Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_04-cv-01847/USCOURTS-azd-2_04-cv-01847-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 28:2201 Constitutionality of State Statute(s)

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

American Family Mutual Insurance

Company; American Standard Insurance

Company of Wisconsin, 

Plaintiffs, 

vs.

Crystal Herndon; Robert Herndon; Cythia

Herndon; Neela B. Desai, 

Defendants. 

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No. CV 04-1847-PHX-JAT

ORDER

Pending before this Court is Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment. Defendant has

responded to the motion for summary judgment, and alternatively sought relief pursuant to

Rule 56(f) if the Court is inclined to grant Plaintiffs' motion.

The Court will not consider the summary judgment motion twice, as Defendant would

have it. The Court seeks to have a single round of fully completed briefing on a dispositive

motion, as evidenced by the Rule 16 scheduling order which permits each party only one

motion for summary judgment. In this case, Defendant asserts that if the Court intends to

grant Plaintiffs' motion, the Court should allow discovery to be completed and supplements

to be filed before issuing, in essence, a second ruling on the motion. The Court will not

proceed under such an inefficient system.

Plaintiffs argue that Rule 56(f) relief is unnecessary in this case and that the Court can

decide the motion without any further evidence. In this circuit, Rule 56(f) is construed very

Case 2:04-cv-01847-JAT Document 26 Filed 10/07/05 Page 1 of 2
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liberally. Specifically, if a party objects, generally the Court will not grant a motion for

summary judgment before discovery can be completed. See generally FED.R.CIV.P. 56(f);

Thi-Hawaii, Inc. v. First Commerce Financial Corp., 627 F.2d 991, 994 (9th Cir. 1980).

In this case, the deadline for completing discovery is December 2, 2005. The Court

will allow discovery to be completed before it undertakes to rule on the motion for summary

judgment. Additionally, because the Court only wants a single set of briefing on the motion,

the Court will deny the currently pending motion, without prejudice. After the close of

discovery, Plaintiffs may re-file the motion (including any additional evidence they deem

appropriate), and Defendant shall file a single response. Supplements will not be permitted.

Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED that Defendant's request for relief pursuant to Rule 56(f) is granted

as follows: Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment (Doc. #18) is denied without prejudice

to re-file after the close of discovery.

Dated this 7th day of October, 2005.

Case 2:04-cv-01847-JAT Document 26 Filed 10/07/05 Page 2 of 2