Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_12-cv-00941/USCOURTS-caed-1_12-cv-00941-8/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

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DARNELL DUKES,

Plaintiff,

v.

GARCIA,

Defendant.

Case No. 1:12-cv-00941 LJO DLB PC

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S EX 

PARTE APPLICATION TO VACATE 

DISCOVERY AND SCHEDULING ORDER

(Document 55)

ORDER VACATING DISCOVERY AND 

SCHEDULING ORDER

(Document 54)

Plaintiff Darnell Dukes (“Plaintiff”) is a California state prisoner proceeding pro se and in 

forma pauperis in this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. 

On February 24, 2014, the Court granted Defendant’s motion to dismiss based on exhaustion 

and entered judgment. Plaintiff appealed the dismissal, and on August 19, 2014, the Ninth Circuit 

Court of Appeals remanded the action pursuant to the new procedures set forth in Albino v. Baca, 

747 F.3d 1162, 1170 (9th Cir. 2014).

On September 12, 2014, the Court vacated the judgment and ordered Defendant to file a 

response to the complaint.

On October 15, 2014, Defendant filed a motion for summary judgment based on exhaustion.

Case 1:12-cv-00941-LJO-DLB Document 56 Filed 10/29/14 Page 1 of 3
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Pursuant to Court order, Defendant filed an answer on October 24, 2014. As is the custom in 

prisoner civil rights actions, the Court then issued a Discovery and Scheduling Order opening 

discovery.

On October 28, 2014, Defendant filed an ex parte application to vacate the Discovery and 

Scheduling Order. 

DISCUSSION

A scheduling order “may be modified only for good cause,” and by leave of court. Fed. R. 

Civ. P. 16(b)(4). The Court has broad discretion to control the course of litigation under Fed. R. Civ. 

P. 16. Hunt v. Cnty. of Orange, 672 F.3d 606, 616 (9th Cir. 2012).

Here, the Court finds that good cause exists to vacate the scheduling order. Unlike most 

prisoner actions remanded by the Ninth Circuit, this action was remanded solely on procedural 

grounds. The Ninth Circuit did not address the merits of the underlying exhaustion issue, but rather 

remanded in light of the new procedure for deciding exhaustion set forth in Albino.

Defendant has now filed his motion for summary judgment based on exhaustion. While the 

procedure for raising the issue has changed, Defendant’s motion sets forth the same arguments, and 

is supported by the same evidence, as the prior motion to dismiss. 

Given the procedural posture of this action, good cause exists to vacate the opening of 

merits-based discovery. Albino, 747 F.3d at 1170 (“If discovery is appropriate, the district court 

may in its discretion limit discovery to evidence concerning exhaustion, leaving until later-if it 

becomes necessary-discovery directed to the merits of the suit.”). 

Accordingly, the Court GRANTS Defendant’s request and VACATES the Discovery and 

Scheduling Order.

If Plaintiff believes that discovery related to exhaustion is necessary, he must file a request 

pursuant to Rule 56(d) within thirty days (30) days of the date of service of this order. Otherwise, 

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Plaintiff must file his opposition to Defendant’s motion for summary judgment within thirty (30) 

days of the date of service of this order. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 29, 2014 /s/ Dennis L. Beck 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:12-cv-00941-LJO-DLB Document 56 Filed 10/29/14 Page 3 of 3