Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_13-cv-02315/USCOURTS-caed-2_13-cv-02315-6/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Daniel Ashe
Defendant
Nancy J. Gibson
Defendant
Dennis D. Murphy
Plaintiff
Thomas Tidwell
Defendant
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Defendant
United States Forest Service
Defendant

Document Text:

2-13-cv-02315-GEB-AC - Murphy v USFS - Stipulation and Proposed Order re Briefing Schedule.doc

Case No. 2:13-cv-02315-GEB-AC

STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] ORDER

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NOSSAMAN LLP

PAUL S. WEILAND (CA 237058)

pweiland@nossaman.com

18101 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 1800

Irvine, CA 92612

Telephone: 949.833.7800

Facsimile: 949.833.7878

Attorneys for Plaintiff

Dennis D. Murphy, Ph.D.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DENNIS D. MURPHY, PH.D.

Plaintiff,

vs.

UNITED STATES FOREST SERVICE; 

THOMAS TIDWELL, in his official capacity as 

Chief of the United States Forest Service; 

NANCY J. GIBSON, in her official capacity as 

Forester of the United States Forest Service; 

UNITED STATES FISH AND WILDLIFE 

SERVICE; DANIEL ASHE, in his official 

capacity as direct of the United States Fish and 

Wildlife Service

Defendants.

Case No: 2:13-cv-02315-GEB-AC

STIPULATION AND [PROPOSED] 

ORDER

Date Action Filed: November 6, 2013

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Plaintiff served his Complaint in this matter on November 13, 2013. Pursuant to Federal 

Rule of Civil Procedure 4(i), Defendants’ responsive pleading was due on January 13, 2014. The 

parties stipulated to an extension of 15 days, up to and including January 28, 2014, for 

Defendants to respond. In submitting the Joint Scheduling Report, Plaintiff indicated that he 

would amend his Complaint to add claims, and filed a First Amended Complaint on February 6, 

2014. (Dkt. No. 13) The Court entered a Scheduling Order in this matter on January 28, 2014. 

(Dkt. No. 14).

Since the filing of the Joint Scheduling Report, the parties engaged in settlement talks 

and exchanged drafts of (i) a written term sheet then (ii) a proposed settlement agreement. The 

parties sought and the Court granted multiple extensions in an effort to seek resolution of the 

matter without further litigation. Most recently, in a stipulation dated May 12, 2014, the parties 

stated that they “are down to negotiating the language of the last few terms to the proposed 

settlement agreement.” (Dkt. No. 26) Unfortunately, the parties were unable to reach 

agreement.

In light of these developments, as well as other considerations described below, the 

parties respectfully seek an order from this Court as follows.

I. AMENDMENTS

On May 2, 2014, Plaintiff sent a 60-day notice of intent to sue to the Chief of the United 

States Forest Service and the Secretary of the Department of the Interior alleging violations of 

the Endangered Species Act. Plaintiff sent the notice of intent following the issuance of a final 

rule listing the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog as endangered on April 29, 2014. In light of 

the foregoing, Plaintiff anticipates, and Defendants stipulate to, the filing of a second amended 

complaint not later than July 11, 2014, pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 15(a)(2).

II. UPCOMING MOTIONS

A. Motion to dismiss

Defendants anticipate filing a motion to dismiss. Rather than file with respect to the First 

Amended Complaint, Defendants request, and Plaintiff stipulates to, an extension of time to file 

a responsive pleading to the anticipated Second Amended Complaint as follows:

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Defendants’ motion July 21, 2014

Plaintiff’s opposition August 8, 2014

Defendants’ reply August 18, 2014

Hearing date August 25, 2014

B. Motion for preliminary relief

Plaintiff anticipates filing a motion for preliminary relief. Defendants ceased work on the 

challenged project in November 2013 due to weather, and will not cut additional trees before 

September 1, 2014, as previously represented to this Court. (See Dkt. No. 26.) In order to allow 

the Court to decide the motion before Defendants plan to commence the second phase of the 

project and cut additional trees, Plaintiff and Defendants stipulate to the following schedule for 

Plaintiff’s motion for preliminary relief:

Plaintiff’s motion July 21, 2014

Defendants’ opposition August 8, 2014

Plaintiff’s reply August 18, 2014

Hearing date August 25, 2014

III. FURTHER STATUS REPORT

The parties propose vacating the motion hearing schedule set out in the Court’s prior 

Status Order (Dkt. No. 14) and, instead, filing a joint status report on October 1, 2014, regarding 

further proceedings, in the event the matter is not resolved as of that time. A status conference is 

scheduled for October 27, 2014, at 9:00 a.m.

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Respectfully submitted,

DATED: May 28, 2014 NOSSAMAN LLP

By /s/ Paul S. Weiland 

Attorney for Plaintiff

BENJAMIN B. WAGNER

United States Attorney

By: /s/ Gregory T. Broderick (as authorized on May 28, 2014)

GREGORY T. BRODERICK

Assistant United States Attorney

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: MAY 28, 2014

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