Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-01376/USCOURTS-caed-1_07-cv-01376-1/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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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

RAMIRO GARCIA, JR., et al., CASE NO. CV F 07-1376 LJO SMS

Plaintiffs, 

SCHEDULING CONFERENCE ORDER

vs.

Expert

CITY OF MODESTO, Disclosure: March 6, 2009

et al.,

Supplemental

Defendants. Expert Disclosure: March 20, 2009

Nonexpert

Discovery Cutoff: March 6, 2009

Expert

Discovery Cutoff: June 1, 2009

Pretrial

Motion Filing

Deadline: June 11, 2009

Pretrial Motion

Hearing Deadline: July 16, 2009

Settlement Conf.: None set.

Pretrial Conf.: Date: July 30, 2009

Time: 8:15 a.m.

Dept.: 4 (LJO)

Jury Trial: Date: Sept. 14, 2009

(10-13 days est.) Time: 8:30 a.m. 

 / Dept.: 4 (LJO)

This Court conducted a February 11, 2008 scheduling conference. Plaintiffs appeared by

telephone by counsel Benjamin Nisenbaum, Law Offices of John L. Burris. Defendants appeared by

telephone by counsel Dan Farrar. Pursuant to F.R.Civ.P. 16(b), this Court sets a schedule for this action.

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1. Amendment To The Parties’ Pleadings

The parties propose no amendment to their respective pleadings.

2. Consent To Magistrate Judge

All parties do not consent to the conduct of further proceedings, including trial and entry of

judgment, by a United States Magistrate Judge. Due to this Court’s heavy caseload and its effect to hold

to scheduled dates, the parties are encouraged to consent to the conduct of further proceedings by a

United States Magistrate Judge. 

3. F.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(1) Initial Disclosures

The parties shall serve their respective F.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(1) initial disclosures no later than

February 25, 2008.

4. Expert Witnesses

Initial expert witness disclosures by any party shall be served no later than March 6, 2009.

Supplemental expert witness disclosures by any party shall be served no later than March 20, 2009.

Such disclosures must be made pursuant to F.R.Civ.P. 26(a)(2)(A) and (B) and shall include all

information required thereunder. In addition, F.R.Civ.P. 26(b)(4) and F.R.Civ.P. 26(e) shall specifically

apply to all discovery relating to expert witnesses and their opinions. Each expert witness must be

prepared fully to be examined on all subjects and opinions included in the designations. Failure to

comply with these requirements will result in the imposition of appropriate sanctions, which may include

the preclusion of testimony or other evidence offered through the expert witness. In particular, this

Court will enforce preclusion of testimony or other evidence if F.R.Civ.P. 26(e) is not strictly complied

with. 

5. Discovery Cutoffs And Limits

All nonexpert discovery shall be completed no later than March 6, 2009. All expert discovery

shall be completed no later than June 1, 2009.

6. Pretrial Motion Schedule

All pretrial motions, both dispositive and nondispositive (except motions in limine), shall be

served and filed no later than June 11, 2009. All pretrial dispositive and nondispositive motions (except

motions in limine) shall be set before the appropriate judge for a hearing to be conducted no later than

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July 16, 2009.

At the pretrial conference, the Court will set filing and hearing dates for motions in limine.

7. Mandatory Settlement Conference

At this time, this Court sets no settlement conference. If the parties later desire a settlement

conference, they may jointly request one by contacting the chambers of the United States Magistrate

Judge assigned to this action.

If a settlement conference is set and unless otherwise permitted in advance by the Court, the

attorneys who will try the case shall appear at the settlement conference with the parties and the person

or persons having full authority to negotiate and settle the case, on any terms, at the conference. 

No later than seven days prior to the settlement conference, each party shall submit directly

to the settlement conference judge’s chambers a confidential settlement conference statement. This

statement should neither be filed with the clerk of the Court nor served on any other party. Each

statement shall be clearly marked “CONFIDENTIAL” with the date and time of the mandatory

settlement conference indicated prominently. Counsel are urged to request the return of their statements.

If such request is not made, the Court will dispose of the statement.

The confidential settlement conference statement shall include the following: 

A. A brief statement of the facts of the case; 

B. A brief statement of the claims and defenses (i.e., statutory or other grounds upon which

the claims or defenses are based), a forthright evaluation of the parties' likelihood of prevailing on the

claims and defenses, and a description of the major issues in dispute;

C. A summary of the proceedings to date;

D. An estimate of the cost and time to be expended for further pretrial and trial matters,

including discovery;

E. The relief sought; and

F. The party's position on settlement, including the amount which or otherwise what the

party will accept to settle, realistic settlement expectations, present demands and offers, and a history

of past settlement discussions, offers, and demands.

This Court will vacate the settlement conference if the Court finds the settlement conference will

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be neither productive nor meaningful to attempt to resolve all or part of this case. As far in advance of

the settlement conference as possible, a party shall inform the Court and other parties that it believes the

case is not in a settlement posture so the Court may vacate or reset the settlement conference. Otherwise

the parties shall proceed with the settlement conference in good faith to attempt to resolve all or part of

the case.

8. Pretrial Conference

This Court sets a pretrial conference for July 30, 2009 at 8:15 a.m. in Department 4 (LJO) of

this Court. The parties are directed to file a joint pretrial statement which complies with the

requirements of this Court’s Local Rule 16-281. In addition, the joint pretrial statement should include

a brief factual summary and an agreed upon neutral statement of the case. An additional copy of the

joint pretrial statement, carefully prepared and executed by all counsel, shall be electronically filed in

CM/ECF and shall be e-mailed in WordPerfect format to ljoorders@caed.uscourts.gov.

The parties’ attention is directed to this Court’s Local Rules 16-281 and 16-282. This Court will

insist upon strict compliance with those rules.

At the pretrial conference, the Court will set deadlines, among others, to file motions in limine,

final witness lists, exhibits, jury instructions, objections, and other trial documents.

9. Trial Date

A 10-13 day jury trial is set for September 14, 2009 at 8:30 a.m. in Department 4 (LJO) of this

Court. 

Defendants may seek a second trial phase on the amount of punitive damages if the elements for

punitive damages are found in the first trial phase.

10. Effect Of This Order

This order represents the best estimate of the Court and parties as to the agenda most suitable to

dispose of this case. If the parties determine at any time that the schedule outlined in this order cannot

be met, the parties are ordered to notify the Court immediately of that fact so that adjustments may be

made, either by stipulation or by subsequent status conference. Stipulations extending the deadlines

contained herein will not be considered unless they are accompanied by affidavits or declarations with

attached exhibits, where appropriate, which establish good cause for granting the relief requested.

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Failure to comply with this order shall result in the imposition of sanctions. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 11, 2008 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

66h44d UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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