Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_12-cv-00229/USCOURTS-caed-1_12-cv-00229-7/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Campbell
Defendant
Paul Montanez
Plaintiff
Velasco
Defendant

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

PAUL MONTANEZ, 

 Plaintiff,

 vs.

VELASCO, et al.,

 Defendants.

1:12-cv-00229-DAD-EPG-PC

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS’ 

REQUEST TO EXCUSE PERSONAL 

APPEARANCE OF INDIVIDUAL 

DEFENDANTS AND CDCR’S STAFF 

COUNSEL AT SETTLEMENT 

CONFERENCE, AND TO ALLOW 

CDCR’S STAFF COUNSEL TO 

APPEAR TELEPHONICALLY

(ECF No. 47.)

Settlement Conference: 

 Date: Monday, April 18, 2016

 Time: 10:30 a.m.

 Location: Courtroom 10 (EPG)

Confidential Settlement Conference

Statements Due: April 11, 2016 

I. BACKGROUND

This is a civil rights action filed under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 by Paul Montanez (“Plaintiff”), 

a Los Angeles County Jail inmate proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis. This case now 

proceeds with the initial Complaint filed on February 17, 2012, against defendants Sergeant 

Campbell and Correctional Officer Velasco (“Defendants”), for inadequate medical care in 

violation of the Eighth Amendment. (ECF No. 1.) This case is scheduled for a settlement 

Case 1:12-cv-00229-DAD-EPG Document 50 Filed 03/22/16 Page 1 of 3
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conference before Magistrate Judge Erica P. Grosjean on April 18, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. in 

Courtroom 10. 

On March 18, 2016, Defendants filed an ex parte request concerning appearances at the 

settlement conference. (ECF No. 47.) 

II. DEFENDANTS’ REQUEST

 Defendants request the Court to excuse the individual Defendants and the staff counsel 

for the California Department of Corrections (CDCR) from personally appearing at the 

settlement conference, and to permit CDCR’s staff counsel to appear telephonically, because of 

the State’s difficult financial situation. (ECF No. 47.)

Defense counsel, Tiffany Johnson, asserts that the CDCR has suffered significant 

budget cuts and is under a travel freeze. (Decl. of Tiffany Johnson, ECF No. 47 at 2 ¶2.) 

Defense counsel also asserts that CDCR’s staff counsel is authorized to enter into a settlement 

on Defendants’ behalf, and defense counsel will have settlement authority and the ability to 

contact CDCR’s staff counsel to request consideration of additional authority. (Id. ¶3.) 

Because the individual Defendants are indemnified by the State, their presence at the settlement 

conference is unnecessary. (Id. ¶4.) Defense counsel also asserts that she contacted Plaintiff’s 

attorney, Justin Palmer, and he does not oppose this request. (Id. ¶6.)

Based on the foregoing, the Court finds good cause to excuse the individual Defendants 

and CDCR’s staff counsel from personally appearing at the settlement conference, and to allow 

CDCR’s staff counsel to appear at the settlement conference telephonically. Therefore, 

Defendants’ request shall be granted.

III. CONCLUSION

Accordingly, good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Defendants’ request, filed on March 18, 2016, is GRANTED;

2. The individual Defendants and CDCR’s staff counsel are excused from making 

a personal appearance at the settlement conference for this case on April 18, 

2016; and

///

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3. CDCR’s staff counsel is permitted to appear at the settlement conference 

telephonically.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: March 21, 2016 /s/

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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