Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_90-cv-00520/USCOURTS-caed-2_90-cv-00520-1051/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 

RALPH COLEMAN, et al., 

Plaintiffs, 

v. 

GAVIN NEWSOM, et al., 

Defendants. 

No. 2:90-cv-0520 KJM DB P 

ORDER 

 On April 15, 2020, defendants filed a motion for reconsideration and, in the alternative, 

for clarification of this court’s April 10, 2020 order setting an evidentiary hearing on Tuesday, 

April 21, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. on the issue of class members’ access to Department of State 

Hospital (DSH) inpatient programs, ECF No. 6600 at 3-4. ECF No. 6612. In accordance with 

the parties’ stipulation presented at the further telephonic status conference held on April 17, 

2020, the court continued the evidentiary hearing to May 19, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Order filed April 

24, 2020, ECF No. 6639, at 11. During the interim period the court directed its Special Master to 

closely monitor all Coleman class referrals, rejections and completed transfers to and from DSH 

inpatient programs. Id. 

 Defendants’ motion also seeks clarification of (1) the factual issues that will be the subject 

of the hearing; (2) which party holds the burden of proof; (3) whether a party may call witnesses 

other than those specified in the court’s order; and (4) the manner in which witnesses will be 

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questioned. The court issues the following order to clarify these details in advance of the 

scheduled hearing. 

 The April 24, 2020 order clarified that, with the exception of a temporary modification to 

include COVID-19 screening, the Coleman Program Guide requirements for transfer of class 

members to inpatient DSH hospital beds are in full force and effect unless and until they are 

modified by order of this court. Id. Consequently, the factual issues that will be the subject of 

the hearing are: (1) as required by the April 24, 2020 order, have DSH and CDCR been 

complying with the Program Guide requirements, as modified by the temporary addition of 

COVID-19 screening, for transfer of class members to inpatient hospital beds; (2) if they are not 

complying with those requirements, in what way or ways are they deviating from those 

requirements; and (3) what is the rationale for any deviation. 

 If the parties agree that defendants are following the requirements of the court’s April 24, 

2020 order, the court is prepared to entertain a stipulation of the parties, approved by the Special 

Master, to continue the hearing for an additional period not to exceed thirty days to monitor 

whether the necessary compliance has taken hold under the current circumstances. 

If defendants are not following the requirements of the court’s order, for the reasons 

explained in the April 24, 2020 order, they have the burden of proving that modification of that 

order and the underlying Program Guide provisions are required. The standards applicable to a 

motion based on Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60 will apply. 

Substantive testimony at hearing will be limited to that provided by Dr. Warburton, Dr. 

Bick and plaintiffs’ designated expert, Dr. Stern. The court may also wish to hear brief testimony 

from DSH Director Stephanie Clendenin regarding her understanding and awareness of Coleman

court orders as applicable to DSH, a defendant in this action. See ECF No. 6639 at 8 n.6. Direct 

testimony focused on the above factual issues from Dr. Warburton and Dr. Bick, as well as 

rebuttal testimony from Dr. Stern, may be presented in the form of sworn declarations filed with 

the court and served on all parties not later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15, 2020. All three 

witnesses and Director Clendenin must be available by videoconference for cross-examination, 

re-direct examination and, as necessary, any questions from the court. The courtroom deputy will 

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contact the parties several days before the hearing to review the court’s procedures for holding a 

proceeding by videoconference, and to provide information on how to use the technology the 

court is relying on for videoconference proceedings. No other witness testimony will be taken on 

the hearing date currently set. Subject to the usual objection process, relevant documentary 

evidence will be admitted upon motion of the parties, jointly or separately; parties must exchange 

any documents they plan to offer into evidence no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15, 2020. 

As a general matter, because defendants will have the burden of proof, the hearing will 

proceed with defendants making the initial presentation of testimony and evidence, followed by 

cross-examination from plaintiffs and, as necessary, re-direct examination by defendants. 

Thereafter, plaintiffs will, as appropriate, be permitted to call Dr. Stern in rebuttal. If the court 

directs Director Clendenin to testify, it will ask a few initial questions before allowing the parties 

to ask questions, in the same order. The court’s questions of the other witnesses, if any, will be 

interposed during the proceedings if the court has specific concerns that are not otherwise 

addressed during the proceedings. 

In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 

1. Defendants’ April 15, 2020 motion, ECF No. 6612, is GRANTED in part and 

DENIED in part; and 

2. The evidentiary hearing set for May 19, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. is confirmed to proceed in 

accordance with the provisions of this order. 

DATED: May 7, 2020. 

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