Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00632/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-00632-8/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Declaratory Judgement

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KUTAK ROCK LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

IRVINE 

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Paul F. Donsbach #174129 

Sybil L. Renick #213149 

KUTAK ROCK LLP 

18201 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 1100 

Irvine, CA 92612-1077 

Telephone: (949) 417-0999 

Facsimile: (949) 417-5394 

Patrick W. Kennison (pro hac vice) 

KUTAK ROCK LLP 

1650 Farnam Street 

Omaha, NE 68102-2186 

Telephone: (402) 346-6000 

Facsimile: (402) 346-1148 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs and Counter-Defendants 

STEADFAST INSURANCE COMPANY, a 

Delaware corporation; and AMERICAN 

GUARANTEE AND LIABILITY INSURANCE 

COMPANY, a New York corporation

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

STEADFAST INSURANCE COMPANY, a 

Delaware corporation; and AMERICAN 

GUARANTEE AND LIABILITY INSURANCE 

COMPANY, a New York corporation, 

 Plaintiffs, 

vs. 

JAMES DOBBAS, an individual; PAMELA 

DOBBAS, an individual; DONALD DOBBAS, an 

individual; PETER MANCINI and LISA 

MANCINI, husband and wife; PETER MANCINI 

as Special Administrator of the ESTATE OF 

CLAUDETTE MANCINI, deceased; LISA 

MANCINI as the Guardian Ad Litem for NASYA 

MANCINI, a minor; FALLON TURNER, an 

individual; MERRICK TURNER, an individual, 

 Defendants. 

_________________________________________ 

AND ALLRELATED COUNTER-CLAIMS. 

Case No. 2:05-CV-00632-FCD-JFM 

JOINT STIPULATION TO 

CONTINUE DISCOVERY 

DEADLINES FOR THE LIMITED 

ISSUE OF DISCOVERY 

REQUESTED BY STEADFAST 

INSURANCE COMPANY AND 

AMERICAN GUARANTEE AND 

LIABILITY INSURANCE 

COMPANY FROM KELLY G. 

WATSON, ESQ., ANNE J. 

WILLIAMS, ESQ., AND THE 

CUSTODIAN OF RECORDS OF 

WATSON ROUNDS; ORDER 

Judge: Hon. Frank C. Damrell, Jr. 

Date of Filing: March 30, 2005 

Trial Date: March 20, 2007 

/// 

/// 

Case 2:05-cv-00632-FCD-JFM Document 77 Filed 10/17/06 Page 1 of 6
KUTAK ROCK LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

IRVINE

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 - 2 - 

Plaintiffs and Counter-Defendants STEADFAST INSURANCE COMPANY 

(“Steadfast”) and AMERICAN GUARANTEE AND LIABILITY INSURANCE COMPANY 

(“American Guarantee”), and Defendants JAMES DOBBAS, PAMELA DOBBAS, DONALD 

DOBBAS, (collectively “Dobbas”), Defendants and Counter-Claimants PETER MANCINI, 

LISA MANCINI, and NASYA MANCINI, (collectively “Mancinis”), and Defendants and 

Counter-Claimants FALLON TURNER, and MERRICK TURNER, (collectively “Turners”), 

(Plaintiffs/Counter-Defendants, Steadfast and American Guarantee and Defendants Dobbas, 

Defendants/Counter-Claimants Mancinis and Defendants/Counter-Claimants Turners are 

hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Parties”), by and through their respective counsel of 

record, hereby submit this Joint Stipulation to Continue Discovery Deadlines for the Limited 

Issue of Discovery Requested by Steadfast and American Guarantee from Kelly G. Watson, Esq., 

Anne J. Williams, Esq., and the Custodian of Records of Watson Rounds. 

WHEREAS, on August 8, 2006, this Court entered an Order extending the deadlines for 

completion of discovery and dispositive motions by sixty (60) days so that all discovery must 

currently be completed on or before October 13, 2006 and all dispositive motions, except for 

motions for continuances, temporary restraining orders or other emergency applications, shall be 

heard no later than January 12, 2007. This Court also continued the Final Pretrial Conference to 

March 16, 2007 at 1:30 p.m. and the jury trial to May 22, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. 

WHEREAS, the Parties have been diligently pursuing discovery, and are scheduled to 

complete taking the depositions of all percipient witnesses and expert witnesses, with the 

exception of Kelly G. Watson, Esq. and Anne J. Williams, Esq., by the currently scheduled 

discovery cut-off date of October 13, 2006. 

WHEREAS, on or about April 17, 2006, Steadfast and American Guarantee issued 

subpoenas requesting deposition testimony from the attorneys who handled the defense of 

Defendant James Dobbas in the underlying case (captioned Peter Mancini, et al. v. James B. 

Dobbas, et al., and related Cross-claims, United States District Court for the District of Nevada, 

Case No. CCV-02-0440 DWH VPC), Kelly G. Watson, Esq., and Anne J. Williams, Esq., as well 

as documents from the Custodian of Records of Watson Rounds. 

Case 2:05-cv-00632-FCD-JFM Document 77 Filed 10/17/06 Page 2 of 6
KUTAK ROCK LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

IRVINE

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 - 3 - 

WHEREAS, on May 10, 2006, a Motion to Quash Subpoenas issued by Steadfast and 

American Guarantee to Kelly G. Watson, Esq. and the Custodian of Records of Watson Rounds, 

was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada. On July 19, 2006, at the 

hearing on the Motion to Quash, that court ordered Watson Rounds to produce all non-privileged 

documents and a privilege log within three (3) weeks from the date of the hearing. That court 

also ordered the parties to meet and confer regarding production of any documents identified on 

the privilege log and, if unable to reach an agreement, return to court to determine if such items 

should be produced. Accordingly, Watson Rounds’ non-privileged responsive documents and 

privilege log were due on August 9, 2006. 

WHEREAS, Steadfast and American Guarantee have reviewed the privilege log and nonprivileged documents by the Custodian of Records of Watson Rounds and conclude that 

information contained in those documents is directly relevant and necessary to the issues in the 

pending case. 

WHEREAS, Sybil Renick of Kutak Rock LLP, counsel for Steadfast and American 

Guarantee, had met and conferred with Kelly G. Watson, Esq. on or about September 21, 2006 

requesting production of documents claimed to be privileged. Following such discussion, 

however, issues remain with respect to which documents must be produced and whether Kelly G. 

Watson, Esq. and Anne J. Williams, Esq. should provide deposition testimony regarding their 

handling of the defense of the underlying case leading up to the settlement and binding arbitration 

as those issues are germane to the late-notice prejudice issue in this case. 

WHEREAS, Sybil Renick, on behalf of Steadfast and American Guarantee, by letter 

dated September 21, 2006, notified the Honorable Robert A. McQuaid, Jr. of the United States 

District Court for the District of Nevada that the parties have met and conferred over items 

identified on the privilege log, and have been unable to reach an agreement on several issues as 

identified above. Accordingly, Ms. Renick requested the court to schedule a further hearing on 

these issues, and also noted to the court the current discovery cut-off date of October 13, 2006. 

WHEREAS, the United States District Court for the District of Nevada initially notified 

the parties that a further hearing on the issues related to discovery requested by Steadfast and 

Case 2:05-cv-00632-FCD-JFM Document 77 Filed 10/17/06 Page 3 of 6
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IRVINE

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American Guarantee from Kelly G. Watson, Esq., Anne J. Williams, Esq. and the Custodian of 

Records of Watson Rounds, will take place on October 5, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. – eight (8) days prior 

to the currently scheduled discovery cut-off date. 

WHEREAS, the United States District Court for the District of Nevada re-scheduled the 

hearing set on October 5, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. to October 16, 2006 at 1:30 p.m. – three (3) days after

the currently scheduled discovery cut-off date – due to the fact that Kelly G. Watson, Esq. is 

scheduled to be on vacation during the week of October 2, 2006, while the Honorable Robert A. 

McQuaid, Jr. is scheduled to attend an out-of-town judicial conference during the week of 

October 9, 2006. 

WHEREAS, it is critical that Steadfast and American Guarantee address the issues 

pertaining to the discovery that they are requesting from Kelly G. Watson, Esq., Anne J. 

Williams, Esq., and the Custodian of Record of Watson Rounds at the hearing before Honorable 

Robert A. McQuaid, Jr. of the United States District Court for the District of Nevada on October 

16, 2006 at 1:30 p.m., as well as be given an opportunity to subsequently pursue such discovery 

in accordance with the ruling of that court. 

IT IS THEREFORE AGREED AND STIPULATED AS FOLLOWS. 

1. The discovery deadline in this case shall remain in effect, save and except that, for 

the sole purpose of the discovery requested by Steadfast and American Guarantee from Kelly G. 

Watson, Esq., Anne J. Williams, and the Custodian of Records of Watson Rounds, the deadline 

shall be extended by thirty (30) days so that such discovery shall be completed on or before 

November 13, 2006. In this context, “completed” means that all discovery with respect to this 

limited issue shall have been conducted so that all depositions have been taken and any disputes 

relative to discovery shall have been resolved by appropriate order if necessary and, where 

discovery has been ordered, the order has been obeyed. 

2. All other discovery deadlines shall remain the same as set forth in this Court’s 

Order entered on August 8, 2006. 

3. The current Final Pretrial Conference date of March 16, 2007 and the jury trial 

date of May 22, 2007 shall remain the same as set forth in the Court's order entered on August 8, 

Case 2:05-cv-00632-FCD-JFM Document 77 Filed 10/17/06 Page 4 of 6
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ATTORNEYS AT LAW

IRVINE

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2006. 

 Dated: October 11, 2006 KUTAK ROCK LLP 

By: /s/ Paul F. Donsbach (with permission)

Paul F. Donsbach 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs/Counter-Defendants 

STEADFAST INSURANCE COMPANY and 

AMERICAN GUARANTEE AND LIABILITY 

INSURANCE COMPANY 

Dated: October 12, 2006 NEAL, HAUSHALTER & RAY LLP 

By: /s/ Michael E. Neal (signed via attached 

facsimile page)

Michael E. Neal 

Thomas Smurro 

Counsel for Defendants 

JAMES DOBBAS, PAMELA DOBBAS, and 

DONALD DOBBAS 

Dated: October 12, 2006 LAW OFFICES OF PETER CHASE NEUMANN 

By: /s/ Michael E. Neal (signed via attached 

facsimile page) 

Peter Neumann 

Counsel for Defendants/Counter-Claimants: PETER 

MANCINI, LISA MANCINI, NASYA MANCINI, a 

minor by LISA MANCINI 

Dated: October 12, 2006 PORTER SIMON 

By: /s/ Peter H. Cuttitta (with permission)

Peter H. Cuttitta 

James E. Simon 

Counsel for Defendant/Counter-Claimants: 

FALLON TURNER and MERRICK TURNER 

Case 2:05-cv-00632-FCD-JFM Document 77 Filed 10/17/06 Page 5 of 6
KUTAK ROCK LLP

ATTORNEYS AT LAW

IRVINE

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ORDER

IT IS SO ORDERED THAT: 

1. The discovery deadline in this case shall remain in effect, save and except that, for 

the sole purpose of the discovery requested by Steadfast and American Guarantee from Kelly G. 

Watson, Esq., Anne J. Williams, and the Custodian of Records of Watson Rounds, the deadline 

shall be extended by thirty (30) days so that such discovery shall be completed on or before 

November 13, 2006. In this context, “completed” means that all discovery with respect to this 

limited issue shall have been conducted so that all depositions have been taken and any disputes 

relative to discovery shall have been resolved by appropriate order if necessary and, where 

discovery has been ordered, the order has been obeyed. 

2. All other discovery deadlines shall remain the same as set forth in this Court’s 

Order entered on August 8, 2006. 

3. The current Final Pretrial Conference date of March 16, 2007 and the jury trial 

date of May 22, 2007 shall remain the same as set forth in the Court's order entered on 

August 8, 2006. 

Dated: October 17, 2006 /s/ Frank C. Damrell Jr. 

 FRANK C. DAMRELL, JR., Judge 

Case 2:05-cv-00632-FCD-JFM Document 77 Filed 10/17/06 Page 6 of 6