Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01535/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-01535-10/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 28:1346 Breach of Contract

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STIPULATION FOR DISMISSAL OF FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION AGAINST THE UNITED STATES 1

AND PLAINTIFFS SAMUEL MERCARDO AND MUSA GOWON; ORDER

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Edward M. Higginbotham (SBN 231636)

Paul L. Alaga (SBN221165)

Ian B. Kelley (SBN215393)

885 Bryant Street, 2nd Floor

San Francisco, CA 94103

Telephone: (415) 581-0885

Fax: (415) 581-0887

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

Susan E. Coleman (SBN 171832)

Kristina Gruenberg

BURKE, WILLIAMS & SORENSEN, LLP

444 South Flower Street, Suite 2400

Los Angeles, CA 90071-2953

Telephone: (213) 236-0600

Fax: (213) 236-2700

scoleman@bwslaw.com

Attorney for Defendant 

Manangement & Training Corporation and 

Michael Benov

PHILLIP A. TALBERT

United States Attorney

ALYSON A. BERG

Assistant United States Attorney

2500 Tulare Street, Suite 4401

Fresno, California 93721

Telephone: (559) 497-4000

Facsimile: (559) 497-4099

Attorneys for Defendant 

United States of America

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SAMUEL MERCARDO, ET AL,

Plaintiffs,

v.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ET AL., 

Defendants.

Case No. 1:13-cv-01535 AWI-JLT

STIPULATION FOR DISMISSAL

OF FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION 

AGAINST THE UNITED STATES 

AND PLAINTIFFS SAMUEL 

MERCARDO AND MUSA GOWON; 

ORDER

Case 1:13-cv-01535-AWI-JLT Document 71 Filed 01/12/17 Page 1 of 3
STIPULATION FOR DISMISSAL OF FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION AGAINST THE UNITED STATES 2

AND PLAINTIFFS SAMUEL MERCARDO AND MUSA GOWON; ORDER

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On January 10, 2017, the parties filed the following stipulation:

Pursuant to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 41(a)(1), the parties hereby stipulate that the 

first cause of action against the United States and the claims by Plaintiffs Samuel Mercardo and 

Musa Gowon against all Defendants be dismissed with prejudice. All parties to bear their/its own 

attorneys fees and costs. 

IT IS SO STIPULATED

DATED: January 10, 2017 Respectfully submitted,

(As authorized 1/10/2017)

/s/ Edward M. Higginbotham

EDWARD M. HIGGINBOTHAM

IAN B. KELLEY

PAUL L. ALAGA

Attorneys for Plaintiffs SAMUEL MERCADO, 

DONALD GAYLE, JESUS RAMOS, JESUS 

ANDRADE, GILBERTO GONZALEZ 

BETANCOURT, WANA WIN, MUSA GOWON, 

JOSE PORTILLO MAYORGA, VICTOR 

MARTINEZ, JORGE RIVERA-VALLEJO, EDGAR 

PRADO CASTANEDA, GONZALO CISNEROS 

REYES, LUCIO PALMOARES, and HECTOR 

BAZAN

DATED: January 10, 2017 BURKE, WILLIAMS & SORENSEN, LLP

(As authorized 1/10/2017)

/s/ Kristina Gruenberg

KRISTINA GRUENBERG

SUSAN E. COLEMAN

Attorney for Defendant 

Manangement & Training Corporation and 

Michael Benov

DATED: January 10, 2017 PHILLIP A. TALBERT

United States Attorney

/s/ Alyson A. Berg

ALYSON A. BERG

Assistant United States Attorney

Attorneys for Defendant,

United States of America

Case 1:13-cv-01535-AWI-JLT Document 71 Filed 01/12/17 Page 2 of 3
STIPULATION FOR DISMISSAL OF FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION AGAINST THE UNITED STATES 3

AND PLAINTIFFS SAMUEL MERCARDO AND MUSA GOWON; ORDER

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The Court understands the stipulation as attempting to dismiss two plaintiffs entirely and the 

first cause of action against the United States. The result of the stipulation would be that: (1) the 

first cause of would remain, but not against the United States; and (2) all claims by Plaintiffs 

Mercardo and Gowon would be dismissed. Because all parties have signed the stipulation and the 

stipulation eliminates all claims by two plaintiffs, the stipulation is automatically effective as to the 

claims by Mercardo and Gowon. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 41(a)(1)(A)(ii). However, all claims against 

the United States are not disposed of, so Rule 41(a)(1) does not automatically dismiss the first cause 

of action against the United States. Nevertheless, because all parties have signed the stipulation and 

are in agreement, in the interests of time and saving resources, the Court will give effect to the 

parties’ stipulation and dismiss the first cause of action against the United States with prejudice. 

ORDER

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Pursuant to Rule 41(a)(1)(A)(ii), all claims against all Defendants by Plaintiffs Samuel 

Mercardo and Musa Gowon are dismissed with prejudice;

2. The Clerk shall note on the docket that Plaintiff’s Samuel Mercardo and Musa Gowon were 

terminated on January 10, 2017;

3. Per the stipulation of the parties, the first cause of action in the First Amended Complaint 

against the United States is DISMISSED; and

4. This case remains open. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 11, 2017 

 SENIOR DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:13-cv-01535-AWI-JLT Document 71 Filed 01/12/17 Page 3 of 3