Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-01087/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-01087-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 12:635 Breach of Insurance Contract

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE ORDER AND [PROPOSED] ORDER THEREON 1

Law Offices of Wagner & Jones LLP

Nicholas Wagner, #109455

Andrew B. Jones, #076915

Daniel M. Kopfman, #192191

C.M. Adams, #200395

1111 E. Herndon, Suite 317

Fresno, CA 93720

Telephone: (559) 449-1800

Facsimile: (559) 449-0749

Attorneys for Plaintiff

VALLEY AIR CONDITIONING & REPAIR, INC.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

VALLEY AIR CONDITIONING &

REPAIR, INC.

Plaintiff,

v.

BENEFICIAL LIFE INSURANCE

COMPANY and DOES 1-50, inclusive

Defendants. 

____________________________________

Case No. 1:07-cv-1087 AWI-SMS

STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE

ORDER AND ORDER THEREON

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED by and between the parties, through their attorneys of record,

as follows:

1. Defendant BENEFICIAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (“BENEFICIAL”)

issues policies of life insurance.

2. On or about October 2005, John Tobbie Hopper was insured for $500,000

under Life Insurance Policy #BL2162491 (hereinafter “the Policy”) issued by BENEFICIAL.

3. John Tobbie Hopper died on December 24, 2005. 

4. On or about January 12, 2006, PLAINTIFF VALLEY AIR CONDITIONING

& REPAIR, INC. (“VALLEY AIR”) filed a claim for payment of benefits under the Policy.

5. On or about April 6, 2006, BENEFICIAL refused to pay benefits under the

Policy.

Case 1:07-cv-01087-AWI -SMS Document 32 Filed 09/19/08 Page 1 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE ORDER AND [PROPOSED] ORDER THEREON 2

6. On or about June 29, 2007, VALLEY AIR filed a complaint with the Fresno

County Superior Court. The complaint sought financial and consequential damages caused by

DEFENDANTS’ breach of contract and duties to PLAINTIFF according to proof, including

attorneys’ fees. The matter was removed to the United States District Court, Eastern District, and

the action is now styled Valley Air Conditioning & Repair, Inc. v. Beneficial Life Insurance

Company, Case No. 1:07-CV1087 AWI-SMS, United States District Court, Eastern District of

California and is referred to herein as (“this litigation”).

7. On or about June 2008, BENEFICIAL sought the production of all documents

relating to the attorney’s fees sought, including, but not limited to, attorney’s fees and costs charged

to VALLEY AIR, the attorney fee agreement between VALLEY AIR and the Law Offices of

Wagner & Jones LLP, and other costs related to the representation for which VALLEY AIR sought

reimbursement by way of VALLEY AIR’s First Amended Complaint. 

8. The Law Offices of Wagner & Jones LLP considers fee agreements and

documents depicting the costs of representation to be confidential and proprietary in nature. These

confidential materials are also protected pursuant to the attorney-client privilege and/or work product

doctrine. As such, VALLEY AIR will designate all responsive documents relating to the attorney’s

fees sought in this action and produced in this litigation as “CONFIDENTIAL.”

9. BENEFICIAL asserts that because VALLEY AIR is seeking attorney’s fees

and costs, the law requires the production of any attorney fee agreement, as well as documentation

supporting all attorney’s fees and costs charged to VALLEY AIR.

10. The Parties to this litigation and their attorneys are prohibited from using and

disclosing VALLEY AIR documents relating to the attorney’s fees sought — designated as

“CONFIDENTIAL” — for any purpose other than this litigation.

11. The Parties to this litigation agree that at the end of this litigation

BENEFICIAL will either return all documents relating to the attorney’s fees sought designated as

“CONFIDENTIAL” to VALLEY AIR, or destroy all such documents relating to the attorney’s fees

sought (including all copies made).

/ / /

Case 1:07-cv-01087-AWI -SMS Document 32 Filed 09/19/08 Page 2 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

STIPULATION FOR PROTECTIVE ORDER AND [PROPOSED] ORDER THEREON 3

12. Subject to this Protective Order, VALLEY AIR will produce a copy of the

attorney’s fee agreement between VALLEY AIR and the Wagner & Jones LLP office as well as a

copy of the ledger reflecting costs and attorney’s fees incurred to date. 

DATED: August 28, 2008 DANIEL M. KOPFMAN

LAW OFFICES OF WAGNER & JONES LLP

By: /s/ Daniel Kopfman 

DANIEL M. KOPFMAN,

ATTORNEY FOR PLAINTIFF

VALLEY AIR CONDITIONING &

REPAIR, INC. 

DATED: August 28, 2008 JAY A. CHRISTOFFERSON

McCORMICK, BARSTOW, SHEPPARD,

WAYTE & CARRUTH LLP

By: /s/ Jay A. Christofferson 

JAY A. CHRISTOFFERSON,

ATTORNEY FOR DEFENDANT

BENEFICIAL LIFE INSURANCE

COMPANY 

 IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 18, 2008 /s/ Sandra M. Snyder 

icido3 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:07-cv-01087-AWI -SMS Document 32 Filed 09/19/08 Page 3 of 3