Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-02807/USCOURTS-casd-3_06-cv-02807-3/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 362
Nature of Suit: Medical Malpractice
Cause of Action: 28:2671 Federal Tort Claims Act

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06cv2807-LAB (BLM)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GERALD MARKS,

Plaintiff,

v.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, et

al.,

Defendants. 

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Case No. 06cv2807-LAB (BLM)

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND

DENYING IN PART THE JOINT

MOTION TO CONTINUE DATES

[Doc. No. 28]

On November 2, 2007, parties to the above matter filed a joint

motion to continue the trial date, “all related dates,” and the December

5, 2007 Mandatory Settlement Conference. Doc. Nos. 28 & 29. In support

of their motion, the parties cite (1) the difficulty of conducting

business during the week of the San Diego wildfires, and (2) the

November 8, 2007 surgery of Plaintiff’s lead trial counsel, which

requires one week’s recovery. Doc. No. 29. For the following reasons,

the joint motion is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part.

1. The parties’ request to continue the trial is DENIED as moot.

Though they state that trial is presently set to begin on August 25,

2008, Doc. No. 29, this is not the case. The Pretrial Conference is

set for that day, but no trial date has yet been established. Doc. No.

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2 06cv2807-LAB (BLM)

22. 

2. The request to continue all dates “related” to the trial is

likewise DENIED. The parties’ request presumably refers to the August

15, 2008 Pretrial Conference, and the July and August deadlines for

pretrial disclosures and meet and confer efforts, as established by this

Court’s order. Doc. No. 22. These dates remain eight months in the

future. As the wildfires only disrupted business for approximately one

week, and as Plaintiff’s counsel’s surgery only requires an additional

week of recovery, the parties still have sufficient time to prepare for

their pretrial obligations.

3. The parties’ request to continue the Mandatory Settlement

Conference is GRANTED. The Mandatory Settlement Conference is hereby

continued until February 6, 2008 at 1:30 p.m., to be conducted in the

chambers of Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major located at 940 Front

Street, Suite 5140, San Diego, CA 92101. All discussions at the

Mandatory Settlement Conference will be informal, off the record,

privileged, and confidential. Counsel for any non-English speaking

party is responsible for arranging for the appearance of an interpreter

at the conference.

a. 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,

as well as the principal attorneys responsible for the litigation, must

be present in person and legally and factually prepared to discuss

settlement of the case. Counsel appearing without their clients

(whether or not counsel has been given settlement authority) will be

cause for immediate imposition of sanctions and may also result in the

immediate termination of the conference.

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1 "Full settlement authority" means that the individuals at the settlement

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

time to any settlement terms acceptable to the parties. Heileman Brewing Co. v. Joseph

Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648, 653 (7th Cir. 1989). The person needs to have "unfettered

discretion and authority" to change the settlement position of a party. Pitman v.

Brinker Int'l, 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 contemplates 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. See Nick v. Morgan's

Foods, Inc., 270 F.3d 590, 595-97 (8th Cir. 2001).

3 06cv2807-LAB (BLM)

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 three (3)

court days prior to the conference. Failure to appear in person at the

Mandatory Settlement Conference will be grounds for sanctions.

b. Full Settlement Authority Required: In addition to

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

settlement authority1 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 damages 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. Counsel for a government entity may be excused

from this requirement so long as the government attorney who attends the

Mandatory Settlement Conference (1) has primary responsibility for

handling the case, and (2) may negotiate settlement offers which the

attorney is willing to recommend to the government official having

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ultimate settlement authority.

c. Confidential Settlement Statements Required: No later

than January 30, 2008, the parties shall submit directly to Magistrate

Judge Major's chambers confidential settlement statements no more than

five (5) pages in length. These confidential statements shall not be

filed or served on opposing counsel. Each party's confidential

statement must include the following:

(i) A brief description of the case, the claims and/or

counterclaims asserted, and the applicable defenses or position

regarding the asserted claims;

(ii) A specific and current demand or offer for settlement

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

for settlement cannot be made at the time the brief is submitted, then

the reasons therefore must be stated along with a statement as to when

the party will be in a position to state a demand or make an offer; and

(iii) A brief description of any previous settlement

negotiations, mediation sessions, or mediation efforts.

General statements that a party will "negotiate in good faith" is

not a specific demand or offer contemplated by this Order. It is

assumed that all parties will negotiate in good faith.

d. Requests to Continue a Mandatory Settlement Conference:

Any request to continue the Mandatory Settlement Conference or request

for relief from any of the provisions or requirements of this Order must

be sought by a written ex parte application. The application must (1)

be supported by a declaration of counsel setting forth the reasons and

justifications for the relief requested, (2) confirm compliance with

Civil Local Rule 26.1, and (3) report the position of opposing counsel

or any unrepresented parties subject to the Order. Absent extraordinary

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circumstances, requests for continuances will not be considered unless

submitted in writing no fewer than seven (7) days prior to the scheduled

conference.

If the case is settled in its entirety before the scheduled date of

the conference, counsel and any unrepresented parties must still appear

in person, unless a written joint motion confirming the complete

settlement of the case is submitted no fewer than twenty-four (24) hours

before the scheduled conference.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: November 9, 2007

BARBARA L. MAJOR

United States Magistrate Judge

 

COPY TO: 

HONORABLE LARRY A. BURNS

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

ALL COUNSEL

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