Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_10-cv-00940/USCOURTS-casd-3_10-cv-00940-22/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 370
Nature of Suit: Other Fraud
Cause of Action: 28:1332fr Diversity-Fraud

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SONNY LOW, J.R. EVERETT and 

JOHN BROWN, on Behalf of Themselves 

and All Others Similarly Situated,

Plaintiffs,

v.

TRUMP UNIVERSITY, LLC, a New 

York Limited Liability Company, and 

DONALD J. TRUMP,

Defendants.

Case No.: 3:10-cv-00940-GPC-WVG

ORDER DENYING DEFENDANTS’ 

EX PARTE APPLICATION TO 

CONTINUE THE NOVEMBER 28, 

2016 TRIAL DATE

[ECF No. 510.]

Before the Court is Defendants’ ex parte application to continue the November 28,

2016 trial date to January 2, 2017. ECF No. 510. Plaintiffs filed an opposition on 

September 14, 2016. ECF No. 512. Based on the reasoning below, the Court DENIES 

Defendants’ ex parte application to continue the November 28, 2016 trial date.

DISCUSSION

“A schedule may be modified only for good cause and with the judge’s consent.” 

Fed. R. Civ. P. 16(b)(4). The “good cause” standard “primarily considers the diligence of 

the party seeking the amendment.” Johnson v. Mammoth Recreations, Inc., 975 F.2d 

604, 609 (9th Cir. 1992). “The pretrial schedule may be modified if it cannot reasonably 

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be met despite the diligence of the party seeking the extension. If the party seeking the

modification was not diligent, the inquiry should end and the motion to modify should 

not be granted.” Zivkovic v. S. California Edison Co., 302 F.3d 1080, 1087 (9th Cir. 

2002) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted). 

I. Good Cause

Defendants request that the Court continue the scheduled November 28, 2016 trial 

date until after the conclusion of the Flo & Eddie, Inc. v. Sirius XM Radio Inc., No. 13-

5693-PSG-GJS (C.D. Cal.) (“Sirius XM”) trial. The Sirius XM trial is scheduled to begin 

on November 15, 2016. See ECF No. 510-1, Declaration of Daniel M. Petrocelli 

(“Petrocelli Decl.”) ¶ 3. Mr. Daniel Petrocelli, Esq. is the lead counsel for the Sirius XM 

trial and for the trial in the instant case. Id. ¶¶ 2–3. Defendants contend that defense 

counsel will have inadequate time to prepare for trial in the instant case if a trial 

continuance is not granted.

The instant case has been pending for six and a half years. See ECF No. 1. The 

Court has repeatedly accommodated Defendants’ requests with respect to scheduling 

trial. See, e.g., ECF No. 512-2 at 5, 10, 15, 49, 74, 83. Although defense counsel agreed 

to a November 15, 2016 date for the Sirius XM trial in January 2016, defense counsel did 

not inform the Court about the possibility of a conflict with the November 28, 2016 trial 

date until August 26, 2016. See id. at 254. Defense counsel had multiple opportunities to 

raise the issue with the Court prior to August 26, 2016 but did not do so. In light of these 

facts, the Court concludes that Defendants have failed to establish good cause to continue 

the November 28, 2016 trial date. 

II. Actual Conflict

Defendants assert that (1) an actual conflict exists between trial in the Sirius XM 

case and the November 18, 2016 hearing on jury instructions in the instant case, and that 

(2) a potential conflict exists between the two trials. 

The Court VACATES the November 18, 2016 hearing on jury instructions and 

RESETS the hearing to November 10, 2016 at 1:30pm. The hearing will be held 

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concurrently with the scheduled hearing on motions in limine. The parties shall file and 

email, in WordPerfect or Word format, to the Court’s email address at 

efile_curiel@casd.uscourts.gov joint proposed jury instructions and special verdict forms,

including any objections with relevant supporting authorities on or before October 28,

2016.

With respect to the trial date, Defendants do not establish that an actual conflict 

exists between trial in the Sirius XM case and in the instant case. Defense counsel is 

directed to prepare for trial as scheduled. 

CONCLUSION

For the foregoing reasons, the Court hereby (1) DENIES Defendants’ ex parte 

application to continue the November 28, 2016 trial date to January 2, 2017 and (2) 

RESETS the hearing on jury instructions to November 10, 2016 at 1:30pm.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 15, 2016

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