Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-00345/USCOURTS-caed-1_13-cv-00345-7/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

STEVEN R. EDWARDS,

Plaintiff,

v.

D. CABRAL, et al.,

 Defendants.

Case No. 1:13-cv-00345-MJS (PC)

AMENDED SECOND SCHEDULING 

ORDER

Telephonic Trial Confirmation

Hearing: February 18, 2016 at 1:30

 p.m. in Courtroom 6 (MJS)

Jury Trial: May 10, 2016 at 8:30

 a.m. in Courtroom 6 (MJS)

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in this civil 

rights action brought pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1983. The parties have consented to 

Magistrate Judge jurisdiction. (ECF Nos. 77 & 82.) Therefore, the Court will amend the 

deadlines set in the Second Scheduling Order as follows.

The parties are required to file pretrial statements in accordance with the 

schedule set forth below. The pretrial statements must comply with the provisions of 

Local Rule 281. In addition, Plaintiff must make a particularized showing to obtain the 

attendance of witnesses. The procedures and requirements for doing so are outlined in 

detail below.

Failure to comply with the provisions of this Order may result in the 

imposition of sanctions which could include dismissal of the action or entry of 

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default.

A. Special Procedures for Plaintiff’s Witnesses

At the trial of this case, Plaintiff must be prepared to introduce evidence to prove 

each of the alleged facts that support claims made in the lawsuit. In general, there are 

two kinds of trial evidence: (1) exhibits and (2) testimony of witnesses. It is Plaintiff’s 

responsibility to produce all of the evidence to prove his case, whether that evidence is 

in the form of exhibits or testimony from witnesses. If Plaintiff wants to call witnesses to 

testify, he must comply with the following procedures to ensure that the witnesses will 

appear at trial and be available to testify.1 Failure to comply with the procedures set 

forth below may result in the Court precluding testimony from Plaintiff’s witnesses.

1. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Incarcerated Witnesses Who

Agree to Testify Voluntarily

An incarcerated witness who agrees to come to court and testify at trial can only 

do so if the Court orders the warden or other custodian to allow him or her to be 

transported to court. The Court will not issue such an order unless it is satisfied that: (a) 

the prospective witness is willing to attend; and (b) he or she has actual knowledge of 

relevant facts.

If Plaintiff wants to call such witnesses, Plaintiff must serve and file with the 

pretrial statement a written motion for a court order directing that the witnesses be 

brought to trial. The motion must: (1) state the name, address, and prison identification 

number of each such witness; and (2) include declarations showing that each witness is 

willing to testify and that each witness has actual knowledge of relevant facts. The 

motion should be entitled “Motion for Attendance of Incarcerated Witnesses.”

The willingness of the prospective witness to come and testify can be shown in 

one of two ways: (a) the Plaintiff can swear under penalty of perjury that the prospective 

 

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 Notwithstanding the requirements set forth herein, it is within the Court’s discretion to grant a motion 

for the attendance of incarcerated witnesses if the moving party has shown the witnesses have relevant 

information and the Court determines the witnesses’ presence will substantially further the resolution of 

the case. Wiggins v. Cnty. of Alameda, 717 F.2d 466, 468 n.1 (9th Cir. 1983).

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witness has informed him that he or she is willing to testify voluntarily without being 

subpoenaed; if so, the declaration must state when and where the witness so advised 

the Plaintiff; or (b) Plaintiff can serve and file a declaration, signed under penalty of 

perjury by the prospective witness, in which the witness states he or she is willing to 

testify without being subpoenaed.

The prospective witness’s actual knowledge of relevant facts also can be shown 

in one of two ways: (a) if Plaintiff has actual firsthand knowledge that the prospective 

witness was an eyewitness or an ear-witness to the relevant facts (for example, if the 

incident occurred in Plaintiff’s cell and Plaintiff saw that a cellmate was present at the 

time and observed the incident), Plaintiff can swear by declaration under penalty of 

perjury that the prospective witness has actual knowledge; or (b) Plaintiff can serve and 

file a declaration signed under penalty of perjury by the prospective witness in which the 

witness describes the relevant facts to which he or she was an eye- or ear-witness. 

Whether the declaration is made by the Plaintiff or by the prospective witness, it 

must be specific about the incident, when and where it occurred, who was present, and 

how the prospective witness happened to be in a position to see or hear what occurred.

The Court has discretion to grant a motion for the attendance of incarcerated 

witnesses if the moving party shows that the witnesses have relevant information and 

the Court finds that the witnesses’ presence will substantially further the resolution of 

the case. Wiggins, 717 F.2d at 468 n.1. The Court will review and rule on the motion 

for attendance of incarcerated witnesses, specifying which will be brought to court. 

Subsequently, the Court will order the witness’s custodian to bring the witness to court.

Motions for the attendance of incarcerated witnesses, if any, must be filed 

on or before January 7, 2016. Oppositions, if any, must be filed on or before 

January 21, 2016.

2. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Incarcerated Witnesses Who

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Refuse to Testify Voluntarily

If Plaintiff seeks to obtain the attendance of incarcerated witnesses who refuse 

to testify voluntarily, Plaintiff should submit with his or her pretrial statement a motion for 

the attendance of such witnesses. Such motion should be in the form, and contain the 

same information, called for above and show that the witnesses have relevant 

information. In addition, Plaintiff must indicate that the incarcerated witnesses are not 

willing to testify voluntarily.

3. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Unincarcerated Witnesses Who

Agree to Testify Voluntarily

Plaintiff does not need Court permission or a Court Order to have unincarcerated 

witnesses appear and testify if the witnesses are willing to do so voluntarily (and Plaintiff 

has properly identified the witnesses in his Pretrial Statement). It is Plaintiff’s sole 

responsibility to notify the witness of the time and date of trial and arrange for his 

presence. The Court need not be involved.

4. Procedures for Obtaining Attendance of Unincarcerated Witnesses Who

Refuse to Testify Voluntarily

If a prospective witness is not incarcerated, and he or she refuses to testify 

voluntarily, the witness must be served with a subpoena. Fed. R. Civ. P. 45. In 

addition, the party seeking the witness’s presence must deposit fees for the witness in 

advance of subpoenaing the witness. Id. In the case of an unincarcerated witness, the 

fee that must be deposited is the daily witness fee of $40.00 plus the witness’s travel 

expenses. 28 U.S.C. § 1821.

If Plaintiff wishes to obtain the attendance of one or more unincarcerated 

witnesses who refuse to testify voluntarily, Plaintiff must first notify the Court in writing of 

the name and location of each unincarcerated witness. Plaintiff is to notify the Court 

of the names and locations of such witnesses on or before January 7, 2016.

The Court will calculate the travel expense for each such witness and notify 

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Plaintiff of the amount(s) to be deposited for each. Plaintiff must then, for each witness,

submit a money order made payable to the witness for the full amount of the witness’s 

travel expenses plus the daily witness fee of $40.00. The subpoena will not be served 

on the unincarcerated witness by the United States Marshal unless the money order is 

tendered to the Court. There is no legal basis for using public funds to cover such 

expenses in civil cases even for parties proceeding in forma pauperis.

If Plaintiff wishes to have the Marshal serve any unincarcerated witnesses who 

refuse to testify voluntarily, Plaintiff must submit the money orders to the Court on 

or before January 21, 2016. 

B. Scheduling Order

With regard to the further litigation and trial of this matter, the Court specifically 

ORDERS as follows:

1. This matter is set for telephonic trial confirmation hearing before the 

Honorable Michael J. Seng, U.S. Magistrate Judge, on February 18, 

2016, at 1:30 p.m. in Courtroom 6;

2. The parties may participate in the trial confirmation hearing telephonically 

by dialing the following conference call number and access code. 

Conference Call: (888) 204-5984, Access Code: 4446176;

3. Counsel for Defendants is required to arrange for the participation of 

Plaintiff in the telephonic scheduling conference;

4. This matter is set for trial before the Honorable Michael J. Seng, U.S. 

Magistrate Judge, on May 10, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. in Courtroom 6;

5. Plaintiff shall serve and file a pretrial statement as described in this Order 

on or before January 7, 2016;

6. Defendants shall serve and file a pretrial statement as described in this 

Order on or before January 21, 2016;

7. In addition to electronically filing their pretrial statement, Defendants shall 

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e-mail the pretrial statement to: mjsorders@caed.uscourts.gov;

8. If Plaintiff intends to call incarcerated witnesses at time of trial, Plaintiff 

shall serve and file a motion for attendance of incarcerated witnesses as 

described in this Order on or before January 7, 2016;

9. The opposition to the motion for the attendance of incarcerated witnesses, 

if any, shall be filed on or before January 21, 2016; and 

10. If Plaintiff wishes to obtain the attendance of unincarcerated witnesses 

who refuse to testify voluntarily, Plaintiff must notify the Court of their 

names and locations on or before January 7, 2016, and Plaintiff must 

submit the money orders, as described in section A, subsection 4 of this 

Order, to the Court on or before January 21, 2016.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 14, 2015 /s/Michael J. Seng 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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