Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_22-cv-02127/USCOURTS-caed-2_22-cv-02127-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Acceptance Casualty Insurance Company
Defendant
National Interstate Insurance Company
Plaintiff

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JOINT STIPULATED APPLICATION AND ORDER FOR 60 DAY STAY OF LITIGATION 

PENDING ARBITRATION 

MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE & 

CARRUTH LLP 

7647 NORTH FRESNO STREET 

FRESNO, CA 93720 

McCormick, Barstow, Sheppard, 

Wayte & Carruth LLP 

Nicholas H. Rasmussen, #285736 

 nrasmussen@mccormickbarstow.com 

Graham A. Van Leuven, #295599 

 graham.vanleuven@mccormickbarstow.com 

7647 North Fresno Street 

Fresno, California 93720 

Telephone: (559) 433-1300 

Facsimile: (559) 433-2300 

Attorneys for NATIONAL INTERSTATE 

INSURANCE COMPANY 

Robert J. Romero, #136539 

 rromero@hinshawlaw.com 

Peter J. Felsenfeld, #260433 

 pfelsenfeld@hinshawlaw.com 

Robert G. Levy, #81024 

 rlevy@hinshawlaw.com 

50 California Street, Suite 2900 

San Francisco, Ste. 2900 

Telephone: (415) 362-6000 

Facsimile: (415) 834-9070 

Attorneys for ACCEPTANCE CASUALTY 

INSURANCE COMPANY 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, SACRAMENTO DIVISION 

NATIONAL INTERSTATE INSURANCE 

COMPANY, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

ACCEPTANCE CASUALTY INSURANCE 

COMPANY, 

Defendant. 

 Case No. 2:22-CV-02127-TLN-KJN 

JOINT STIPULATED APPLICATION 

AND ORDER FOR 60 DAY STAY OF 

LITIGATION PENDING ARBITRATION 

Complaint Filed: November 29, 2022 

 

Plaintiff National Interstate Insurance Company (“NIIC”) and Defendant Acceptance 

Casualty Insurance Company (“ACIC”), by and through their attorneys of record (together, the 

“Parties”), hereby stipulate to the following: 

Case 2:22-cv-02127-TLN-CSK Document 28 Filed 04/04/24 Page 1 of 5
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2 

JOINT STIPULATED APPLICATION AND ORDER FOR 60 DAY STAY OF LITIGATION 

PENDING ARBITRATION 

MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE & 

CARRUTH LLP 

7647 NORTH FRESNO STREET 

FRESNO, CA 93720 

On November 29, 2022, NIIC filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the 

Eastern District of California, Sacramento Division, commencing this litigation alleging claims for 

breach of contract, and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and seeking 

equitable indemnity, equitable subrogation, and declaratory relief against ACIC. 

On February 2, 2023, this Court entered its Initial Pretrial Scheduling Order. 

On October 3, 2023, the Parties stipulated to, and this Court granted, a 90-day stay of 

proceedings1 so that the Parties could negotiate informally, as well as a 90-day extension of all 

deadlines set forth in the Court’s February 2, 2023 Scheduling Order. The Parties subsequently 

engaged informally, and following the expiration of the 90-day stay of proceedings on January 1, 

2024, engaged in private mediation. To date, the Parties have not reached a resolution of this matter. 

See, ECF #24. 

At present, and consistent with the Court’s February 2, 2023 Pretrial Scheduling Order, as 

well as the October 3, 2023 stay of proceedings, discovery remains ongoing. 

The Parties have now reached an agreement in principle to seek a resolution of this matter 

through private binding arbitration. However, no pre-existing arbitration clause or provision exists 

between or governs the Parties with respect to arbitration procedure, and the Parties are currently 

engaged in negotiations regarding the terms and conditions under which a private arbitration 

between them will take place. For this reason, the Parties require additional time to negotiate a 

binding arbitration agreement between them, to make arrangements for the retention of an 

appropriate arbitrator or arbitrators, and to schedule an arbitration between them. 

Accordingly, the Parties have agreed between themselves and hereby request that the Court 

enter a further 60-day stay of proceedings in this matter to permit the Parties to negotiate the terms 

of an appropriate binding arbitration agreement between themselves, as well as to make 

arrangements for such arbitration, without prejudice to their discovery rights in this action. 

NOW THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED by and between the 

1

 Prior to the entrance of this Court’s February 2, 2023 Initial Pretrial Scheduling Order, the Parties 

requested and this Court granted two extensions of time for ACIC to respond to the Complaint. See, 

ECF #7-10. 

Case 2:22-cv-02127-TLN-CSK Document 28 Filed 04/04/24 Page 2 of 5
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JOINT STIPULATED APPLICATION AND ORDER FOR 60 DAY STAY OF LITIGATION 

PENDING ARBITRATION 

MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE & 

CARRUTH LLP 

7647 NORTH FRESNO STREET 

FRESNO, CA 93720 

Parties, who hereby apply for the Court’s approval, as follows: 

1. The Parties agree to a 60-day stay of the present litigation to permit them to engage 

in the negotiation and drafting of an arbitration agreement between them, to retain an arbitrator or 

arbitrators pursuant to that agreement, and to schedule an arbitration of the present dispute; 

2. During the course of the stay, the Parties will negotiate and draft of a binding 

arbitration agreement between them, retain an arbitrator or arbitrators pursuant to that agreement, 

and schedule an arbitration of the present dispute; 

3. Once the Parties reach a binding agreement to arbitrate, the Parties will promptly 

notify the Court; 

4. If the Parties do not reach a binding agreement to arbitrate, the Parties will provide 

the Court with a Status Report concerning their efforts no later than 55 days after the entry of an 

Order granting a stay of proceedings, and 5 days before the expiration of the presently requested 

stay; 

5. The Parties otherwise preserve all claims, defenses, objections, and legal arguments 

they have or potentially have in the litigation; 

6. This stipulation and proposed order shall not in any way affect or impact the Parties’ 

claims, defenses, objections, or arguments. 

IT IS SO STIPULATED. 

Dated: April 3, 2024 McCORMICK, BARSTOW, SHEPPARD, 

WAYTE & CARRUTH LLP 

By: /s/ Nicholas H. Rasmussen 

 Nicholas H. Rasmussen 

Graham A. Van Leuven 

Attorneys for NATIONAL INTERSTATE 

INSURANCE COMPANY 

Case 2:22-cv-02127-TLN-CSK Document 28 Filed 04/04/24 Page 3 of 5
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JOINT STIPULATED APPLICATION AND ORDER FOR 60 DAY STAY OF LITIGATION 

PENDING ARBITRATION 

MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE & 

CARRUTH LLP 

7647 NORTH FRESNO STREET 

FRESNO, CA 93720 

Dated: April 3, 2024 HINSHAW & CULBERTSON LLP 

By: /s/ Robert G. Levy (per 4-3-24 authorization) 

 Robert J. Romero 

Peter J. Felsenfeld 

Robert G. Levy 

Attorneys for ACCEPTANCE CASUALTY 

INSURANCE COMPANY 

Case 2:22-cv-02127-TLN-CSK Document 28 Filed 04/04/24 Page 4 of 5
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1 

JOINT STIPULATED APPLICATION AND ORDER FOR 60 DAY STAY OF LITIGATION 

PENDING ARBITRATION 

MCCORMICK, BARSTOW,

SHEPPARD, WAYTE & 

CARRUTH LLP 

7647 NORTH FRESNO STREET 

FRESNO, CA 93720 

ORDER 

The Court has considered the foregoing stipulation and the facts set forth therein, and FOR 

GOOD CAUSE APPEARING: 

1. The Parties’ request for a 60 day stay of proceedings is GRANTED;

2. The Parties shall promptly report to the Court if a binding arbitration agreement is 

reached between them; and 

3. If no binding agreement to arbitrate has been reached between them, the Parties 

shall provide the Court with a Status Report concerning their efforts no later than 

five (5) days prior to the expiration of the stay granted herein. 

 IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: April 3, 2024 

Troy L. Nunley

United States District Judge

Case 2:22-cv-02127-TLN-CSK Document 28 Filed 04/04/24 Page 5 of 5