c. Substance and Format ofInstructions. The instructions shall cover all substantive

issues and other points not covered by the Ninth Circuit Manual of Model Jury Instructions. Each requested

instruction shall be typed in full on a separate page and citations to the authorities upon which the instruction

is based shall be included. Instructions shall be brief, clear, written in plain English and free of argument.

Pattern or form instructions shall be revised to address the particular facts and issues of this case.

d. Preliminary Statement and Instructions. Ifthe parties wish to have a preliminary

statement read to the jury, and/or preliminary instructions givento the jury, they shall jointly prepare and submit

to the Court, five court days priorto the pretrialconference, the text ofthe statement and instructions, clearly

marked.

e. Voir Dire and Verdict Forms. Each party shall serve and file proposed questions

for jury voir dire and a proposed Form of Verdict not later than two court days prior to the Pretrial

Conference.

4. FINDINGS OF FACT and CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

 In non-jury cases, each party shall serve and lodge with the Court ten court days prior to

the Pretrial Conference, proposed Findings ofFact and Conclusions ofLaw on all material issues. Proposed

Findings shall be brief, written in plain English and free of pejorative language, conclusions and argument.

Parties shall deliver to Chambers copies of proposed Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law on a 3-1/2"

disk in WordPerfect 6.1 or WordPerfect 8 format. The disk label shall include the name of the parties, the

case number and a description of the documents.

5. EXHIBITS

a. Provide Copies of Exhibits to OtherParties. Each party shall provide every other

party with one set of all proposed exhibits, charts, schedules, summaries, diagrams and other similar

documentary materials to be used in its case in chief at trial, together with a complete list of allsuch proposed

exhibits. Voluminous exhibits shall be reduced by elimination of irrelevant portions or through the use of

summaries. Each item shall be pre-marked with an exhibit sticker, defendant’s exhibit numbers shall be

sequenced to begin after plaintiff's exhibit numbers. If there are numerous exhibits, they should be provided

in three-ring binders with marked tab separators. All exhibits which have not been provided as required are

subject to exclusion.

b. Stipulations re Admissibility. Tencourt days priorto the PretrialConference, the

parties shall make a good faith effort to stipulate to exhibits’ admissibility. If stipulation is not possible, the

parties shall make every effort to stipulate to authenticity and foundation absent a legitimate (not tactical)

objection. Then the matter shall be presented at the pretrial conference.

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United States District Court

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EXHIBITS-continuation

c. Objections to Other Evidence. In addition to the exhibit list, counsel 

shall confer with respect to any other evidentiary objections in advance of the PretrialConference. Each party

shall file and serve a statement briefly identifying each item objected to, the grounds for the objection and the

position of the offering party as stated at the conference.

d. Provide Copies of Exhibits to Court. Three sets of exhibits shall be provided to the

Court on the Friday prior to the trial date. Each set shall be in binders, marked, tabbed and indexed and

shall be delivered/mailed directly to Chambers. Parties are to comply with Local Rule 16-10(b)(7).

e. Disposition of Exhibits after Trial. Upon the conclusion of the trial, 

each party shall retain its exhibits through the appellate process. It is each party’s responsibility to make

arrangements with the Clerk of Court to file the record on appeal.

 

6. MOTIONS IN LIMINE 

Any party wishing to have motions in limine heard prior to the commencement oftrialmust file

and serve same no later than ten court days prior to the date set for the Pretrial Conference. Any party

opposing such a motion in limine shall file and serve its opposition papers no later than five court days prior

to the Pretrial Conference. No reply papers will be considered, and the motions will be heard at the Pretrial

Conference or at such other time as the Court may direct. Nothing in this provision prevents a party from

noticing its motions in limine regularly for hearing on or prior to the final date for hearing dispositive motions.

7. OTHER PRETRIAL MATTERS

a. Status/Discovery Conferences. Any party desiring to confer with the Court may,

upon notice to all other parties, arrange a conference through the Courtroom Deputy, 

Ms. Tracy Sutton (415-522-2028).

b. Settlement Conferences. Any party wishing to arrange a settlement conference

before another judge or Magistrate Judge may do so by contacting the courtroom deputy.

c. Daily Transcripts. If transcripts will be requested during or immediately after trial,

arrangements must be made with the court reporter at least five court days before trial commences.

8. MISCELLANEOUS

a. The Court takes a photograph of each witness prior to being sworn.

b. Please DO NOT call Chambers. If you need to contact the courtroom

deputy, please call the number above and leave a message if the deputy is not available.

c. An original and 1 copy of any correspondence that will be faxed, filed or lodged

with the court.

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