Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00472/USCOURTS-caed-1_06-cv-00472-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Del Monte Foods
Defendant
Derek Stewart
Plaintiff

Document Text:

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

1

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

App & Order for Reconsideration of Dismissal and to Order Remand

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DEREK STEWART,

Plaintiff,

vs.

DEL MONTE FOODS and Does 1 through 25

inclusive, 

 Defendants.

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

Case No. 1: 06-CV-00472-AWI-SMS

APPLICATION AND ORDER FOR

RECONSIDERATION OF DISMISSAL

FOR MISTAKE, INADVERTENCE,

SURPRISE AND GOOD CAUSE AND

ORDER FOR REMAND

RELIEF SOUGHT

Plaintiff, DEREK STEWART (hereinafter “PLAINTIFF”) seeks application for

reconsideration of Stipulated Dismissal entered in the above-captioned matter, on May 23,

2006, and further seeks the court to dismiss the federal cause of action for Breach of Contract

and an order remanding this matter Fresno Superior Court for litigation of the remaining State

law cause of action.

///

///

W. Rod McClelland, Jr., #179771

McCLELLAND LAW OFFICES, APC

2273 E. Beechwood Avenue, Suite 103

Fresno, California 93720

Telephone (559) 322-2224

Facsimile (559) 322-2227

Attorney for: Plaintiff, DEREK STEWART

Case 1:06-cv-00472-AWI -SMS Document 11 Filed 11/08/06 Page 1 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

2

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

App & Order for Reconsideration of Dismissal and to Order Remand

GROUNDS FOR RELIEF

Good cause, within the meaning of Rule 60(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure,

exists for vacating the dismissal in this action because, as is more fully shown in the Supporting

Memorandum of Law and the Affidavit of W. Rod McClelland, Jr.:

1. When the parties herein agreed to Stipulate to a dismissal in this matter, the agreement

was only to dismiss the Federal Cause of Action, for Breach of Contract, and leave the

remaining State Cause of Action intact so that the matter could be remanded back to the

Fresno Superior Court of California. 

2. That counsel for PLAINTIFF mistakenly believed a Stipulation to dismiss the Federal

Cause of Action was the only way to have the matter remanded back to the Fresno

Superior Court of California.

3. That when the matter was not automatically remanded down to Fresno Superior Court of

California, counsel for PLAINTIFF filed a Motion to Remand with the above-captioned

court seeking an Order to Remand. Counsel was thereafter advised that the abovecaptioned court lacked jurisdiction over this matter due to the dismissal of the entire

action, pursuant to the Stipulation.

4. Counsel for PLAINTIFF then attempted to have the Fresno Superior Court of California

set this matter for a Case Management Conference to have the matter appear back on the

courts calendar and civil active list. Counsel was advised that Fresno Superior Court

lacked jurisdiction without a executed Order for Remand from the above-captioned court.

Case 1:06-cv-00472-AWI -SMS Document 11 Filed 11/08/06 Page 2 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

3

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

App & Order for Reconsideration of Dismissal and to Order Remand

5. That counsel for PLAINTIFF then attempted to obtain a second Stipulation from counsel

for Defendants’ supplementing the original Stipulation which lacked the language

seeking an Order to Remand, for the magistrate to sign, which would remedy the entire

dismissal of this action in the United States District Court. Counsel for Defendants

refused to sign the Stipulation on October 5, 2006. 

6. It would be an injustice to dismiss the entire action of PLAINTIFF, including the State

law Cause of Action in this case because this was not the intention of the parties when

agreeing, signing and filing the Stipulation to Dismiss the Federal Cause of Action in this

matter. Furthermore, PLAINTIFF could be precluded from filing another action in

Fresno Superior Court of California for the State law Cause of Action of Violation of

California Government Code section 12940, et seq., due to the inadvertent dismissal of

the entire action at the Federal District Court level. PLAINTIFF will be harmed and

prejudiced due to the mistakes made in this matter if this court does not vacate the

dismissal and order remand. 

7. Defendant, will not be prejudiced by the granting of relief because, Defendant agreed to

the remand the action back to the Fresno Superior Court of California at the time of the

Stipulation between the parties.

This application for reconsideration is based on this Application for Reconsideration of

Dismissal and Order to Remand, the accompanying Affidavit of W. Rod McClelland, Jr., the

accompanying Memorandum of Law, and the Order On Application For Reconsideration Of

Dismissal And Order For Remand, filed concurrently with this Application, on all the pleadings

Case 1:06-cv-00472-AWI -SMS Document 11 Filed 11/08/06 Page 3 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

4

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

App & Order for Reconsideration of Dismissal and to Order Remand

and papers on file in this action, an on whatever evidence and argument is presented at a hearing

on this motion. Dated: October 20, 2006 McCLELLAND LAW OFFICES

By:_____/s/________________________

 W. Rod McClelland, Jr., 

 Attorneys for Plaintiff 

 DEREK STEWART

Case 1:06-cv-00472-AWI -SMS Document 11 Filed 11/08/06 Page 4 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

5

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

App & Order for Reconsideration of Dismissal and to Order Remand

ORDER ON APPLICATION FOR RECONSIDERATION OF DISMISSAL AND ORDER

FOR REMAND

This Court has considered Plaintiff DEREK STEWART’S Application for

Reconsideration of the dismissal entered on May 23, 2006, and considered the request of counsel

to vacate this dismissal, pursuant to Rule 60(b)(1), and order dismissal of the federal cause of

action of Breach of Contract only and for a further order to remand this action back to the

California Superior Court, County of Fresno. A review of the parties’ May 30, 2006 stipulation

to dismiss confirms Plaintiff’s position. This document’s plain reading indicates the parties

only sought to dismiss the second cause of action. Defendant has neither filed an objection to

Plaintiff’s motion nor a declaration that conflicts with Plaintiff’s attorney’s declaration regarding

the parties’ intention.

 Having reviewed the papers submitted on this Application and the authorities cited: IT IS

HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff, DEREK STEWART’S Application for Reconsideration be GRANTED;

2. That the dismissal of the entire action dated May 23, 2006, is hereby VACATED;

3. The second cause of action for Breach of Contract is dismissed; 

4. The reaming causes of action in this matter are remanded to the California Superior

Court, County of Fresno for all purposes.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: November 6, 2006 /s/ Anthony W. Ishii 

0m8i78 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:06-cv-00472-AWI -SMS Document 11 Filed 11/08/06 Page 5 of 5