Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_08-cv-00177/USCOURTS-caed-1_08-cv-00177-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 443
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Accommodations
Cause of Action: 42:405 Fair Housing Act

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

TIFFANY PACK, et al., CASE NO. CV F 08-0177 LJO DLB

Plaintiffs, ORDER TO REFER TO VOLUNTARY

DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAM AND

vs. TO APPOINT NEUTRAL

FORT WASHINGTON II, et al.,

Defendants.

 /

The parties have agreed to participate in this Court’s Voluntary Dispute Resolution Program

(“VDRP”) and to the selection of Howard A. Sagaser (“Mr. Sagaser”) as the Neutral. To that end, this

Court appoints Mr. Sagaser to serve as the Neutral. On the basis of good cause, this Court ORDERS:

1. This action is referred to VDRP to be conducted pursuant to this Court’s Local Rule 16-

271;

2. Mr. Sagaser is selected as the Neutral effective July 23, 2008. Mr. Sagaser is directed

to contact the parties’ counsel to arrange a VDRP session; and

3. This Court’s clerk is directed to mail a copy of this order to Howard A. Sagaser, Sagaser,

Jones & Helsley, 2445 Capital Street, Fresno, CA 93721.

/ / /

/ / /

/ / /

Case 1:08-cv-00177-DLB Document 22 Filed 07/24/08 Page 1 of 3
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BACKGROUND ON VDRP

As a convenience to the parties, the Court provides the following background on VDRP:

VDRP’s purpose is to reduce the cost of litigation. Toward this end, VDRP gives litigants an

early opportunity to present their case to a neutral attorney with considerable experience in the relevant

subject area, to see a comparable presentation by their opponent, to receive an objective evaluation of

the relative strengths and weaknesses of the parties' positions, to discuss early settlement, and, if no

settlement can be reached, to develop a streamlined discovery plan that will produce efficiently

necessary information to explore the possibility of settlement more thoroughly. Here are a few important

points regarding VDRP:

1. Lead trial counsel and their clients, or an authorized representative with settlement

authority, will be required to attend the VDRP session in person.

2. There is no charge to use the VDRP service.

3. The parties should limit pre-VDRP discovery to matters essential to making the VDRP

session meaningful. One of VDRP purposes is to save the parties some of the costs of

discovery.

4. The parties are required to submit a written statement to the Neutral (and send a copy to

opposing counsel) no less than seven calendar days prior to the VDRP session. Such

statements may not exceed ten pages and shall provide/address:

 A. A brief statement of the facts;

B. The pertinent principles of law;

C. The legal and factual issues in dispute;

 D. Whether there are any legal or factual issues the early resolution of which

 might reduce the scope of the dispute or contribute significantly to the

productivity of settlement discussions;

E. The discovery that promises to contribute most to meaningful settlement

negotiations; 

 F. The person(s) in addition to counsel who will attend the session as that

party's representative with settlement authority; and

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G. Documents or physical evidence, if any, central to an understanding of

the dispute.

5. At the VDRP session, each party will be expected to make a short (perhaps 15-30

minutes) informal presentation of the party’sside of the case with supporting documents

to the extent practicable.

6. All written and oral statementsmade in connection with the VDRP session are absolutely

confidential and cannot be used in any aspect of the case for any purpose. The Neutral

will not communicate with the assigned judge about the merits of the case or about what

occurred at the VDRP session other than whether the case settled.

7. After the parties present their case and answer questions, the Neutral will explore

settlement by caucusing with the parties, communicating offers and counter offers, and

utilizing mediation techniques to focus the parties and their attorneys on their chances

of success on legal and factual issues, to quantify that chance of success, and to assess

the costs of continuing to litigate unresolved issues.

8. If settlement efforts fail, the Neutral will give his/her opinion of each party's chance of

success, the range of damages, and his/her opinion of the probable outcome if the case

were tried.

9. The Neutral assessments and recommendations will be purely advisory, will not be

communicated to the Court, and can have no binding effect on discovery, motion

practice, or other aspects of preparation for trial. Only the assigned judge can control

these matters.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 23, 2008 /s/ Lawrence J. O'Neill 

66h44d UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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