Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_09-cv-02753/USCOURTS-casd-3_09-cv-02753-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:1132 E.R.I.S.A.: Civil Enforcement of Employee Benefits

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

09cv2753

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOHN PAUL MICHA, M.D.,

Plaintiff,

v.

SUN LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY OF

CANADA, etc., et al.,

Defendants. 

 

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

Case No. 09-CV-2753-JM (JMA)

ORDER DENYING APPLICATION TO

PERMIT TELEPHONIC APPEARANCE

AT THE EARLY NEUTRAL

EVALUATION CONFERENCE 

[Doc. 17]; 

ORDER RESCHEDULING EARLY

NEUTRAL EVALUATION

CONFERENCE

On April 12, 2010, Defendant Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada, U.S.

(“Sun Life”) filed an application to permit telephonic appearance at the Early Neutral

Evaluation (“ENE”) Conference. Doc. 17. Plaintiff John Paul Micha, M.D. and

Defendant Group Disability Benefits Plan for Gynecologic Oncology Associates

Partners, LLC each filed objections to the application. Because Sun Life has not

demonstrated good cause for a telephonic appearance by its client representative at the

ENE Conference, the application is DENIED.

In order to permit the personal appearance of Sun Life’s client representative, the

Early Neutral Evaluation Conference presently scheduled for April 26, 2010 is

rescheduled for June 2, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. in the chambers of the Honorable Jan M.

Adler, United States Magistrate Judge, Room 1165, U.S. Courthouse, 940 Front Street,

Case 3:09-cv-02753-JM-BGS Document 20 Filed 04/14/10 Page 1 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

2 09cv2753

San Diego, California. 

Pursuant to Rule 16.1(c) of the Local Rules of the United States District Court for

the Southern District of California, all named parties, all counsel, and any other

person(s) whose authority is required to negotiate and enter into settlement shall

appear in person at the conference, shall be prepared to discuss the claims and

defenses, and shall be legally and factually prepared to discuss and resolve the case at

the Early Neutral Evaluation Conference. The individual(s) present at the Early

Neutral Evaluation Conference with settlement authority must have the unfettered

discretion and authority on behalf of the party to: 1) fully explore all settlement

options and to agree during the Early Neutral Evaluation Conference to any

settlement terms acceptable to the party (G. Heileman Brewing Co., Inc. v. Joseph

Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648, 653 (7th Cir. 1989)), 2) change the settlement position of

a party during the course of the Early Neutral Evaluation Conference (Pitman v.

Brinker Int'l, Inc., 216 F.R.D. 481, 485-86 (D. Ariz. 2003)), and 3) negotiate a

settlement without being restricted by any predetermined level of authority (Nick

v. Morgan's Foods, Inc., 270 F.3d 590, 596 (8th Cir. 2001)).

Governmental entities may appear through litigation counsel only. As to all other

parties, appearance by litigation counsel only is not acceptable. Retained outside

corporate counsel shall not appear on behalf of a corporation as the party who has the

authority to negotiate and enter into a settlement. The failure of any counsel, party or

authorized person to appear at the Early Neutral Evaluation Conference as

required will result in the immediate imposition of sanctions.

All conference discussions will be informal, off the record, privileged, and

confidential.

Counsel for any non-English speaking parties is responsible for arranging for the

appearance of an interpreter at the conference.

Although the submission of statements is not required in advance of the Early

Neutral Evaluation Conference, parties may submit concise statements if desired. If a

Case 3:09-cv-02753-JM-BGS Document 20 Filed 04/14/10 Page 2 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

1

Statements under 20 pages in length, including attachments and exhibits, may be

delivered directly to chambers, e-mailed to efile_adler@casd.uscourts.gov, or faxed to (619)

702-9939. Statements exceeding 20 pages in length, including attachments and exhibits, must

be delivered directly to chambers.

3 09cv2753

statement is submitted, it shall be provided to chambers no later than one week prior to

the scheduled conference.1

 If the parties submit statements in connection with the Early

Neutral Evaluation Conference, they may either do so on a confidential basis or may

exchange their statements.

Rule 26 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply to this case. All

discovery shall be stayed until after the Rule 26(f) conference, unless otherwise

permitted by Rule 26(f) or court order.

In the event the case does not settle at the Early Neutral Evaluation Conference,

the parties shall also be prepared to discuss the following matters at the conclusion of

the conference:

1. Any anticipated objections under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a)(1)

to the initial disclosure provisions of Rule 26(a)(1)(A-E);

2. The scheduling of the Rule 26(f) conference;

3. The date of initial disclosures and the date for lodging the discovery plan

following the Rule 26(f) conference; and

4. The scheduling of a Case Management Conference pursuant to Rule

16(b).

Questions regarding this case may be directed to the Magistrate Judge's law

clerk at (619) 557-5585. Counsel shall also familiarize themselves with Magistrate

Judge Adler’s Chambers Rules, which are posted on the Court’s website.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: April 14, 2010

Jan M. Adler

U.S. Magistrate Judge

Case 3:09-cv-02753-JM-BGS Document 20 Filed 04/14/10 Page 3 of 3