Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-01276/USCOURTS-casd-3_18-cv-01276-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 850
Nature of Suit: Securities, Commodities, Exchange
Cause of Action: 15:0078m(a) Securities Exchange Act

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

HIGHFIELDS CAPITAL, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

SEAWORLD ENTERTAINMENT, 

INC., et al.,

Defendants.

Case No.: 18-cv-1276-MMA-AGS

SCHEDULING ORDER 

REGULATING DISCOVERY 

AND OTHER PRETRIAL 

PROCEEDINGS

Under Rule 16.1(d) of the Local Rules, a Case Management Conference was held 

on March 27, 2020. After consulting with the attorneys of record for the parties and being 

advised of the status of the case, and good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED:

1. Any motion to join other parties, to amend the pleadings, or to file additional 

pleadings must be filed by May 15, 2020.

2. On June 10, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., the Court will hold an attorneys-only,

Telephonic Status Conference to discuss scheduling a further settlement conference. 

Plaintiffs’ counsel is responsible for initiating the joint call to chambers with counsel for 

all parties on the line.

3. By July 31, 2020, the parties will have substantially completed document 

production.

4. During discovery, the following per-side limitations will apply:

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DISCOVERY LIMITATIONS

Discovery Type Restriction (Per Side)

Depositions No more than 10

Requests for Admission No more than 25

Interrogatories No more than 25

Requests to Produce Documents No more than 25

5. All fact discovery must be completed by all parties by October 16, 2020. 

“Completed” means that all discovery under Rules 30-36 of the Federal Rules of Civil 

Procedure, and discovery subpoenas under Rule 45, must be initiated a sufficient period of 

time in advance of the cut-off date, so that it may be completed by the cut-off date, taking 

into account the times for service, notice and response as set forth in the Federal Rules of 

Civil Procedure. Counsel must promptly and in good faith meet and confer with 

regard to all discovery disputes in compliance with Local Rule 26.1(a). The Court

expects counsel to make every effort to resolve all disputes without court intervention 

through the meet and confer process. If the parties reach an impasse on any discovery 

issue, counsel must file an appropriate motion within the time limit and procedures outlined 

in the undersigned magistrate judge’s chambers rules. A failure to comply in this regard 

will result in a waiver of a party’s discovery issue. Absent an order of the court, no 

stipulation continuing or altering this requirement will be recognized by the court.

6. The parties must designate their respective experts in writing by December 2, 

2020. The parties must identify any person who may be used at trial to present evidence 

pursuant to Rules 702, 703 or 705 of the Fed. R. Evid. This requirement is not limited to 

retained experts. The date for exchange of rebuttal experts must be by January 11, 2021. 

The written designations must include the name, address and telephone number of the 

expert and a reasonable summary of the testimony the expert is expected to provide. The 

list must also include the normal rates the expert charges for deposition and trial testimony.

7. By December 2, 2020, each party must comply with the disclosure provisions 

in Rule 26(a)(2)(A) and (B) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. This disclosure 

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requirement applies to all persons retained or specially employed to provide expert 

testimony, or whose duties as an employee of the party regularly involve the giving of 

expert testimony. Except as provided in the paragraph below, any party that fails to 

make these disclosures will not, absent substantial justification, be permitted to use 

evidence or testimony not disclosed at any hearing or at the time of trial. In addition, 

the Court may impose sanctions as permitted by Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(c).

8. Any party must supplement its disclosure regarding contradictory or rebuttal 

evidence under Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(2)(D) by January 11, 2021.

9. All expert discovery must be completed by all parties by February 11, 2021. 

The parties must comply with the same procedures set forth in the paragraph governing 

fact discovery.

10. Failure to comply with this section or any other discovery order of the court 

may result in the sanctions provided for in Fed. R. Civ. P. 37, including a prohibition on 

the introduction of experts or other designated matters in evidence.

11. All dispositive pretrial motions, including motions for summary judgment and 

motions addressing Daubert issues, must be filed by March 12, 2021.

1

 Counsel for the 

moving party must obtain a motion hearing date from Judge Anello’s law clerk. The period 

of time between the date you request a motion date and the hearing date may vary from 

one district judge to another. Please plan accordingly. Failure to make a timely request 

for a motion date may result in the motion not being heard.

12. If appropriate, following the filing of an order ruling on a motion for summary 

judgment or other dispositive pretrial motion, or in the event no such motion is filed, after 

the expiration of the deadline set forth in paragraph 8, supra, Judge Anello will issue a 

pretrial scheduling order setting a pretrial conference, trial date, and all related pretrial 

deadlines. The parties must review and be familiar with Judge Anello’s Civil Chambers 

 

1 This deadline is not applicable to pretrial motions in limine. For further information regarding motions 

in limine, please refer to Judge Anello’s Civil Chambers Rules.

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Rules, which provide additional information regarding pretrial scheduling.

13. A Mandatory Settlement Conference will be conducted on February 25, 2021

at 9:00 a.m., in the chambers of Magistrate Judge Andrew G. Schopler. Counsel or any 

party representing himself or herself must submit confidential settlement briefs directly to 

the magistrate judge’s chambers by February 18, 2021. All parties are ordered to read 

and fully comply with the Chambers Rules of the assigned Magistrate Judge. 

14. A post trial settlement conference before a magistrate judge may be held 

within 30 days of verdict in the case.

15. The dates and times set forth herein will not be modified except for good cause 

shown.

16. Briefs or memoranda in support of or in opposition to any pending motion 

must not exceed twenty-five (25) pages in length without leave of a district court judge. 

No reply memorandum will exceed ten (10) pages without leave of a district court judge. 

Briefs and memoranda exceeding ten (10) pages in length must have a table of contents 

and a table of authorities cited.

17. Plaintiff’s counsel must serve a copy of this order on all parties that enter this 

case hereafter.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 27, 2020

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