Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-00142/USCOURTS-caed-1_14-cv-00142-17/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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24 Stipulation To Extend Discovery Cut-Off To April 8, 2016; Order; Hanna v. County of Fresno, 

et al., Case No. 1:14-cv–142 LJO/SKO 1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DOMINIC HANNA, ) Case No. 1:14-cv-00142 LJO/SKO

)

Plaintiff, )

v. ) STIPULATION TO MODIFY

) SCHEDULING ORDER EXTENDING

FRESNO COUNTY, et al., ) NON-EXPERT DISCOVERY 

) CUT-OFF BY SIXTY DAYS

Defendants. )

Plaintiff Dominic Hanna by and through his counsel, Robert Navarro and 

Carolyn Phillips, and defendants Fresno County, et al., by and through their respective 

counsel Carey Johnson and Michele Pepper, stipulate and agree to modify the 

scheduling order to allow additional time within which to complete non-expert 

discovery from February 8, 2016 to April 8, 2016. 

The original complaint in the above-entitled matter was filed February 3, 2014, a 

First Amended Complaint was filed May 8, 2014 followed by a Second Amended 

Complaint, to correct named defendants, May 20, 2014. Docs. 1, 20, 21. The Second 

Amended Complaint did not survive a motion to dismiss. See Docs. 21, 24, 38. The 

Third Amended Complaint filed July 27, 2014 survived defendants’ motion to dismiss 

and an Answer was filed December 4, 2014, after which the litigation was suspended 

Case 1:14-cv-00142-LJO-SKO Document 102 Filed 01/08/16 Page 1 of 5
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24 Stipulation To Extend Discovery Cut-Off To April 8, 2016; Order; Hanna v. County of Fresno, 

et al., Case No. 1:14-cv–142 LJO/SKO 2

pending determination of plaintiff’s mental competence from January 29, 2015 through 

May 13, 2015. Docs 55-58. Defense counsel was substituted July 7, 2015. 

Counsel for plaintiff requested appointment August 28, 2015, that request was 

granted November 9, 2015. Docs. 74, 91. 

Since this date counsel have toured photographed and video taped the areas of 

the jail where plaintiff Hanna was incarcerated and the areas where he made two 

attempts to commit suicide. Further, plaintiff’s counsel has taken three third-party 

witness depositions, and anticipates taking approximately twelve additional nonexpert 

depositions. The number of depositions reflects the number of percipient witnesses to 

the two separate suicide attempts, the mental assessment between attempts, and third

parties and defendants responsible for the creation and implementation of mental 

health policies and procedures. 

On August 27, 2015, plaintiff propounded two sets of document requests, one set 

to the County of Fresno and the second set to defendant Mims. These requests focused 

on documents regarding policies, procedures, and budgetary decisions of defendants. 

Responses, including objections, were served on October 13, 2015, after an extension 

was obtained. However, to date those responses remain incomplete. Until defendants’

responses to the discovery are completed plaintiff believes that some depositions cannot 

be taken. Although defendants have objected to the written discovery, they are working 

on providing further documents. Defendants maintain that the nature of the requests 

are such that identifying and providing the documents is very time consuming.

Counsel for plaintiff has outlined the outstanding discovery yet to be completed 

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24 Stipulation To Extend Discovery Cut-Off To April 8, 2016; Order; Hanna v. County of Fresno, 

et al., Case No. 1:14-cv–142 LJO/SKO 3

and discussed the same with opposing counsel on several occasions from November 9, 

2015, to January 6, 2016. Mr. Johnson has stated that he is getting together other 

responsive documents but those documents have not yet been provided to counsel, and 

additional documents have yet to be identified by Mr. Johnson for production. On 

January 6, 2016 plaintiff served a Request for Production of Documents, Set Two on 

defendant Mims.

The number of depositions and connectedness of the written discovery to those 

depositions is due in part to the nature of this lawsuit, which includes not only civil 

rights violation, deliberate indifference to mental health needs, but also a Monell claim 

which is inherently document intensive. In addition to depositions of percipient 

witness, it will be necessary to depose individuals designated by the County to testify 

regarding the customs developed, implemented, enforced, encouraged and sanctioned 

by the County regarding the custom and practice regarding the treatment and care of 

inmates with mental health disorders, withholding psychiatric medications, and other 

constitutional deprivations in the Jail. 

In order to complete the necessary discovery in preparation for trial additional 

time is necessary in order to adequately address the remaining depositions and written 

discovery.

On these bases the parties agree that an additional sixty-days for completion of 

non-expert discovery is necessary and hereby stipulate to extend the nonexpert 

discovery cut-off to April 8, 2016. 

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24 Stipulation To Extend Discovery Cut-Off To April 8, 2016; Order; Hanna v. County of Fresno, 

et al., Case No. 1:14-cv–142 LJO/SKO 4

IT IS SO STIPULATED:

Dated: 1/7/2016 ROBERT NAVARRO

CAROLYN D. PHILLIPS

By: /s/Carolyn D. Phillips

Carolyn D. Phillips

Attorneys for Petitioner

DOMINIC HANNA

Dated: 1/7/2016 STAMMER, McKNIGHT

By:/s/ Carey Johnson

CAREY JOHNSON

MICHELLE PEPPER

Attorneys for Defendants

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24 Stipulation To Extend Discovery Cut-Off To April 8, 2016; Order; Hanna v. County of Fresno, 

et al., Case No. 1:14-cv–142 LJO/SKO 5

ORDER

GOOD CAUSE APPEARING, the Court grants the request to extend the nonexpert discovery cut-off to April 8, 2016.

IT IS ORDERED THAT the Scheduling Order shall be modified to extend the 

discovery cut-off to April 8, 2016.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 7, 2016 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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