Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_09-cv-00465/USCOURTS-casd-3_09-cv-00465-1/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 16:1538 Endangered Species Act

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JOHN C. CRUDEN, Acting Assistant Attorney General

JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Section Chief

LISA LYNNE RUSSELL, Assistant Section Chief

ETHAN CARSON EDDY, Trial Attorney (Cal. Bar No. 234217)

U.S. Department of JusticeEnvironment & Natural Resources Division

Wildlife & Marine Resources Section

Ben Franklin Station 

P.O. Box 7369

Washington, DC 20044-7369

Phone: (202) 305-0202

Fax: (202) 305-0275

Email: ethan.eddy@usdoj.gov

Attorneys for Defendants

Lisa T. Belenky (CA Bar No. 203225) 

Justin Augustine (CA Bar No. 235561)

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

351 California Street, Suite 600

San Francisco, CA 94104

Telephone: (415) 436-9682 x 307

Facsimile: (415) 436-9683

lbelenky@biologicaldiversity.org

jaugustine@biologicaldiversity.org

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL

DIVERSITY, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, et

al.,

Defendants.

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No. C 09-0170 JSW

STIPULATED MOTION TO

TRANSFER VENUE PURSUANT TO 28

U.S.C. § 1404(a)

Subject to the Court’s approval, the parties hereby respectfully move and submit the

following stipulation pursuant to Civ. L.R. 7-12:

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28 Stipulated Motion to Transfer Venue C 09-170 JSW

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1. Plaintiffs filed this Endangered Species Act (“ESA”) lawsuit on January 14, 2009 and

perfected service of process upon the United States Attorney for the Northern District of California

on January 22, 2009.

2. This matter is a challenge to a final rule designating revised critical habitat for the

Peirson’s milk-vetch, a plant listed as “threatened” under the ESA. See Revised Designation of

Critical Habitat for Astragalus magdalenae var. peirsonii (Peirson’s milk-vetch), 73 Fed. Reg. 8,748

(Feb. 14, 2008) (“Final Rule”).

3. On December 10, 2008, another challenge to the same Final Rule was filed against

Defendants in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. See

Maddalena v. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv., Civ. No. 08-2292 (S.D. Cal., filed Dec. 10, 2008) (Ex.

A to Defs.’ Mot. To Transfer (Docket Entry #7)).

4. On February 3, 2009, Defendants moved this court to transfer this action to the

Southern District of California. See Defs.’ Mot. To Transfer (Docket Entry #7).

5. On February 11, 2009, Defendants withdrew that motion, to facilitate the filing of

this joint stipulated transfer motion. See Defs.’ Notice of Withdrawal (Docket Entry #9).

6. The parties agree that venue for this action is proper in the Southern District of

California and that this action might have been brought there. See 28 U.S.C. § 1391(e)(2).

7. The parties agree that transfer to the Southern District of California is in the interest

of justice, would promote efficiency for the parties and the Courts, and would avoid potentially

conflicting rulings. See 28 U.S.C. § 1404.

8. In the event that this Court does not grant this stipulated motion to transfer this case

to the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, defendants will re-file their

Motion to Transfer Venue (Docket Entry #7).

WHEREFORE, the parties pray that this Court grant the Stipulated Motion to Transfer, and

thereby transfer this matter to the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.

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28 Stipulated Motion to Transfer Venue C 09-170 JSW

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Dated: March 4, 2009

Respectfully Submitted, 

JOHN C. CRUDEN, Acting Assistant Attorney General

JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Section Chief

LISA LYNNE RUSSELL, Assistant Section Chief

 /s/ Ethan Carson Eddy 

ETHAN CARSON EDDY, Trial Attorney 

(Cal. Bar No. 237214)

U.S. Department of Justice

Environment & Natural Resources Division

Wildlife & Marine Resources Section

Ben Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, DC 20044-7369

Phone: (202) 305-0202

Fax: (202) 305-0275

Email: ethan.eddy@usdoj.gov

Attorneys for Defendants

/s/ Lisa T. Belenky

Lisa T. Belenky (CA Bar No. 203225) 

Justin Augustine (CA Bar No. 235561)

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

351 California Street, Suite 600

San Francisco, CA 94104

Telephone: (415) 436-9682 x 307

Facsimile: (415) 436-9683

lbelenky@biologicaldiversity.org

jaugustine@biologicaldiversity.org

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

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28 Stipulated Motion to Transfer Venue C 09-170 JSW

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It is therefore ORDERED that the parties’ stipulated motion to transfer venue shall be

GRANTED. It is further ORDERED that this matter shall be transferred to the Southern District

of California.

PURSUANT TO STIPULATION, IT IS SO ORDERED this day of 

 , 2009.

 

HON. JEFFREY S. WHITE

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:09-cv-00170-JSW Document 10 Filed 03/04/2009 Page 4 of 4

5th March

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