Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-02018/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-02018-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 820
Nature of Suit: Copyright
Cause of Action: 17:0101 Copyright Infringement (definitions)

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18-CV-2018-BTM(WVG) 

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

JOHN DURANT, 

Plaintiff,

v. 

DANIEL A. LAWTON d/b/a THE 

LAWTON LAW FIRM, 

Defendant.

 Case No.: 18-CV-2018-BTM(WVG) 

AMENDED NOTICE AND ORDER 

FOR (1) EARLY NEUTRAL 

EVALUATION CONFERENCE, 

(2) CASE MANAGEMENT 

CONFERENCE AND 

(3) TELEPHONIC STATUS 

CONFERENCE 

[Doc. No. 10.] 

For good cause shown, the parties’ joint motion (Doc. No. 10) to continue the Early 

Neutral Evaluation (“ENE”) is GRANTED. Accordingly, the Court’s September 24, 2018 

Order (Doc. No. 9) is VACATED and this Order issues in its place. Additionally, a Case 

Management Conference (“CMC”) will be held as indicated below. 

I. EARLY NEUTRAL EVALUATION 

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that an ENE of your case will be held on December 3, 

2018, at 9:00 a.m., before United States Magistrate Judge William V. Gallo, Edward J. 

Schwartz U.S. Courthouse, 221 West Broadway, Second Floor, San Diego, California. The 

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attorneys and parties are to alert chambers of their arrival via the call button in the second 

floor elevator lobby. 

Additionally, on October 22, 2018, beginning at 9:15 a.m., the Court will hold an 

attorneys-only telephonic status conference with each party separately.1

 The purpose of 

this confidential, off-the-record teleconference is for the Court’s benefit in assessing each 

party’s concerns, challenges, and whether the Court can assist in alleviating these. On or 

before October 18, 2018, each attorney intending to participate shall lodge, via electronic 

mail addressed to efile_Gallo@casd.uscourts.gov, (1) the name of each attorney who will 

participate and (2) a telephone number at which each attorney may be reached directly 

without fail at the time of the conference. 

The following are mandatory guidelines for the parties preparing for the ENE 

Conference: 

1. Purpose of Conference

The purpose of the ENE is to permit an informal discussion between the attorneys, 

parties and the settlement judge of every aspect of the lawsuit in an effort to achieve an 

early resolution of the case. All conference discussions will be informal, off the record, 

privileged and confidential. Counsel for non-English speaking parties is responsible for 

arranging for the appearance of an interpreter at the conference. 

2. Personal Appearance of Parties Required

All parties, adjusters for insured defendants, and other representatives of a party 

having full and complete authority to enter into a binding settlement, and the principal 

attorneys responsible for the litigation, must be present in person and legally and factually 

prepared to discuss settlement of the case. See S.D. Cal. Civ. L. R. 16.1(c). 

                                               

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 The Court will contact the first party and proceed to contact the remaining 

parties one at a time. Each call may be short or lengthy. Counsel are required 

to be available for the Court’s call beginning at the appointed time and remain 

available until they are called. 

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3. Full Settlement Authority Required

In addition to counsel who will try the case, a party or party representative with full 

settlement authority2 must be present for the conference. In the case of a corporate entity, 

an authorized representative of the corporation who is not retained outside counsel must be 

present and must have discretionary authority to commit the company to pay an amount up 

to the amount of the plaintiff’s prayer (excluding punitive damage prayers). The purpose 

of this requirement is to have representatives present who can settle the case during the 

course of the conference without consulting a superior. 

Unless there are extraordinary circumstances, persons required to attend the 

conference pursuant to this Order shall not be excused from personal attendance. Requests 

for excuse from attendance for extraordinary circumstances shall be made in writing at 

least one week before the conference. Failure to appear at the ENE conference will be 

grounds for sanctions. 

4. Settlement Proposal and Response Required 

No later than October 8, 2018, Plaintiff shall submit to Defendant a written 

settlement proposal. No later than October 11, 2018, Defendant shall submit a response 

                                               

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 “Full authority to settle” means that the individuals at the settlement 

conference must be authorized to fully explore settlement options and to agree 

at that time to any settlement terms acceptable to the parties. Heileman Brewing 

Co., Inc. v. Joseph Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648 (7th Cir. 1989). The person needs 

to have “unfettered discretion and authority” to change the settlement position 

of a party. Pitman v. Brinker Intl., Inc., 216 F.R.D. 481, 485-86 (D. Ariz. 2003). 

The purpose of requiring a person with unlimited settlement authority to attend 

the conference includes that the person’s view of the case may be altered during 

the face to face conference. Id. at 486. A limited or a sum certain of authority 

is not adequate. The person with full settlement authority must be able to 

negotiate a settlement without being restricted by any predetermined level of 

authority. Nick v. Morgan’s Foods, Inc., 270 F.3d 590 (8th Cir. 2001). 

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to Plaintiff’s settlement proposal. All parties shall be prepared to address in their ENE 

Statements, and discuss at the ENE conference, the settlement proposal and response. 

5. ENE Statements Required

In accordance with the Court’s Chambers Rules, each party shall exchange its 

settlement Statement with all opposing parties. Additionally, in accordance with the 

Court’s Chambers Rules, each party shall submit a confidential or non-confidential 

Statement to the Court. Both the exchange of Statements between the parties and 

submissions of Statements to the Court shall occur on or before October 15, 2018. The 

Statement each party submits directly to the chambers shall be five pages or less and shall 

outline the nature of the case, the claims, the defenses, and the parties’ positions regarding 

settlement of, and attempts to settle the case. All Statements must comply with the 

Court’s Chambers Rules.

The parties shall meet and confer in good faith prior to the ENE Conference, and 

verify that they have done so in their respective ENE Conference statements, outlining the 

substance of their discussions and negotiations. 

6. Case Management Under the Amended Federal Rules

In the event the case does not settle at the ENE Conference, the parties shall also be 

prepared to discuss the following matters at the conclusion of the conference: 

a. Any anticipated objections under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 

26(a)(1)(E) to the initial disclosure provisions of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 

26(a)(1)(A)-(D); 

b. The scheduling of the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(f) conference; 

c. The date of initial disclosure and the date for lodging the discovery plan 

following the Rule 26(f) conference; and, 

d. The scheduling of a Case Management Conference pursuant to Federal 

Rule of Civil Procedure 16(b). 

The Court will issue an order following the ENE addressing these issues and setting 

dates as appropriate. 

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7. Time Allotted 

The Court generally allots two hours for ENEs. Counsel should be prepared to be 

succinct and to the point. Requests for additional time must be made in writing in the 

party’s ENE statement, accompanied by a short explanation. 

8. New Parties Must Be Notified by Plaintiff’s Counsel 

Plaintiff’s counsel shall give notice of the ENE Conference to all parties responding 

to the Complaint after the date of this Notice. 

9. Requests to Continue an ENE Conference

Requests to continue ENE conferences are rarely granted. Counsel seeking to 

reschedule an ENE must first confer with opposing counsel. The Court will consider 

formal, written ex parte requests to continue an ENE conference when extraordinary 

circumstances exist that make a continuance appropriate. In and of itself, having to travel 

a long distance to appear at the ENE conference is not an extraordinary circumstance. 

Absent extraordinary circumstances, requests for continuances of the ENE 

conference may not be considered unless submitted in writing no less than seven 

calendar days prior to the scheduled conference.

Please refer to the undersigned’s Chambers Rules for additional guidance regarding 

the areas which must be addressed in the request. 

The parties shall be prepared to engage in good faith settlement discussions with the 

Court and opposing parties during the ENE Conference. Failure to engage in good faith 

settlement discussions may result in the imposition of sanctions. 

II. CASE MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE 

Given the delay in convening the ENE Conference, the parties shall also be prepared 

for a Case Management Conference on December 3, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. Accordingly, the 

Court issues the following orders: 

1. The Rule 26(f) conference shall be completed before October 31, 2018; 

2. The date of initial disclosure pursuant to Rule 26(a)(1)(A)-(D) shall occur before 

November 7, 2018; and 

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3. A joint discovery plan shall be lodged with Magistrate Judge Gallo on or before

November 16, 2018.

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Questions regarding this case may be directed to the undersigned’s Research 

Attorney at (619) 557-6384. Please consult the undersigned’s Chambers Rules, which are 

available on the Court’s website, before contacting chambers with any questions. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: September 25, 2018 

                                              

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 Counsel shall review the undersigned’s Chambers Rules for guidance on completing the 

proposed discovery plan. Counsel are further advised to consult the Chambers Rules of 

the District Judge assigned to this case for case timeline preferences, if any. 

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