Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-02923/USCOURTS-azd-2_05-cv-02923-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 385
Nature of Suit: Property Damage - Product Liability
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Product Liability

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Farmers Insurance Company of Arizona, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

SC Johnson & Son Inc., 

Defendant. 

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No. CIV 05-2923-PHX-SMM

ORDER

On April 2, 2007, a Status Hearing was held in this matter regarding a stay issued by

the Court on October 4, 2006. In issuing this stay, the Court found that some of the issues

in this case, such as aspects of liability and damages, are also being litigated in the Coconino

County Superior Court action, Dennis v. Farmers Ins. Co., et al., CV-20050701. As such,

the resolution of those issues could have a determinative impact on the matters before this

Court. The Court granted that initial stay to conserve judicial resources and reduce the costs

to the litigants. 

At the Status Hearing, counsel informed the Court that a motion for summary

judgment is pending before the Coconino County Superior Court and that limited discovery

had to be conducted before the judge could rule on that motion. Counsel anticipated that the

requisite discovery could have been competed before the Status Hearing in this case, but it

has not. As noted, the scope of discovery in the Superior Court case encompasses some of

the issues in this case, such as expert testimony regarding causation and damages. 

Case 2:05-cv-02923-SMM Document 12 Filed 04/06/07 Page 1 of 2
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Farmers Insurance Company of Arizona urges this Court to lift the stay and proceed

with discovery. S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., understandably, seeks to keep the stay in place to

allow the Superior Court case to move forward first. This Court understands the difficulties

facing the Superior Court Judge. Therefore, the Court concludes that the parties and both

courts would benefit from a brief continuation of the stay in this Court. In an effort to further

conserve judicial resources, the Court will extend the stay for an additional sixty (60) days

while the related action pending in the Coconino County Superior Court, Dennis v. Farmers

Ins. Co., et al., CV-20050701, proceeds. 

Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED that the Court shall extend the stay in this action until June 5, 2007.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Court will conduct a Status Hearing in this

matter on June 5, 2007 at 4:00 p.m. in Courtroom 605, 401 W. Washington St., Phoenix,

Arizona, before the Honorable Stephen M. McNamee. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that counsel in this case, in cooperation with counsel

in the Superior Court case, Dennis v. Farmers Ins. Co., et al., CV-20050701, develop a

unified discovery plan to move these cases forward to avoid duplication of resources. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of Court shall send a courtesy copy of

this Order to the Honorable Danna Hendrix , Coconino County Superior Court Judge,

Division I, 200 N. San Francisco St., Flagstaff, Arizona 86001. 

DATED this 5th day of April, 2007.

Case 2:05-cv-02923-SMM Document 12 Filed 04/06/07 Page 2 of 2