Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_20-cv-00431/USCOURTS-caed-1_20-cv-00431-8/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 899
Nature of Suit: Other Statutes - Administrative Procedure Act/Review or Appeal of Agency Decision
Cause of Action: 05:702 Administrative Procedure Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

 Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's 

Associations, Et Al., 

Plaintiff(s), 

v. 

Wilbur Ross, Et Al., 

Defendant(s). 

Case No. 1:20-CV-431 DAD EPG 

ORDER SETTING MANDATORY 

SCHEDULING CONFERENCE 

DATE: 10/20/2020 

TIME: 10:30 AM 

COURTROOM: 10 (6th Floor) 

ERICA P. GROSJEAN 

U.S. MAGISTRATE JUDGE 

The Court sets a formal Scheduling Conference before United States Magistrate Judge 

Erica P. Grosjean, in Courtroom 10 at the United States Courthouse, 2500 Tulare Street, Fresno, 

CA 93721, to be held on October 20, 2020, at 10:30 am. 

Appearance at Scheduling Conference

Attendance at the Scheduling Conference is mandatory for all parties. Parties may appear 

by their counsel, if represented. If a party is not represented by counsel, they must appear 

personally at the Scheduling Conference. Telephonic appearances are not available for pro se 

parties, i.e., those not represented by counsel. Trial counsel should participate in this Scheduling 

Conference whenever possible. If one or more parties are represented by counsel and wish to 

appear telephonically, counsel shall email Michelle Means Rooney, Courtroom Deputy Clerk, at 

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mrooney@caed.uscourts.gov, sufficiently in advance of the conference so that a notation can be 

placed on the court calendar. To appear telephonically, each party shall dial 1 (888) 251 − 2909 

and enter access code 1024453. Additionally, counsel are directed to indicate on the face page of 

their Joint Scheduling Report that the conference will be telephonic. 

Joint Scheduling Report

A Joint Scheduling Report, carefully prepared and executed by all counsel, shall be 

electronically filed in CM/ECF, one (1) full week prior to the Scheduling Conference and shall be 

emailed in Word format to epgorders@caed.uscourts.gov. The Joint Scheduling Report shall 

indicate the date, time, and courtroom of the Scheduling Conference. This information is to be 

placed opposite the caption on the first page of the Report. 

At least twenty (20) days prior to the Mandatory Scheduling Conference, trial counsel for 

all parties shall conduct a conference at a mutually agreed upon time and place. This should 

preferably be a personal conference between all counsel but a telephonic conference call 

involving all counsel/pro se parties is permissible. The Joint Scheduling Report shall contain the 

following items by corresponding numbered paragraphs: 

1. Summary of the factual and legal contentions set forth in the pleadings of each 

party, including the relief sought by any party presently before the Court. 

2. Summary of major disputed facts and contentions of law. 

3. A proposed deadline for amendments to pleadings. Any proposed amendment to 

the pleadings shall be referenced in the Scheduling Conference Report. If the matter cannot be 

resolved at the Scheduling Conference, the moving party shall file a motion to amend in 

accordance with the Local Rules of the Eastern District of California. 

4. The status of all matters which are presently set before the Court, e.g., hearings of 

motions, etc. 

5. Discovery: To the extent applicable, a complete and detailed discovery plan 

addressing the following issues and proposed dates: 

a. A date for the exchange of initial disclosures required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 

26(a)(1) or a statement that disclosures have already been exchanged; 

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b. A firm cut-off date for non-expert discovery. When setting this date, the 

parties should consider that discovery cutoffs require that motions to compel be 

filed and heard sufficiently in advance of the deadline so that the Court may grant 

effective relief within the allotted discovery time; 

c. A firm date for disclosure of expert witnesses, required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 

26(a)(2), including a date for disclosure of rebuttal experts; 

d. A firm cut-off date for all expert witness discovery; 

e. Any proposed changes in the limits on discovery imposed by Fed. R. Civ. 

P. 26(b); 30(a)(2)(A), (B); 30(d); or 33(a); 

f. Whether the parties anticipate the need for a protective order relating to the 

discovery of information relating to a trade secret or other confidential research, 

development, or commercial information; 

g. Any issues or proposals relating to the timing, sequencing, phasing or 

scheduling of discovery; and 

h. Whether the parties anticipate the need to take discovery outside the United 

States and, if so, a description of the proposed discovery. 

Additional Disclosures Related to Electronic Discovery 

i. Discovery Relating to Electronic, Digital and/or Magnetic Data. Prior to a 

Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f) conference, counsel should carefully investigate their 

respective client’s information management system so that they are knowledgeable 

as to its operation, including how information is stored and how it can be retrieved. 

Counsel shall also conduct a reasonable review of their respective client’s 

computer files to ascertain the contents thereof, including archival and legacy data 

(outdated formats or media), and disclose in initial discovery (self-executing 

routine discovery) the computer-based evidence which may be used to support 

claims or defenses. 

j. The parties shall meet and confer regarding the following matters during 

the Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f) conference, and address the status of Electronic Discovery 

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and any disagreements in their Statement, including: 

i. Preservation: The parties shall attempt to agree on steps the parties 

will take to segregate and preserve computer-based information in order to 

avoid accusations of spoliation. 

ii. Scope of E-mail Discovery: The parties shall attempt to agree as to 

the scope of e-mail discovery and attempt to agree upon an e-mail search 

protocol. The parties should seek to agree on search terms, custodians, and 

date ranges in advance of the Conference so that any disputes can be 

addressed at the Conference. 

iii. Inadvertent Production of Privileged Information: The parties 

should confer regarding procedures for inadvertent production of 

privileged electronic material, including any obligations to notify the other 

party, and procedures for bringing any disputes promptly to the Court. 

iv. Data Restoration: The parties shall confer regarding whether or not 

restoration of deleted information may be necessary, the extent to which 

restoration of deleted information is needed, and who will bear the costs of 

restoration; and the parties shall attempt to agree whether or not back-up 

data may be necessary, the extent to which backup data is needed and who 

will bear the cost of obtaining back-up data. 

6. Dates agreed to by all counsel for: 

a. Filing dispositive motions (except motions in limine or other trial motions). 

The dispositive motion filing deadline shall be at least sixteen (16) weeks prior to 

any proposed Pre-Trial Conference date, and the hearing on dispositive motions 

shall be at least sixty (60) days before any proposed Pre-trial Conference date. 

b. A Pre-Trial Conference Date (if applicable). 

c. Trial dates are not being set at this time. 

7. The parties are encouraged to discuss settlement, and must include a statement in 

the Joint Scheduling Report as to the possibility of settlement. The parties shall indicate when 

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they desire a settlement conference, e.g., before further discovery, after discovery, after 

dispositive motions, etc. Among other things, counsel will be expected to discuss the possibility 

of settlement at the Scheduling Conference. Note that, even if settlement negotiations are 

progressing, counsel are expected to comply with the requirements of this Order unless otherwise 

excused by the Court. If the entire case is settled, counsel shall promptly inform the Court. In 

the event of settlement, counsel’s presence at the conference, as well as the Joint Scheduling 

Report, will not be required. 

8. A statement as to whether the case is a jury trial or non-jury trial case. The parties 

shall briefly outline their respective positions if there is a disagreement as to whether a jury trial 

has been timely demanded, or as to whether a jury trial or non-jury trial is available on some or 

all of the claims. 

9. If applicable, an estimate of the number of trial days required. If the parties cannot 

agree, each party shall give his or her best estimate. 

10. If applicable, whether either party requests bifurcation or phasing of trial or has 

any other suggestion for shortening or expediting discovery, pre-trial motions or trial. 

11. Whether this matter is related to any matter pending in this court or any other 

court, including bankruptcy court. 

Scheduling Order

 Following the Scheduling Conference, the Court will issue a Scheduling Order with the 

benefit of the input of the parties. Once issued, the dates in the Scheduling Order shall be firm 

and no extension shall be given without permission from the Court. 

Lack of Participation in the Joint Scheduling Report

If any party fails to participate in the preparation of the Joint Scheduling Report, the nonoffending party shall detail the party’s effort to get the offending party to participate in the Joint 

Scheduling Report. The non-offending party shall still file the report one (1) full week prior to 

the Mandatory Scheduling Conference and shall list the non-offending party’s position on the 

listed issues and proposed dates for a schedule. Absent good cause, the dates proposed by the 

non-offending party will be presumed to be the dates offered by the parties. The offending party 

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may be subject to sanctions, including monetary sanctions to compensate the non-offending 

party’s time and effort incurred in seeking compliance with this Scheduling Order. 

Important Chambers’ Information 

The parties are directed to the Court’s website at www.caed.uscourts.gov under Judges; 

Grosjean (EPG); Standard Information (in the area entitled “Case Management 

Procedures”) for specific information regarding Chambers’ procedures. Information about law 

and motion, scheduling conferences, telephonic appearances, and discovery disputes is provided 

at this link. 

Sanctions for Failure to Comply 

Should counsel or a party appearing pro se fail to appear at the Mandatory Scheduling 

Conference, or fail to comply with the directions as set forth above, an ex parte hearing may be 

held and contempt sanctions, including monetary sanctions, dismissal, default, or other 

appropriate judgment, may be imposed and/or ordered. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: June 14, 2020 /s/ ERICA P. GROSJEAN 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 

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