Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-01540/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-01540-9/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Federal Question: Bivens Act

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Attorneys for Defendant Christopher Baker

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SHANNON WILLIAMS,

Plaintiff,

v.

OFFICER BAKER; WARDEN PAUL 

COPENHAVER; OFFICER BORJA; ASS. 

WARDEN SNYDER,

Defendants.

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1:16-cv-001540 DAD-JDP

EX PARTE APPLICATION FOR 

EXTENSION OF DISOVERY 

DEADLINE; ORDER

Defendant Christopher Baker requests to extend the discovery deadline to allow for a ruling on 

the pending dispositive motion as to Plaintiff Shannon Williams’ excessive force claim. Defendant

acted diligently in filing his dispositive motion and good cause exists for approximately a ninety-day 

continuance of the discovery deadline to allow for a ruling on the motion that may end the lawsuit.

GOOD CAUSE EXISTS TO CONTINUE THE DISCOVERY DATE

BASED ON DEFENDANT’S PENDING DISPOSITIVE MOTION

Modification of a scheduling order requires a showing of good cause and due diligence. Fed. R. 

Civ. Proc. 16(b); Johnson v. Mammoth Recreations, Inc., 975 F.2d 604, 609 (9th Cir. 1992). To 

establish good cause, the party seeking the modification of a scheduling order must generally show that 

even with the exercise of due diligence, they cannot meet the requirement of the order. Id. The court 

may also consider the prejudice to the party opposing the modification. Id. 

McGREGOR W. SCOTT

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

Case 1:16-cv-01540-DAD-HBK Document 53 Filed 11/26/18 Page 1 of 3
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This lawsuit is a Bivens1action filed by Williams, a federal inmate proceeding pro se against 

former BOP Correctional Officer Christopher Baker, alleging a claim of excessive force and a separate 

claim for retaliation arising from an incident on October 13, 2014, at United States Penitentiary Atwater. 

ECF No. 12. The claim for retaliation was dismissed per order dated September 27, 2018. ECF No. 50. 

Defendant also filed a dispositive motion for summary adjudication on the claim of excessive force, 

which was only recently fully briefed, i.e., August 31, 2018, and is currently under submission. ECF 

Nos. 45-46, 49. It is anticipated that after Findings and Recommendations are issued, the parties will 

evaluate the need to respond before the Findings and Recommendations are sent to the District Judge for 

a final ruling. The current discovery deadline of December 4, 2018, therefore, may expire prior to a 

final ruling on Defendant’s dispositive motion. Consequently, the parties’ resources are conserved by 

extending the current discovery deadline approximately ninety days to March 4, 2019, to allow for a 

ruling on the motion that can potentially end this action. See United States v. W.R. Grace, 526 F.3d 499, 

509 (9th Cir. 2008) (court’s inherent power to control its docket). Additionally, no prejudice will be 

suffered by this extension of approximately ninety days for the discovery deadline because no trial date 

has been set in this action.2 ECF No. 23. 

Accordingly, for good cause showing, including the saving of time and resources in allowing 

additional time for a ruling on the pending dispositive motion, Defendant requests the discovery 

deadline be extended approximately ninety-days. 

Respectfully submitted,

Dated: October 12, 2018 McGREGOR W. SCOTT

 United States Attorney

By: /s/Alyson A. Berg

ALYSON A. BERG

Assistant U.S. Attorney

Attorneys for Defendant

 

1 Bivens v. Six Unknown Agents, 403 U.S. 388 (1971).

2

 Williams is serving a 480-month aggregate sentence for one count of conspiracy to distribute and 

possession with intent to distribute marijuana in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 and one count of money 

laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h). He is eligible for release for good time conduct on 

April 16, 2044. 

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ORDER

The discovery deadline is continued to March 4, 2019. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: November 23, 2018 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:16-cv-01540-DAD-HBK Document 53 Filed 11/26/18 Page 3 of 3