Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_02-cv-00703/USCOURTS-caed-2_02-cv-00703-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 330
Nature of Suit: Federal Employers' Liability
Cause of Action: 45:51 Railways: Fed. Employer's Liability Act

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1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

KIRK CURLS,

NO. CIV. S-02-703 LKK/JFM

Plaintiff,

v. O R D E R

UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY,

Defendant.

 /

The court is in receipt of plaintiff’s counsel’s motion to

reset the case for Pretrial Conference. The court’s previous

order, dated April 29, 2005, warned that “[s]hould the case

languish an additional three months, it will be dismissed for

lack of prosecution.” It is symptomatic of plaintiff’s

counsel’s problems that this motion was filed on July 29, 2005,

the very last day such a motion could be filed As is apparently

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Case 2:02-cv-00703-LKK -KJM Document 54 Filed 08/01/05 Page 1 of 3
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1 Defendant’s counsel also did not appear, but there is

nothing in the file indicating that he was given notice.

2

inevitable, plaintiff’s counsel was in trial and thus did not

appear on the appointed day.1 Today, the court attempted to

reach counsel on another failure to conform to the court’s order

in yet another case, only to learn that he was in trial, and

thus not available.

The court wishes to be candid. It has no doubt of

counsel’s general competence – that is not the issue. The issue

is the inability of counsel to attend to the instant case

because he has assumed responsibility for more cases than he can

handle.

The court has no desire to punish plaintiff for counsel’s

inability to represent him, nor frankly to substitute a

malpractice action for the instant litigation. On the other

hand, the court cannot continence counsel’s behavior. The court

will, however, much against its better judgment, give

plaintiff’s counsel one more chance to demonstrate an ability to

represent his client in the instant matter or to obtain counsel

that can do so. Plaintiff is granted an additional three months

to demonstrate that he has counsel able to represent him. With

reluctance, the court will dismiss the matter should such a

showing not be made.

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The present motion is DENIED.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: August 1, 2005.

/s/Lawrence K. Karlton 

LAWRENCE K. KARLTON

SENIOR JUDGE

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

Case 2:02-cv-00703-LKK -KJM Document 54 Filed 08/01/05 Page 3 of 3