Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_21-cv-00423/USCOURTS-caed-1_21-cv-00423-2/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

TODD ASHKER,

Plaintiff,

v.

C. PFEIFFER, et al.,

Defendants.

No. 1:21-cv-00423-EPG (PC)

ORDER REGARDING EARLY SETTLEMENT 

CONFERENCE

ORDER DIRECTING CLERK TO SERVE 

SUPERVISING DEPUTY ATTORNEY 

GENERAL LAWRENCE BRAGG WITH A 

COPY OF: 1) PLAINTIFF’S COMPLAINT 

(ECF NO. 32); 2) THE ORDER GRANTING IN 

PART DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS 

(ECF NO. 37) AND 3) THIS ORDER

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se in a civil-rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 

§ 1983. Plaintiff commenced this case by filing his initial complaint on October 17, 2018 in the 

Northern District of California. (ECF No. 1). This action was screened on May 28, 2020, (ECF 

No. 10), and service was accomplished thereafter. On March 11, 2021, the Northern District of 

California granted Defendants’ motion to dismiss in part and severed this action from case 

number 3:18-cv-06350. (ECF No. 37). The case was opened in this district on March 15, 2021. 

(ECF No. 38). 

The Court now directs the parties to participate in a settlement conference before a 

Magistrate Judge to see if the case can reach an early settlement. Neither side is waiving any 

claims, defenses, or objections by participating in this settlement conference. 

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Case 1:21-cv-00423-NODJ-EPG Document 40 Filed 03/17/21 Page 1 of 4
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Defense counsel is directed to consider Plaintiff’s claim(s) and to speak with Plaintiff

following this order.1 If, after investigating Plaintiff’s claim(s) and speaking with Plaintiff, and 

conferring with defense counsel’s supervisor, defense counsel in good faith finds that a settlement 

conference would not be productive at this time, defense counsel may opt out of this settlement 

conference by filing a notice with the Court, in which case the matter will proceed without an 

early settlement conference.

If defense counsel opts out of the settlement conference, or if the case does not settle at 

the conference, the case will proceed to further litigation.2

If defense counsel does not opt out, the Court will issue separate order(s) setting the 

settlement conference and detailing the pre-settlement conference procedures in due course.

Within fourteen days after the issuance of the order setting the settlement conference, in 

order to better inform all parties and have a meaningful conference, the Court is requiring that 

both parties disclose certain documents to each other about the case, as listed below. These 

documents are relevant to the case and will most likely be disclosed in discovery shortly if this 

case proceeds to litigation.3 

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Within forty-five days from the date of service of this order, the assigned Deputy 

Attorney General shall either: (1) file a notice stating that Defendant(s) opt out of 

the settlement conference; or (2) contact ADR Coordinator Sujean Park 

(spark@caed.uscourts.gov) to schedule the settlement conference. If the assigned 

Deputy Attorney General does not opt out of the settlement conference, the Court 

will issue an order setting a settlement conference. That order will include the date 

of the conference and the Magistrate Judge who will oversee the conference, and 

may also include procedures required by that Judge.

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1

In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and the evolving coronavirus protocols, the parties may 

confer by letter.

2

If the case proceeds to a settlement conference, the Court will not schedule the case until after the 

settlement conference is held. Nothing in this order extends Defendant(s)’ deadline to file a responsive pleading, but 

Defendant(s) may file a motion to extend the deadline to respond to the complaint.

3

If any party has a legal objection to providing a particular document, that party shall file and serve a notice 

describing its objection.

4 The undersigned will not be the Magistrate Judge overseeing the settlement conference.

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2. If a settlement conference is set, no later than fourteen days after the date of 

service of the order setting the settlement conference, each party shall send the 

other parties, or their attorneys (if represented), the documents listed below. The 

parties only need to provide documents related to the claim(s) that the Court 

allowed to proceed past the screening stage, survived the motion to dismiss, and 

are related to the severed claims. Additionally, defense counsel does not need to 

include any documents that defense counsel believes are confidential or subject to 

the official information privilege. Plaintiff does not need to request any 

documents from the institution at this time. Plaintiff only needs to provide these 

documents if Plaintiff already has them in his or her possession. 

a. Documents regarding exhaustion of Plaintiff’s claims, including 602s, 

Form 22s, and responses from the appeals office;

b. All non-confidential documents regarding Rules Violation Reports, if any 

exist, associated with the incident(s) alleged in the complaint, including 

disciplinary charges and findings;

c. All of Plaintiff’s medical records related to the incident and/or condition at 

issue in the case, if any exist;

d. Chronos for transfer or Administrative Segregation placement related to the 

incident(s) alleged in the complaint, if any exist; and

e. Non-confidential incident reports regarding the use of force incident(s) 

alleged in the complaint, if any exist; 

Additionally, the parties may send any other documents related to the case that the 

parties believe will assist in the settlement conference. However, the parties may 

not request any other documents until discovery has been opened.

3. The parties are reminded to keep the Court informed of their current address. Any 

change of address must be reported promptly to the Court in a separate document 

captioned for this case and entitled “Notice of Change of Address.” See L.R. 

182(f).

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4. The Clerk of Court shall serve Supervising Deputy Attorney General Lawrence 

Bragg with a copy of: (1) Plaintiff’s complaint (ECF No. 32); (2) the order 

granting in part Defendants’ motion to dismiss and severing and transferring 

certain claims to this district, (ECF No. 37); and (3) this order.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 16, 2021 /s/

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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