Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-00770/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-00770-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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STIPULATION TO MODIFY SCHEDULING 

ORDER AND ORDER 

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VINCENT W. DAVIS (State Bar Number: 125399) 

ERI DIAZ AGUILAR (State Bar Number: 349578) 

LAW OFFICES OF VINCENT W. DAVIS & ASSOCIATES 

440 E. Huntington Drive Avenue, Suite 100 

Arcadia, California 91006 

Telephone: (626) 446-6442 

v.davis@vincentwdavis.com

eri@vincentwdavis.com 

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

VICTOR RODRIGUEZ 

DANA A. SUNTAG (State Bar Number: 125127) 

JOSHUA J. STEVENS (State Bar Number: 238105) 

HERUM\CRABTREE\SUNTAG, LLP 

5757 Pacific Avenue, Suite 222 

Stockton, California 95207 

Telephone: (209) 472-7700 

dsuntag@herumcrabtree.com

jstevens@herumcrabtree.com 

Attorneys for Defendant 

STEPHANIE EVANS 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

VICTOR RODRIGUEZ, an individual, 

 Plaintiffs, 

 vs. 

COUNTY OF SAN JOAQUIN by and through 

the SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY HUMAN 

SERVICES AGENCY; STEPHANIE EVANS, 

an individual; LYNN K. SAGAMATSUMOTO, an individual, 

and DOES 1 through 9, 

 

 Defendants. 

Case No. 2:16-cv-00770-TLN-JDP 

STIPULATION TO MODIFY 

PRETRIAL SCHEDULING ORDER; 

ORDER 

[No hearing requested]

Case 2:16-cv-00770-TLN-JDP Document 56 Filed 02/13/24 Page 1 of 6
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STIPULATION TO MODIFY SCHEDULING 

ORDER AND ORDER 

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All parties, through their counsel of record, respectfully stipulate as follows: 

RECITALS 

A. On April 14, 2016, Plaintiff filed this lawsuit, alleging eight claims against 

three Defendants. Plaintiff is suing under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 regarding the alleged 

termination of his alleged parental rights to the minor child “A.R.” through a dependency 

proceeding in the San Joaquin County Dependency Court. 

B. Defendants filed three motions to dismiss portions of Plaintiff’s operative 

complaint and amended complaints (ECF Nos. 13, 28, and 38), the last of which the 

Court ruled on by order issued on July 13, 2023. (ECF No. 46.) On August 3, 2023, the 

remaining Defendant, Stephanie Evans, filed her Answer to Plaintiff’s two remaining 

claims. (ECF No. 47.) 

C. On October 12, 2023, the Court issued its initial Pretrial Scheduling Order. 

(ECF No. 48). 

D. On November 21, 2023, counsel conducted their Rule 26(f) Conference. 

E. Defendant Evans’ counsel has diligently served written discovery 

requests, and continues to meet and confer with Plaintiff’s counsel to obtain satisfactory 

responses to Defendant’s written discovery requests. 

F. Among other things, Defendant’s discovery requests sought addresses for 

three key witnesses so defense counsel could subpoena them for deposition: Edna 

Jackson (A.R.’s mother), Kevin Robinson (A.R.’s putative father), and Ray Smith 

(Edna’s boyfriend at the time A.R. was born, and potentially A.R.’s father). Plaintiff’s 

discovery responses state he does not have any of their addresses. Due to the common 

nature of these witnesses’ names, defense counsel has been unable to locate any of 

these witnesses. Defense counsel is working on alternative means to try to locate them, 

but needs additional time to try to locate them and subpoena them for deposition and 

conduct their depositions. 

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ORDER AND ORDER 

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G. In addition, the underlying dependency records are protected from 

disclosure—even to defense counsel—under Welfare and Institutions Code 

Section 827. To obtain those records, counsel must file a petition with the San Joaquin 

County Dependency Court. On December 29, 2023, defense counsel filed such a 

petition. On February 8, 2024, the Dependency Court notified counsel that it has set a 

hearing on the petition for February 20, 2024. In the experience of defense counsel, 

assuming the Dependency Court grants the petition and orders records disclosed, it 

generally takes weeks or months (and, sometimes, many months) before the 

Dependency Court or CPS provide the records. Those records are crucial to both 

parties’ preparation. 

H. Defense counsel has noticed the deposition of Plaintiff for March 1, 2024, 

and the deposition of Plaintiff’s brother (a witness to some of the key events in the case) 

for March 5, 2024. However, defense counsel may not be able to complete those 

depositions until receipt of the dependency documents. 

I. On February 7, 2024, the parties met and conferred regarding a possible 

independent mental examination of Plaintiff. Plaintiff’s counsel will discuss the issue 

with Plaintiff and respond to defense counsel. If Plaintiff agrees to the IME, it will take 

some time to retain and schedule an expert to conduct it. It may also take time for 

counsel to work out the terms of the examination. If Plaintiff does not agree to the IME, 

counsel may need to meet and confer further, and it is possible Defendant will have to 

file a motion to compel the IME. 

J. The October 12, 2023, initial Pretrial Scheduling Order set the discovery 

cutoff for March 29, 2024. The parties have been working diligently to undertake and 

complete the discovery they need to prepare for trial, but, as can be seen, they need 

additional time to conduct the discovery identified above, as well as potential other 

discovery based on what is learned in the discovery that is presently scheduled. 

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ORDER AND ORDER 

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K. The parties wish to extend the discovery cut off and all subsequent 

deadlines to allow them to complete their necessary discovery. The parties respectfully 

request a continuance of the dates in the Scheduling Order, as specified below, for this 

purpose. There have been no prior continuances of any of the dates in the Scheduling 

Order. 

L. When an act must be done within a specified time, the Court may, for 

good cause, extend the time with or without motion if the court acts, or a request is 

made, before the original time expires. Fed. R. Civ. P. 6(b)(1)(A). With respect to an 

order setting forth the Court’s pretrial schedule, “[t]he district court may modify the 

pretrial schedule ‘if it cannot be reasonably met despite the diligence of the party 

seeking the amendment.’” Johnson v. Mammoth Recreations, Inc., 975 F.2d 604, 609 

(9th Cir. 1992). 

STIPULATION 

The parties, by and through their undersigned counsel, respectfully request the 

Court modify the Scheduling Order as follows: 

Matter Current Date Proposed Date 

Cutoff of Discovery 3/29/24 9/30/24 

Expert Disclosure Date 5/29/24 12/6/24 

Rebuttal Expert Disclosure Date 6/28/24 1/10/25 

Joint Notice of Trial Readiness (if no 

dispositive motions will be filed)

7/29/24 2/28/25 

Last Day to Submit All Supplemental 

Disclosures and Discovery Responses 

8/27/24 3/28/25 

Dispositive Motion Cutoff Date 9/26/24 5/2/25 

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ORDER AND ORDER 

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Respectfully Submitted, 

Dated: February 9, 2024 HERUM CRABTREE SUNTAG, LLP 

 By: /s/ Joshua J. Stevens 

 JOSHUA J. STEVENS 

 Attorneys for Defendant 

 STEPHANIE EVANS 

Dated: February 12, 2024 LAW OFFICES OF VINCENT. W. 

DAVIS & ASSOCIATES 

 By: /s/ Eri Diaz Aguilar____________

 VINCENT W. DAVIS 

ERI DIAZ AGUILAR

 Attorneys for Plaintiff 

 VICTOR RODRIGUEZ 

SIGNATURE ATTESTATION 

Pursuant to Eastern District of California Local Rule 131(e), I attest that I 

obtained authorization to place Plaintiff’s counsel’s e-signature on this document and to 

file this document with the Court. 

 By: /s/ - Joshua J. Stevens_ 

 Joshua J. Stevens 

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ORDER AND ORDER 

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ORDER 

 The Court, having considered the parties’ stipulation, and good cause appearing, 

rules as follows: 

The relief the parties request is GRANTED, and the Scheduling Order is modified 

as follows: 

Matter Current Date New Date 

Cutoff of Discovery 3/29/24 9/30/24 

Expert Disclosure Date 5/29/24 12/6/24 

Rebuttal Expert Disclosure Date 6/28/24 1/10/25 

Joint Notice of Trial Readiness (if no 

dispositive motions will be filed)

7/29/24 2/28/25 

Last Day to Submit All Supplemental 

Disclosures and Discovery Responses 

8/27/24 3/28/25 

Dispositive Motion Cutoff Date 9/26/24 5/2/25 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: February 12, 2024 

Troy L. Nunley

United States District Judge

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