Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_19-cv-01148/USCOURTS-casd-3_19-cv-01148-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 340
Nature of Suit: Marine Personal Injury
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity Action

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

John ALLEN,

Plaintiff,

v.

VT MILCOM, INC.,

Defendant. 

Case No.: 19-cv-01148-WQH-AGS

SCHEDULING ORDER 

REGULATING DISCOVERY 

AND OTHER PRE-TRIAL 

PROCEEDINGS

Pursuant to Rule 16.1(d) of the Local Rules, a Case Management Conference was 

held on September 24, 2019. After consulting with the attorneys of record for the parties 

and being advised of the status of the case, and good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY 

ORDERED:

1. An Early Neutral Evaluation shall be conducted on January 3, 2020 at 9:00 

a.m. in the chambers of Magistrate Judge Andrew G. Schopler. Counsel or any party 

representing himself or herself shall submit confidential settlement briefs directly to 

chambers by December 27, 2020. All parties are ordered to read and to fully comply 

with the Chamber Rules of the assigned magistrate judge.

2. Directions to Chambers: Judge Schopler’s Chambers are located at the 

Edward J. Schwartz U.S. Courthouse, 221 West Broadway, Suite 5160, San Diego, 

California 92101. Do not report to Courtroom 5C; report to Chambers. In order to gain 

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access to Chambers, the parties should take the elevator to the 5th Floor, turn to 

face the wooden double doors (labeled “Authorized Personnel Only” and “5150”), 

and press the wall buzzer labeled “#15 JUDGE SCHOPLER.”

3. Mandatory Personal Appearances: All parties, adjusters for insured 

defendants, the principal attorneys, and any other party representatives with settlement 

authority must be present in person and prepared to discuss settlement. Counsel appearing 

without their clients (whether or not counsel has been given settlement authority) will be 

cause for imposition of sanctions. Government entities are excused from this requirement,

so long as their attorney appears, has primary responsibility for the case, and the power to 

recommend a resolution to the ultimate settlement authority. Any principal attorneys who 

are not already listed on the docket as an “ATTORNEY TO BE NOTICED,” shall file their 

appearances as soon as possible. Counsel for any non-English-speaking parties are 

responsible for supplying any interpreters.

4. ENE Statements Required: By the below-listed date, the parties shall email

efile_schopler@casd.uscourts.gov with their ENE statements, which shall be no longer 

than five pages. Each statement must outline the nature of the case, the claims, the 

defenses, the parties’ settlement positions, and all ENE attendees for that side, including 

their names, titles, and positions. The settlement position must include a specific and 

current demand or offer addressing all relief or remedies sought. If a specific demand or 

offer cannot be made, then the reasons for this must be set forth. If exhibits are attached 

and the total submission amounts to more than 20 pages, a courtesy hard copy must also 

be delivered directly to Chambers. At their discretion, the parties may choose to share 

their statements with opposing counsel or to keep them confidential.

5. Any motion to join other parties, to amend the pleadings, or to file additional 

pleadings shall be filed by October 25, 2019.

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6. During discovery, the following per-side limitations will apply:

DISCOVERY LIMITATIONS

Discovery Type Restriction (Per Side)

Depositions No more than 10

Requests for Admission No more than 25

Interrogatories No more than 35

Requests to Produce Documents No more than 25

7. All fact discovery shall be completed by all parties by June 22, 2020. 

“Completed” means that all discovery under Rules 30-36 of the Federal Rules of Civil 

Procedure, and discovery subpoenas under Rule 45, must be initiated a sufficient period 

of time in advance of the cut-off date, so that it may be completed by the cut-off date, 

taking into account the times for service, notice and response as set forth in the Federal 

Rules of Civil Procedure. Counsel shall promptly and in good faith meet and confer 

with regard to all discovery disputes in compliance with Local Rule 26.1(a). The 

Court expects counsel to make every effort to resolve all disputes without court 

intervention through the meet and confer process. If the parties reach an impasse on any 

discovery issue, counsel shall file an appropriate motion within the time limit and 

procedures outlined in the undersigned magistrate judge’s chambers rules. A failure to 

comply in this regard will result in a waiver of a party’s discovery issue. Absent an 

order of the court, no stipulation continuing or altering this requirement will be 

recognized by the court.

8. The parties shall designate their respective experts in writing by April 24, 

2020. The parties must identify any person who may be used at trial to present evidence 

pursuant to Rules 702, 703 or 705 of the Fed. R. Evid. This requirement is not limited to 

retained experts. The date for exchange of rebuttal experts shall be by May 25, 2020. 

The written designations shall include the name, address and telephone number of the 

expert and a reasonable summary of the testimony the expert is expected to provide. The 

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list shall also include the normal rates the expert charges for deposition and trial 

testimony.

9. By April 24, 2020, each party shall comply with the disclosure provisions in 

Rule 26(a)(2)(A) and (B) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. This disclosure 

requirement applies to all persons retained or specially employed to provide expert 

testimony, or whose duties as an employee of the party regularly involve the giving of 

expert testimony. Except as provided in the paragraph below, any party that fails to 

make these disclosures shall not, absent substantial justification, be permitted to use 

evidence or testimony not disclosed at any hearing or at the time of trial. In 

addition, the Court may impose sanctions as permitted by Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(c).

10. Any party shall supplement its disclosure regarding contradictory or rebuttal 

evidence under Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(2)(D) by May 25, 2020.

11. All expert discovery shall be completed by all parties by June 22, 2020. 

The parties shall comply with the same procedures set forth in the paragraph governing 

fact discovery.

12. Failure to comply with this section or any other discovery order of the court 

may result in the sanctions provided for in Fed. R. Civ. P. 37, including a prohibition on 

the introduction of experts or other designated matters in evidence.

13. All other pretrial motions must be filed by July 20, 2020. Counsel for the 

moving party must obtain a motion hearing date from the law clerk of the judge who will 

hear the motion. The period of time between the date you request a motion date and the 

hearing date may vary from one district judge to another. Please plan accordingly. 

Failure to make a timely request for a motion date may result in the motion not being 

heard. Motions in limine are to be filed as directed in the Local Rules, or as otherwise set 

by the district judge.

14. A Mandatory Settlement Conference shall be conducted on January 3, 2020

at 9:00 a.m. in the chambers of Magistrate Judge Andrew G. Schopler. Counsel or any 

party representing himself or herself shall submit confidential settlement briefs directly to 

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chambers by December 27, 2020. All parties are ordered to read and to fully comply 

with the Chamber Rules of the assigned magistrate judge.

15. In jury trial cases before Judge Hayes, neither party is required to file 

Memoranda of Contentions of Fact and Law.

16. Counsel shall comply with the pre-trial disclosure requirements of Fed. R. 

Civ. P. 26(a)(3) by August 17, 2020. Failure to comply with these disclosure 

requirements could result in evidence preclusion or other sanctions under Fed. R. Civ. P.

37.

17. Counsel shall meet and take the action required by Local Rule 16.1(f)(4) by 

August 24, 2020. At this meeting, counsel shall discuss and attempt to enter into 

stipulations and agreements resulting in simplification of the triable issues. Counsel shall 

exchange copies and/or display all exhibits other than those to be used for impeachment. 

The exhibits shall be prepared in accordance with Local Rule 16.1(f)(4)(c). Counsel shall 

note any objections they have to any other parties’ Pretrial Disclosures under Fed. R. Civ. 

P. 26(a)(3). Counsel shall cooperate in the preparation of the proposed pretrial 

conference order.

18. Counsel for plaintiff will be responsible for preparing the pretrial order and 

arranging the meetings of counsel pursuant to Civil Local Rule 16.1(f). By August 31, 

2020, plaintiff’s counsel must provide opposing counsel with the proposed pretrial order 

for review and approval. Opposing counsel must communicate promptly with plaintiff’s 

attorney concerning any objections to form or content of the pretrial order, and both 

parties shall attempt promptly to resolve their differences, if any, concerning the order.

19. The Proposed Final Pretrial Conference Order, including objections to any 

other parties’ Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(3) Pretrial Disclosures shall be prepared, served and 

lodged with the assigned district judge by September 7, 2020, and shall be in the form 

prescribed in and comply with Local Rule 16.1(f)(6).

20. The final Pretrial Conference is scheduled on the calendar of the Honorable 

William Q. Hayes on September 18, 2020 at 11:00 a.m.. 

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21. The parties must review the chambers’ rules for the assigned district judge 

and magistrate judge.

22. A post trial settlement conference before a magistrate judge may be held 

within 30 days of verdict in the case.

23. The dates and times set forth herein will not be modified except for good 

cause shown.

24. Briefs or memoranda in support of or in opposition to any pending motion 

shall not exceed twenty-five (25) pages in length without leave of a district court judge. 

No reply memorandum shall exceed ten (10) pages without leave of a district court judge. 

Briefs and memoranda exceeding ten (10) pages in length shall have a table of contents 

and a table of authorities cited.

25. Plaintiff’s counsel shall serve a copy of this order on all parties that enter 

this case hereafter.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: September 24, 2019

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