Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-01772/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-01772-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 15:1692 Fair Debt Collection Act

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 "Full authority to settle" means that the individuals at

the settlement conference be authorized to fully explore settlement

options and to agree at that time to any settlement terms

1 06cv1772 H(RBB)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DAVID SPECKMAN,

Plaintiff,

v.

PINNACLE FINANCIAL GROUP

INCORPORATED, a Minnesota

corporation; T-MOBILE USA,

INC., a Delaware corporation;

DOES 1-50, inclusive,

Defendants. 

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Civil No. 06cv1772 H(RBB)

NOTICE AND ORDER FOR EARLY

NEUTRAL EVALUATION CONFERENCE 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that an early neutral evaluation of your

case will be held on October 3, 2006, at 2:00 p.m. in the chambers

of United States Magistrate Judge Ruben B. Brooks, United States

Courthouse, 940 Front Street, Room 1185, San Diego, California.

Pursuant to Rule 16.1(c) of the Local Rules of the United

States District Court for the Southern District of California, all

parties, claims adjusters for insured Defendants and non-lawyer

representatives with full and unlimited authority1 to enter into a

Case 3:06-cv-01772-H-RBB Document 10 Filed 09/11/06 Page 1 of 5
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acceptable to the parties. Heileman Brewing Co., Inc. v. Joseph

Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648 (7th Cir. 1989). The person needs to have

"unfettered discretion and authority" to change the settlement

position of a party. Pitman v. Brinker Int'l, Inc., 216 F.R.D.

481, 485-86 (D. Ariz. 2003). The purpose of requiring a person

with unlimited settlement authority to attend the conference

includes that the person's view of the case may be altered during

the face-to-face conference. Pitman at 486. A limited or a sum

certain of authority is not adequate. Nick v. Morgan's Foods,

Inc., 270 F.3d 590 (8th Cir. 2001).

2 06cv1772 H(RBB)

binding settlement, as well as the principal attorneys responsible

for the litigation, must be present and legally and factually

prepared to discuss and resolve the case. Corporate counsel shall

not appear on behalf of a corporation as the party representative

who has the authority to negotiate and enter into a settlement. 

Failure to attend or obtain a proper excusal will be considered

grounds for sanctions. (Where the suit involves the United States

or one of its agencies, only counsel for the United States with

full settlement authority need appear.) (If Plaintiff is

incarcerated in a penal institution or other facility, the

Plaintiff's presence is not required and Plaintiff may participate

by telephone. In that case, defense counsel is to coordinate the

Plaintiff's appearance by telephone.)

Plaintiff's(s') counsel shall give notice of the early neutral

evaluation conference to all defendants filing an answer after the

date of this notice.

All conference discussions will be informal, off the record,

privileged and confidential. Absent good cause shown, if any

party, counsel or representative fails to promptly appear at the

settlement conference, fails to comply with the terms of this

Order, including the failure to timely provide the settlement

conference memoranda, is substantially unprepared to meaningfully

Case 3:06-cv-01772-H-RBB Document 10 Filed 09/11/06 Page 2 of 5
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3 06cv1772 H(RBB)

participate in the settlement conference, or fails to participate

in good faith in the settlement conference, the settlement

conference may be vacated and sanctions may be imposed pursuant to

Rules 16(f) and 37(b)(2)(B), (C), and (D), Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure.

In the event the case does not settle at the early neutral

evaluation conference, the parties shall also be prepared to

discuss the following matters at the conclusion of the conference:

1. Any anticipated objections under Federal Rules of Civil

Procedure 26(a)(1)(E) to the initial disclosure provisions of

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a)(1)(A-D);

2. The scheduling of the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26

(f) conference;

3. The date of initial disclosure and the date for lodging

the discovery plan following the Rule 26(f) conference; and

4. The scheduling of a case management conference pursuant to

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 16(b).

The Court will issue an order following the early neutral

evaluation conference addressing these issues and setting dates as

appropriate.

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K:\COMMON\BROOKS\CASES\SPECKMAN1772\ENENOT.WPD

revised 9/03 4 06cv1772 H(RBB)

Questions regarding this case may be directed to the

magistrate judge's research attorney at (619) 557-3404.

Dated: September 11, 2006

RUBEN B. BROOKS

United States Magistrate Judge

cc: All Parties of Record

A Notice of Right to Consent to Trial Before a United States

Magistrate Judge is attached for your information.

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K:\COMMON\BROOKS\CASES\SPECKMAN1772\ENENOT.WPD

revised 9/03 5 06cv1772 H(RBB)

NOTICE OF RIGHT TO CONSENT TO TRIAL BY UNITED STATES

MAGISTRATE JUDGE

In accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), you

are hereby notified that a United States Magistrate Judge of this

district may, upon the consent of all parties, conduct any or all

proceedings, including a jury or non-jury trial, and order the

entry of a final judgment. Consent forms are available in the

Clerk's office. Counsel for the Plaintiff shall be responsible for

obtaining the consent of all parties, should they desire to

consent.

You should be aware that your decision to consent or not to

consent is entirely voluntary and should be communicated solely to

the Clerk of the Court. Only if all parties consent will the

district judge or magistrate judge to whom the case has been

assigned be informed of your decision.

Judgments of the United States Magistrate Judges are

appealable to the United States Court of Appeals in accordance with

this statute and the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure unless

the parties at the time of their consent to trial before a

magistrate judge agree upon review by the United States District

Court.

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