Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-2_11-cv-00698/USCOURTS-azd-2_11-cv-00698-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 870
Nature of Suit: Tax Suits
Cause of Action: 26:7403 Suit to Enforce Federal Tax Lien

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WO

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

United States of America, 

Plaintiff, 

vs.

James Leslie Reading et al, 

Defendant. 

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No. CV 11-698-PHX-FJM

ORDER

The court has before it a Joint Motion seeking an amendment to the Rule 16 Order.

(Doc. 40). We had earlier denied the parties' request to amend the Order. (Doc. 38). The

renewed motion reduces the request by 30 days, but still grounds the request on the parties'

interest in resolving discovery disputes. We fail to see the relationship between an interest

in resolving discovery disputes and diligence. The Rule 16 Order was entered six months

ago. It expressly advised the parties that the dispositive motion cutoff date would not be

extended for discovery disputes or settlement negotiations. Order of September 2, 2011 at

1. (Doc. 22). 

We suspect that out-of-District counsel fail to appreciate that this District takes the

Civil Justice Reform Act seriously, and that Rule 16 orders are not aspirational. Discovery

should take place early in the life of a case, and if disputes develop, court intervention should

be sought immediately upon breakdown. Were it otherwise, the parties' violation of the

order or the rules of court would be an excuse to amend the order. As noted in our Order of

Case 2:11-cv-00698-FJM Document 41 Filed 03/19/12 Page 1 of 2
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March 6, 2012 (doc. 38), an extension of the dispositive motion cutoff date would

undermine the remainder of the Rule 16 Order. 

In contrast, a thirty day extension of the discovery cutoff date will do no violence to

the remainder of the plan, as long as the parties understand that its consequences will not be

offered to amend the remainder of the Rule 16 Order. Accordingly, it is ORDERED

DENYING the Joint Motion to extend the dispositive motion cutoff date, but GRANTING

the Joint Motion to extend the discovery cutoff by 30 days, to and including May 11, 2012.

(Doc. 40). Neither this extension nor its consequences shall be offered as a reason to amend

the remainder of the Rule 16 Order.

DATED this 19th day of March, 2012.

Case 2:11-cv-00698-FJM Document 41 Filed 03/19/12 Page 2 of 2