Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_13-cv-05481/USCOURTS-cand-5_13-cv-05481-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 445
Nature of Suit: Americans with Disabilities Act - Employment
Cause of Action: 42:2000e Job Discrimination (Employment)

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Case No.: 13-CV-01701-LHK 

ORDER DENYING MOTIONS TO RELATE 

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United States District Court 

For the Northern District of California 

 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

SAN JOSE DIVISION 

M. HELEN BERNSTEIN, 

 Plaintiff, 

 

 v. 

APOLLO GROUP, INC., et al., 

 Defendants. 

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Case No.: 13-CV-01701-LHK

ORDER DENYING MOTIONS TO 

RELATE 

 Plaintiff M. Helen Bernstein (“Bernstein”) has filed three motions to relate cases pursuant 

to Civil Local Rule 3-12. The first seeks to relate Leon v. Exponent, Inc., Case No. 13-CV-05481-

EJD, to the above-captioned case. Case No. 13-CV-01701, ECF No. 168. The second two seek to 

relate In re: for the Issuance of a Subpoena Order Under 28 U.S.C.1782 to Exponent, Inc. dba 

Delaware Exponent, Inc. and Celina J. Mikolajczak, P.E. for the Production of Documents for Use 

in a Foreign Proceeding, Case No. 13-MC-80270, to the above-captioned case. Case No. 13-MC80270, ECF Nos. 19, 20. 

 Under Civil Local Rule 3-12(a), actions are related when: “(1) [t]he actions concern 

substantially the same parties, property, transaction or event; and (2) [i]t appears likely that there 

will be an unduly burdensome duplication of labor and expense or conflicting results if the cases 

are conducted before different Judges.” The Court finds that this standard is not met with respect to 

Case 5:13-cv-05481-EJD Document 12 Filed 01/03/14 Page 1 of 2
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Case No.: 13-CV-01701-LHK 

ORDER DENYING MOTIONS TO RELATE 

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United States District Court 

For the Northern District of California 

either Case No. 13-CV-05481 or Case No. 13-MC-80270. The above-captioned action asserts 

various contract and tort claims against the University of Phoenix arising out of Bernstein’s 

experience as a student at that institution. Case No. 13-CV-01701, ECF No. 49. Case No. 13-CV05481, by contrast, appears to state a claim for defamation arising out of incidents relating to 

lithium ion batteries used in airplanes, Case No. 13-CV-05481, ECF No. 1, while Case No. 13-

MC-80270 seeks to compel the production of documents that purportedly relate to safety issues 

involving lithium ion batteries, Case No. 13-MC-80270, ECF No. 8 at 1-2. The cases are not 

substantially related in terms of either subject matter or defendants, and there is no risk of “unduly 

burdensome duplication of labor and expense or conflicting results” if these cases are not related. 

Accordingly, Bernstein’s Motions to Relate are DENIED. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: January 3, 2014 _________________________________ 

 LUCY H. KOH 

 United States District Judge 

Case 5:13-cv-05481-EJD Document 12 Filed 01/03/14 Page 2 of 2