Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-02120/USCOURTS-casd-3_17-cv-02120-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 895
Nature of Suit: Freedom of Information Act of 1974
Cause of Action: 05:0552fi Freedom of Information Act

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17cv2120-JAH(RBB)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

EMILIO REYES,

Plaintiff,

v.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 

THE INTERIOR, BUREAU OF INDIAN 

AFFAIRS, et al.,

Defendants.

Case No.: 17cv2120-JAH(RBB)

NOTICE AND ORDER SETTING

EARLY NEUTRAL EVALUATION 

CONFERENCE

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that an early neutral evaluation of your case will be 

held before United States Magistrate Judge Ruben B. Brooks, United States Courthouse, 

221 West Broadway, Courtroom 2C, San Diego, California, on February 7, 2018, at 

1:30 p.m.

Pursuant to Rule 16.1(c) of the Local Rules of the United States District Court for 

the Southern District of California, all parties (including those who are indemnified by 

others), claims adjusters for insured Defendants and non-lawyer representatives with full 

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17cv2120-JAH(RBB)

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and unlimited authority1to enter into a binding settlement, as well as the principal 

attorneys responsible for the litigation, must be present and legally and factually prepared 

to discuss and resolve the case. Corporate counsel shall not appear on behalf of a 

corporation as the party representative who has the authority to negotiate and enter into a 

settlement. Failure to attend or obtain a proper excusal will be considered grounds for 

sanctions. (Where the suit involves the United States or one of its agencies, only counsel 

for the United States with full settlement authority need appear.) (If Plaintiff is 

incarcerated in a penal institution or other facility, the Plaintiff's presence is not required 

and Plaintiff may participate by telephone. In that case, defense counsel is to coordinate 

the Plaintiff's appearance by telephone.)

Plaintiff’s counsel shall give notice of the early neutral evaluation conference to all 

defendants filing an answer after the date of this notice.

All conference discussions will be informal, off the record, privileged and 

confidential. Absent good cause shown, if any party, counsel or representative fails to 

promptly appear at the settlement conference, fails to comply with the terms of this 

Order, including the failure to timely provide the settlement conference memoranda 

WHEN REQUESTED, is substantially unprepared to meaningfully participate in the 

settlement conference, or fails to participate in good faith in the settlement conference, 

the settlement conference may be vacated and sanctions may be imposed pursuant to 

Rules 16(f) and 37(b)(2)(B), (C), and (D), Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

 

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“Full authority to settle” means that the individuals at the settlement conference be authorized to fully 

explore settlement options and to agree at that time to any settlement terms acceptable to the parties. 

Heileman Brewing Co., Inc. v. Joseph Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648 (7th Cir. 1989). The person needs to 

have “unfettered discretion and authority” to change the settlement position of a party. Pitman v. 

Brinker Int’l, Inc., 216 F.R.D. 481, 485-86 (D. Ariz. 2003). The purpose of requiring a person with 

unlimited settlement authority to attend the conference includes that the person’s view of the case may 

be altered during the face-to-face conference. Pitman, 216 F.R.D. at 486. A limited or a sum certain of 

authority is not adequate. Nick v. Morgan’s Foods, Inc., 270 F.3d 590 (8th Cir. 2001).

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17cv2120-JAH(RBB)

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In the event the case does not settle at the early neutral evaluation conference, the 

parties shall also be prepared to discuss the following matters at the conclusion of the 

conference:

1. Any anticipated objections under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 

26(a)(1)(E) to the initial disclosure provisions of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 

26(a)(1)(A-D);

2. The scheduling of the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26 (f) conference 

(except in patent cases where no later than twenty-one days before the early neutral 

evaluation conference, the parties are to meet and confer pursuant to Rule 26(f));

3. The date of initial disclosure and the date for lodging the discovery plan 

following the Rule 26(f) conference; and

4. The scheduling of a case management conference pursuant to Federal Rule 

of Civil Procedure 16(b).

The Court will issue an order following the early neutral evaluation conference 

addressing these issues and setting dates as appropriate.

Questions regarding this case may be directed to the magistrate judge’s research 

attorney at (619) 557-3404.

Dated: January 9, 2018

cc: All Parties of Record

A Notice of Right to Consent to Trial Before a United States Magistrate Judge is attached 

for your information.

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NOTICE OF RIGHT TO CONSENT TO TRIAL BY UNITED STATES

MAGISTRATE JUDGE

In accordance with the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), you are hereby notified 

that a United States Magistrate Judge of this district may, upon the consent of all parties, 

conduct any or all proceedings, including a jury or non-jury trial, and order the entry of a 

final judgment. Consent forms are available in the Clerk’s office. Counsel for the 

Plaintiff shall be responsible for obtaining the consent of all parties, should they desire to 

consent.

You should be aware that your decision to consent or not to consent is entirely 

voluntary and should be communicated solely to the Clerk of the Court. Only if all 

parties consent will the district judge or magistrate judge to whom the case has been 

assigned be informed of your decision.

Judgments of the United States Magistrate Judges are appealable to the United 

States Court of Appeals in accordance with this statute and the Federal Rules of 

Appellate Procedure unless the parties at the time of their consent to trial before a 

magistrate judge agree upon review by the United States District Court.

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