Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_10-cv-05764/USCOURTS-cand-3_10-cv-05764-25/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal- Insurance Contract

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STIPULATION RE FURTHER AMENDMENT OF PRETRIAL PREPARATION 

ORDER

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CALLAHAN & BLAINE

A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION 

ATTORNEYS AT LAW 

3 HUTTON CENTRE DRIVE, NINTH FLOOR 

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92707 

TELEPHONE: (714) 241-4444 

FAX: (714) 241-4445 

CALLAHAN & BLAINE, APLC 

Edward Susolik, Esq. (SBN 151081) 

ES@callahan-law.com

Richard T. Collins, Esq. (SBN 166577) 

RCollins@callahan-law.com

3 Hutton Centre Drive, Ninth Floor 

Santa Ana, California 92707 

Telephone: (714) 241-4444 

Facsimile: (714) 241-4445 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs, L&M VENTURES, LLC,

STUART LERNER; BLUE CHIP III, LLC; BLUE CHIP 

II, LLC; and BLUE CHIP RECYCLING, LLC 

 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

L&M VENTURES, LLC, a California

Limited Liability Company; STUART 

LERNER, an individual; BLUE CHIP 

III, LLC, a Mississippi Limited 

Liability Company; BLUE CHIP II, 

LLC, a Mississippi Limited Liability 

Company; and BLUE CHIP 

RECYCLING, LLC, a California 

Limited Liability Company, 

Plaintiffs,

v.

TRAVELERS CASUALTY & 

SURETY COMPANY OF AMERICA, 

a Connecticut Corporation; 

LIPSCOMB & PITTS INSURANCE 

AGENCY, LLC, a Delaware Limited 

Liability Company; and DOES 1 to 

500, inclusive, 

Defendants.

CASE NO. 3:10-cv-05764-SI 

STIPULATION RE FURTHER 

AMENDMENT OF SECOND 

PRETRIAL PREPARATION 

ORDER AND CONTINUANCE OF 

TRIAL

Assigned to: Hon. Susan Illston

Complaint Filed: December 17, 2010 

Trial Date: August 29, 2016 

Plaintiffs, L&M VENTURES, LLC, a California Limited Liability Company 

("L&M"), STUART LERNER, an individual ("Lerner"); BLUE CHIP III, LLC 

("BC-3"), Blue Chip II, LLC, a Mississippi limited liability company ("BC II") and 

Blue Chip Recycling, LLC, a California limited liability company ("BCR"), 

Defendant TRAVELERS CASUALTY & SURETY COMPANY OF AMERICA 

("Travelers"), and Defendant LIPSCOMB & PITTS INSURANCE AGENCY, LLC 

Case 3:10-cv-05764-SI Document 111 Filed 04/14/16 Page 1 of 9
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 STIPULATION RE FURTHER AMENDMENT OF SECOND PRETRIAL 

PREPARATION ORDER

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CALLAHAN & BLAINE

A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION 

ATTORNEYS AT LAW 

3 HUTTON CENTRE DRIVE, NINTH FLOOR 

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92707 

TELEPHONE: (714) 241-4444 

FAX: (714) 241-4445 

("Lipscomb"), by and through their attorneys of record, stipulate as follows: 

1. The Court’s Pretrial Preparation Order of September 9, 2015, provided 

for the following relevant deadlines and cut-off dates: 

a. Expert witness initial disclosures: October 30, 2015; 

b. Expert witness rebuttal disclosures: November 16, 2015; 

c. Expert discovery cut-off: December 11, 2015; 

d. Non-Expert discovery cutoff: December 11, 2015; 

e. Dispositive motion filing deadline: January 15, 2016; 

f. Dispositive motion opposition filing deadline: January 29, 2016; 

g. Dispositive motion reply filing deadline: February 5, 2016; and 

h. Dispositive motion hearing cut-off: February 29, 2016. 

2. Following the parties unsuccessful mediation with Janet R. Fields, Esq. 

of Judicate West, on August 20, 2015, the Court, on September 11, 2015, ordered 

the parties to resume mediation in February 2016. 

3. After the further case management conference was held in this action 

on December 18, 2015, and pursuant to the parties’ request for an extension of 

certain deadlines in the Court’s Pretrial Preparation Order, the Court entered a 

Second Pretrial Preparation Order on December 21, 2015 and continued the 

deadlines and dates in this action as follows: 

a. Non-Expert deposition cutoff: February 29, 2016; 

b. Expert discovery cut-off: March 15, 2016; 

c. Dispositive motion filing deadline: April 2, 2016; 

d. Dispositive motion opposition filing deadline: April 15, 2016; 

e. Dispositive motion reply filing deadline: April 22, 2016;

f. Dispositive motion hearing cut-off: May 6, 2016; and 

g. Pretrial conference: August 16, 2016. 

h. Trial: August 29, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. 

4. The parties have exchanged written discovery, produced substantial 

Case 3:10-cv-05764-SI Document 111 Filed 04/14/16 Page 2 of 9
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 STIPULATION RE FURTHER AMENDMENT OF SECOND PRETRIAL 

PREPARATION ORDER

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CALLAHAN & BLAINE

A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION 

ATTORNEYS AT LAW 

3 HUTTON CENTRE DRIVE, NINTH FLOOR 

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92707 

TELEPHONE: (714) 241-4444 

FAX: (714) 241-4445 

documentation in response to requests for production, and deposed a majority of the 

parties’ witnesses.

5. On February 18, 2016, after the parties participated in a lengthy second 

mediation with mediator Robert Kaplan, Esq. of Judicate West, Mr. Kaplan issued a 

settlement proposal to the parties. The parties have been provided with two weeks 

to respond to the settlement proposal due to the number of parties and complexity of 

issues involved in this action. 

6. In order to provide the parties with sufficient time to (a) evaluate and 

respond to Mr. Kaplan’s mediator’s proposal, and (b) complete discovery, expert 

discovery, and accordingly file dispositive motions, and pursuant to the parties’ 

request for an extension of certain deadlines in the Court’s Pretrial Preparation 

Order, the Court entered an Order on the parties’ Stipulation re Amendment of 

Second Pretrial Preparation Order on February 22, 2016 and continued the deadlines 

and dates in this action. 

7. Due to the complexity of issues in this case, the parties extended the 

deadline to respond to Mr. Kaplan’s settlement proposal to March 18, 2016, and 

then beyond that date. 

8. As a result of Mr. Kaplan’s continued mediation efforts, the parties 

requested additional time to complete discovery, expert discovery, and file 

dispositive motions. The Court entered an Order on the parties’ Stipulation re 

Amendment of Second Pretrial Preparation Order on March 28, 2016, and continued 

the deadlines and dates in this action as follows: 

a. Non-Expert deposition cutoff: April 29, 2016; 

b. Expert discovery cut-off: May 13, 2016; 

c. Dispositive motion filing deadline: May 27, 2016; 

d. Dispositive motion opposition filing deadline: June 10, 2016; 

e. Dispositive motion reply filing deadline: June 17, 2016; 

f. Dispositive motion hearing cut-off: July 8, 2016. 

Case 3:10-cv-05764-SI Document 111 Filed 04/14/16 Page 3 of 9
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 STIPULATION RE FURTHER AMENDMENT OF SECOND PRETRIAL 

PREPARATION ORDER

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CALLAHAN & BLAINE

A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION 

ATTORNEYS AT LAW 

3 HUTTON CENTRE DRIVE, NINTH FLOOR 

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92707 

TELEPHONE: (714) 241-4444 

FAX: (714) 241-4445 

9. Following the parties’ stipulation to amend the scheduling order, 

plaintiffs’ counsel, Richard Collins, who has conducted all of the written discovery, 

and has attended all of the depositions and court appearances for plaintiffs, was 

scheduled for shoulder surgery on April 13, 2016. On April 5, 2016, Mr. Collins 

had a pre-operative surgical consult with his doctor, at which time his doctor 

imposed the following disability restrictions: “Off work for 2 weeks, then no air or 

long car travel for 4 weeks.” A true and correct copy of Mr. Collins’ disability 

certificate is attached as Exhibit A to this stipulation. 

10. Of the remaining depositions, at least three of the witnesses are located 

in Memphis, Tennessee, one is in St. Louis, Missouri, one is in Kansas City, Kansas, 

and another is in Chicago, Illinois. Pursuant to the disability restrictions, Mr. 

Collins will be unable to travel to any of these depositions until after May 25, 2016, 

which is beyond the current discovery cut-off and only two days before the 

dispositive motion filing deadline. 

11. The parties agree that Mr. Collins’ disability is good cause for 

extending the cut-off dates and deadlines. 

12. The parties agree that further good cause for extending the cut-off dates 

and deadlines can be found in Mr. Kaplan’s ongoing mediation efforts. 

13. The parties agree that extending the cut-off dates and deadlines will 

necessarily require continuance of the trial. 

14. As a result of the foregoing, the parties require additional time to 

complete discovery, expert discovery, and file dispositive motions. Accordingly, 

the parties agree that there is good cause to further amend the Second Pretrial 

Preparation Order to extend the deadlines and cut-offs, and to continue the trial as 

follows:

a. Non-Expert deposition cutoff: June 30, 2016; 

b. Expert discovery cut-off: July 15, 2016; 

c. Dispositive motion filing deadline: July 29, 2016; 

Case 3:10-cv-05764-SI Document 111 Filed 04/14/16 Page 4 of 9
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 STIPULATION RE FURTHER AMENDMENT OF SECOND PRETRIAL 

PREPARATION ORDER

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CALLAHAN & BLAINE

A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION 

ATTORNEYS AT LAW 

3 HUTTON CENTRE DRIVE, NINTH FLOOR 

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92707 

TELEPHONE: (714) 241-4444 

FAX: (714) 241-4445 

d. Dispositive motion opposition filing deadline: August 12, 2016; 

e. Dispositive motion reply filing deadline: August 19, 2016; 

f. Dispositive motion hearing cut-off: September 9, 2016. 

g. Pretrial conference: October 19, 2016, at 3:30 p.m. The 

deadlines to comply with the Court’s Pre-Trial Instructions [Docket #78-1] shall be 

calculated based upon this date. 

h. Trial: October 31, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. 

15. This stipulation may be signed in counterparts and electronic, 

photocopy and facsimile signatures will suffice as though they were original 

signatures. 

Dated: April 11, 2016 CALLAHAN & BLAINE, APLC 

By: /s/ Richard T. Collins 

 Edward Susolik, Esq. Richard T. Collins, Esq. Attorneys for Plaintiffs, L&M 

VENTURES, LLC, STUART LERNER; 

BLUE CHIP III, LLC; BLUE CHIP II, 

LLC; and BLUE CHIP RECYCLING, 

LLC

Dated: April 11, 2016 LITCHFIELD CAVO, LLP 

By: /s/ G. David Rubin 

 G. David Rubin, Esq. Talar Tavlian, Esq. Attorneys for Defendant, TRAVELERS 

CASUALTY & SURETY COMPANY 

OF AMERICA 

Case 3:10-cv-05764-SI Document 111 Filed 04/14/16 Page 5 of 9
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 STIPULATION RE FURTHER AMENDMENT OF SECOND PRETRIAL 

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CALLAHAN & BLAINE

A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION 

ATTORNEYS AT LAW 

3 HUTTON CENTRE DRIVE, NINTH FLOOR 

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92707 

TELEPHONE: (714) 241-4444 

FAX: (714) 241-4445 

Dated: April 11, 2016 GOFFSTEIN, RASKAS, POMERANTZ, 

KRAUS & SHERMAN, LLC 

By: /s/ Sanford Goffstein 

 Sanford Goffstein, Esq. Attorneys for Defendant, LIPSCOMB & 

PITTS INSURANCE AGENCY, LLC 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: , 2016 By: 

 HONORABLE SUSAN ILLSTON 

United States District Court Judge

4/13

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CALLAHAN & BLAINE

A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION 

ATTORNEYS AT LAW 

3 HUTTON CENTRE DRIVE, NINTH FLOOR 

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA 92707 

TELEPHONE: (714) 241-4444 

FAX: (714) 241-4445 

PROOF OF SERVICE 

 L&M VENTURES V. TRAVELERS CASUALTY, et al., 

U.S.D.C. Case No. 3:10-cv-05764-SI 

I am employed in the County of Orange, State of California. I am over the age of 18 years and am not a party to the within action; my business address is 3

Hutton Centre Drive, Ninth Floor, Santa Ana, California 92707.

On April 11, 2016, I served the following document(s) described as 

STIPULATION RE FURTHER AMENDMENT OF SECOND PRETRIAL 

PREPARATION ORDER AND CONTINUANCE OF TRIAL 

on the interested parties in this action by placing: ܆ the original ჳ a true copy thereof enclosed in a sealed envelope addressed as follows: 

Please see attached “Service List”. 

ჳ BY ELECTRONIC MAIL: I electronically filed such document with the

Clerk of the Court using the CM/ECF system, which sent electronic 

notification of such filing to all other parties appearing on the docket sheet as 

listed below: 

Edward Daniel Vaisbort vaisbort@litchfieldcavo.com, james@litchfieldcavo.com

G David Rubin rubin@litchfieldcavo.com

John Carl Scholz jscholz@lernermcdonald.com, jleiman@lernermcdonald.com, lido14@verizon.net

Julie A. Lemmer jlemmer@cresswell-law.com

Ronald D. Echeguren recheguren@cresswell-law.com, dhartley@cresswell-law.com, drodgers@cresswell-law.com, mharvey@cresswell-law.com

Sanford Goffstein sgoffstein@grlawstl.com

Talar Tavlian tavlian@litchfieldcavo.com, gonzales@litchfieldcavo.com, harmon@litchfieldcavo.com

I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the United States of America and the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on April 11, 2016, at Santa Ana, California. 

 /s/ Maria Martinez 

 Maria Martinez

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EXHIBIT A 

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