Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_17-cv-01431/USCOURTS-caed-1_17-cv-01431-15/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 20:1400 Civil Rights of Handicapped Child

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

For months, the parties have disagreed as to the defendant’s compliance with the settlement

agreement. The plaintiff has repeatedly demanded mediation to work out this disagreement and the 

defendant has repeatedly refused. The parties have numerous points of disagreement related to

whether the defendant has complied with the settlement agreement including: whether the child had 

been offered appropriate “Lunch Bunch” opportunities, whether all of the staff working with the child 

have been trained on Google Docs, and whether the defendant has provided Karen Schnee a contract 

with a maximum value that is sufficient to address the needs of the child and whether it has paid her 

for all of the services she has provided under the prior contract.

In the documents opposing the plaintiff’s motion to enforce the judgment, the defendant take

the position that the plaintiff has not demanded mediation because the child had failed to use the 

terminology outlined in the settlement agreement and has not properly complied with the substance of 

the agreement related to mediation demands. The Court agrees that it is unclear whether the first 

K.M.,

Plaintiff,

v.

TEHACHAPI UNIFIED SCHOOL 

DISTRICT, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No.: 1:17-cv-01431 NONE JLT

ORDER AFTER HEARING ON MOTION TO 

ENFORCE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT; 

ORDER TERMINATING THE MOTION

(Doc. 58)

Case 1:17-cv-01431-NONE-JLT Document 72 Filed 06/08/20 Page 1 of 2
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person identified was willing to act in the role requiring he assist in selecting the mediator. However, 

the argument is disingenuous given the fact that the defendant continually refused mediation and never 

communicated any change in this position to the plaintiff or that it had selected a person to act for it in 

the mediation process.

In any event, at the hearing, both parties designated the two people who would select the 

mediator. For the plaintiff, it is Vickie Rice and for the defendant, it is Dr. Steele. The parties agreed 

that Ms. Rice and Dr. Steele will make their selection within 10 days. The mediation should complete 

within 45 days if at all possible. Therefore, the Court ORDERS:

1. Immediately, the parties will communicate to their designee that they will complete 

the selection process identifying the mediator by June 15, 2020. Part of this process SHALL be that 

Ms. Rice and/or Dr. Steele verifies that the person selected agrees to mediate the dispute and is 

available to take on the mediation expeditiously. If Ms. Rice and Mr. Steele cannot agree on a 

mediator, within two business days, counsel SHALL contact Judge Larson and request that he select 

the mediator;

2. Once the mediator is selected, counsel SHALL confer with the mediator to identify the 

earliest possible date the mediation can occur with the expectation that it will be completed within 45 

days, if possible;

3. The motion to enforce the judgment (Doc. 58) is terminated. Plaintiff may reactivate 

the motion by filing a request with the Court. However, plaintiff may not do so until after counsel 

completes an informal conference with the assigned magistrate judge and the Court authorizes the 

reactivation. Indeed, before any further motions are filed by either side, counsel SHALL meet and 

confer and if this fails to resolve the matter, to confer with the assigned magistrate judge to attempt to 

resolve the matter without a formal motion.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 8, 2020 /s/ Jennifer L. Thurston 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:17-cv-01431-NONE-JLT Document 72 Filed 06/08/20 Page 2 of 2