Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_06-cv-03278/USCOURTS-cand-5_06-cv-03278-4/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 625
Nature of Suit: Drug Related Seizure of Property
Cause of Action: 21:881 Forfeiture Property-Drugs

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JOSEPH P. RUSSONIELLO (CSBN 44332)

United States Attorney

BRIAN J. STRETCH(CSBN 163973)

Chief, Criminal Division

DAVID B. COUNTRYMAN (CSBN 226995)

Assistant United States Attorney

450 Golden Gate Avenue, Box 36055

San Francisco, California 94102-3495

Telephone: (415) 436-7303

Fax: (415) 436-7234

E-mail: david.countryman@usdoj.gov

Attorneys for Plaintiff

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN JOSE DIVISION

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 

Plaintiff,

v.

1. APPROXIMATELY $133,021.17 IN

FUNDS SEIZED FROM FOUR

ACCOUNTS HELD IN THE NAME OF

PONG LIN LIU;

2. 2002 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER, VIN

JT3HN86R520373938, CALIFORNIA

LICENSE NUMBER 7D09084;

3. $6,586 IN UNITED STATES

CURRENCY; AND

4. ONE LORCIN, MODEL L380, .380

CALIBER SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL,

 

Defendants.

 

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No. C 06-03278 JW 

REQUEST TO CONTINUE PRELIMINARY

PRETRIAL CONFERENCE AND

STATEMENT 

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORN

I

A

IT IS SO ORDERED

AS MODIFIED

Judge James Ware

4/7/2010

Case 5:06-cv-03278-JW Document 49 Filed 04/07/10 Page 1 of 3
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REQUEST TO CONTINUE PRELIMINARY PRETRIAL CONFERENCE AND STATEMENT

C 06-03278 JW 2

In October 2008, Pong Lin Liu was convicted of drug trafficking. Shortly thereafter, the

United States obtained a default judgment against the defendant property, but it was set aside in

June 2009, based on his attorney’s assertion of “gross negligence.” 

On September 18, 2009, the United States re-served the Lius with interrogatories and

requests for production, discovery which had been originally served in 2006, and to which no

response was received. When the re-served discovery was ignored, the United States filed a

motion to compel a response to its outstanding discovery. The United States also served the Lius

with requests for admissions, which also went unanswered. All discovery was served on the

Lius’ attorney, the Lius themselves, and Pong Lin Liu’s appellate attorney, Maitreya Badami.

On December 22, 2009, the Court granted the motion to compel and ordered that “Pong

Lin Liu and Lillian Liu shall provide complete responses by January 8, 2010.” The Lins have not

complied with the Court’s Order, and no discovery responses have been received.

On January 11, 2010, the United States filed a motion for sanctions for failure to comply

with the Court’s Order. The Lius did not file an opposition, and the hearing is currently set for

May 10, 2010. On February 19, 2010, the United States filed a motion for summary judgment. 

The Lius did not file an opposition, and the hearing is also currently set for May 10, 2010. 

On March 31, 2010, Kurt Robinson, the Lin’s attorney, filed a document entitled

“Conflict of Interest.” No explanation was given for that conflict.

Because the Lins have refused to participate in discovery, despite the Court’s explicit

Order to do so, the United States is unable to provide a meaningful preliminary pretrial

statement. Moreover, because the United States currently has two unopposed dispositive

motions on file, judicial economy would best be served by re-setting the pretrial conference until

after the dispositive motions have been heard.

DATED: April 2, 2010 JOSEPH P. RUSSONIELLO

United States Attorney

 /S/ 

DAVID B. COUNTRYMAN

Assistant United States Attorney

Case 5:06-cv-03278-JW Document 49 Filed 04/07/10 Page 2 of 3
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REQUEST TO CONTINUE PRELIMINARY PRETRIAL CONFERENCE AND STATEMENT

C 06-03278 JW 3

[PROPOSED] ORDER

UPON CONSIDERATION of the government’s request, the entire record, and for good

cause shown, it is by the Court on this day of April, 2010

ORDERED that the Preliminary Pretrial Conference in the instant case be, and hereby is,

CONTINUED until ___________________________. As such, the and Preliminary Pretrial

Conference Statement must be filed no later than ___________________________. 

 

HONORABLE JAMES WARE

United States District Judge

 IT IS SO ORDERED

 For good cause shown, the Court VACATES the April 12, 2010 Preliminary Pretrial 

Conference. The Court will set a new conference date, if necessary, in its Order addressing 

Defendant's Motion for Summary Judgment. 

Dated: April 7, 2010 

Case 5:06-cv-03278-JW Document 49 Filed 04/07/10 Page 3 of 3