Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-03797/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-03797-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Petition for Removal

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DRINKER BIDDLE &

REATH LLP

ATTO RN EY S AT LA W

SA N FRA N CI S CO

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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER TO 

CONTINUE STAY AND CMC; STORTZ DECL.

CASE NO. 3:15-CV-03797-EMC

MICHAEL J. STORTZ (SBN 139386)

michael.stortz@dbr.com

MARSHALL L. BAKER (SBN 300987)

marshall.baker@dbr.com

DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP

50 Fremont Street, 20th Floor

San Francisco, CA 94105-2235

Telephone: (415) 591-7500

Facsimile: (415) 591-7510

STEPHEN C. BAKER (pro hac vice)

stephen.baker@dbr.com

TIMOTHY J. O’DRISCOLL (pro hac vice)

timothy.odriscoll@dbr.com

DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP

One Logan Square, Ste. 2000

Philadelphia, PA 19103-6996

Telephone: (215) 988-2700

Facsimile: (215) 988-2757

Attorneys for Defendant

THE NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE 

INSURANCE COMPANY

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

SANFORD J. WISHNEV, individually and 

on behalf of all others similarly situated,

Plaintiff,

v.

THE NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE 

INSURANCE COMPANY, a Wisconsin 

corporation, and DOES 1-10, inclusive,

Defendants.

Case No. 3:15-CV-03797-EMC

STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] 

ORDER TO CONTINUE STAY AND CASE 

MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE;

DECLARATION OF MICHAEL STORTZ

Case 3:15-cv-03797-EMC Document 75 Filed 09/19/17 Page 1 of 6
DRINKER BIDDLE &

REATH LLP

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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER TO 

CONTINUE STAY AND CMC; STORTZ DECL.

- 1 - CASE NO. 3:15-CV-03797-EMC

WHEREAS, on June 9, 2016, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted Defendant The 

Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company’s (“Northwestern Mutual”) petition to appeal this 

Court’s Order denying Northwestern Mutual’s motion to dismiss;

WHEREAS, this action has been stayed since June 30, 2016, when this Court issued an 

order (Dkt. No. 69) staying the action “pending completion of the appellate review or further 

order”;

WHEREAS, appellate briefing in Northwestern Mutual’s appeal has been complete since 

January 27, 2017, and oral argument is set for October 16, 2017;

WHEREAS, in addition to Northwestern Mutual’s appeal, there are two other appeals 

presenting the same issues pending in the Ninth Circuit: Martin v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., No. 16-

15690 (9th Cir. Apr. 15, 2016) and Lujan v. New York Life Ins. Co., No. 16-16401 (9th Cir. Aug. 

9, 2016);

WHEREAS, appellate briefing in Martin and Lujan is also complete, and oral argument 

is also set for October 16, 2017 in those cases;

WHEREAS, on March 10, 2017, this Court issued an Order (Dkt. No. 73) (1) continuing 

the next Case Management Conference from March 28, 2017 to September 28, 2017 at 10:30 

a.m.; and (2) staying the action through the date of the Conference, September 28, 2017, “or 

pending further Order of the Court”; 

WHEREAS, the Parties through counsel have met and conferred and agree that given the 

status of Northwestern Mutual’s appeal, as well as the Martin and Lujan appeals, all of which are

fully-briefed and awaiting oral argument, (1) the existing stay in this action should continue for 

six more months, unless earlier terminated by the Court upon request of one or both of the 

parties; and (2) the September 28, 2017 CMC should be continued for six months, unless earlier 

scheduled by the Court; 

WHEREAS, the requested continuance will not impact any other deadlines already set by 

the Court.

THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED by the parties through 

their respective counsel as follows:

Case 3:15-cv-03797-EMC Document 75 Filed 09/19/17 Page 2 of 6
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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER TO 

CONTINUE STAY AND CMC; STORTZ DECL.

- 2 - CASE NO. 3:15-CV-03797-EMC

1. This action should remain stayed through March 29, 2018 or pending further 

Order of the Court; and

2. The Case Management Conference currently scheduled for September 28, 2017 

should be continued to March 29, 2018 at 10:30 a.m., or such other date as the Court deems 

proper.

3. The parties shall file a Case Management Statement on or before March 22, 2018

or as hereafter ordered by the Court.

IT IS SO STIPULATED.

Dated: September 14, 2017 DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP

By: /s/ Michael J. Stortz

Michael J. Stortz

Marshall L. Baker

Attorneys for Defendant

THE NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE 

INSURANCE COMPANY

Dated: September 14, 2017 BRAMSON, PLUTZIK, MAHLER &

BIRKHAEUSER, LLP

By: /s/ Robert M. Bramson

Robert M. Bramson

Attorneys for Plaintiff

SANFORD J. WISHNEV

Attestation Pursuant to Civil Local Rule 5-1(i)

Pursuant to Civil Local Rule 5-1(i), I, Michael J. Stortz, hereby attest that I have 

obtained concurrence in the filing of this document from the other signatory to this document. 

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that 

the foregoing is true and correct. Executed this 14th day of September, 2017 in Charleston, 

South Carolina.

/s/ Michael J. Stortz

Michael J. Stortz

Case 3:15-cv-03797-EMC Document 75 Filed 09/19/17 Page 3 of 6
DRINKER BIDDLE &

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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER TO 

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- 3 - CASE NO. 3:15-CV-03797-EMC

[PROPOSED] ORDER

Pursuant to Stipulation, IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Date: 

Hon. Edward M. Chen

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Further CMC is reset for

3/29/18 at 10:30 a.m. An updated joint CMC Statement shall be filed 

by 3/22/18. 9/19/17

U

NITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

IT IS SO ORDERED

AS MODIFIED

Judge Edward M. Chen

Case 3:15-cv-03797-EMC Document 75 Filed 09/19/17 Page 4 of 6
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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER TO 

CONTINUE STAY AND CMC; STORTZ DECL.

- 4 - CASE NO. 3:15-CV-03797-EMC

DECLARATION OF MICHAEL J. STORTZ

I, Michael J. Stortz, declare as follows:

1. I am an active member in good standing of the Bar of the State of California, 

admitted to practice before this Court, and a partner with the firm of Drinker Biddle & Reath 

LLP, attorneys of record for Defendant The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company 

(“Northwestern Mutual”) in the above-entitled action. I make this Declaration in support of the 

parties’ Stipulation to Continue Stay and Case Management Conference. If called, I could and 

would testify to the matters set forth herein.

2. This action has been stayed since June 30, 2016. Since that time, Northwestern 

Mutual has pursued an appeal in the Ninth Circuit as to this Court’s interlocutory Order 

denying Northwestern Mutual’s motion to dismiss. 

3. In Northwestern Mutual’s appeal, the parties have filed their respective briefs, 

and appellate briefing has been complete since January 27, 2017. Oral argument is scheduled 

for October 16, 2017.

4. In addition to Northwestern Mutual’s appeal, there are two other appeals 

presenting the same issues pending in the Ninth Circuit: Martin v. Metro. Life Ins. Co., No. 

16-15690 (9th Cir. Apr. 15, 2016) and Lujan v. New York Life Ins. Co., No. 16-16401 (9th Cir. 

Aug. 9, 2016).

5. The appellate briefing in Martin and Lujan is also complete, and the parties in 

those appeals are also scheduled to appear for oral argument on October 16, 2017.

6. On March 2, 2017, the parties in the present action met and conferred though 

counsel and agreed to a continuance of the existing stay for six more months.

7. On March 10, 2017, this Court granted the parties’ Stipulation and continued 

the stay through September 28, 2017 “or pending further Order of the Court.” This Court also 

continued the next Case Management Conference from March 28, 2017 to September 28, 2017 

at 10:30 a.m.

8. There is good cause to continue the stay for an additional six months, and to 

continue the September 28, 2017 Case Management Conference to March 29, 2018, as

Case 3:15-cv-03797-EMC Document 75 Filed 09/19/17 Page 5 of 6
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STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER TO 

CONTINUE STAY AND CMC; STORTZ DECL.

- 5 - CASE NO. 3:15-CV-03797-EMC

Northwestern Mutual’s appeal, Martin, and Lujan each present the same threshold questions of 

law, the resolution of which may obviate the need for any further proceedings in this Court.

9. The requested continuance will not impact any deadlines already set by the 

Court.

10. To date, the other time modifications in this case are as follows: on August 31, 

2015, the Court approved the Parties’ Stipulation As to Filing of the Amended Complaint; on 

November 5, 2015, the Court reset the hearing on Northwestern Mutual’s Motion to Dismiss 

Plaintiff’s First Amended Complaint and reset the Case Management Conference to November 

20, 2015; on November 20, 2015, the Court again reset the Case Management Conference to 

January 21, 2016; on January 12, 2016, the Court again reset the Case Management 

Conference to March 3, 2016; on February 23, 2016, the Court granted Northwestern Mutual’s 

Motion to Continue the Case Management Conference to March 24, 2016; on May 31, 2016, 

the Court approved the Parties’ stipulated request to continue the Case Management 

Conference to June 30, 2016; on March 2, 2017, the Court rescheduled the March 30, 2017

Case Management Conference for March 28, 2017; and on March 10, 2017, the Court 

continued the Case Management Conference to September 28, 2017.

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America that 

the foregoing is true and correct. Executed this 14th day of September, 2017 at Charleston, 

South Carolina.

/s/ Michael J. Stortz

Michael J. Stortz

Case 3:15-cv-03797-EMC Document 75 Filed 09/19/17 Page 6 of 6