Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-03209/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-03209-14/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
College of Health & Human Services, San Francisco State University
Defendant
Julia Powell Keller-McIntyre
Plaintiff

Document Text:

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JULIA POWELL KELLER-MCINTYRE,

Plaintiff,

v.

COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN

SERVICES, SAN FRANCISCO STATE

UNIVERSITY,

Defendant.

___________________________________/

No. C-06-3209 MMC (EMC)

ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFF’S

REQUEST FOR FURTHER

DEPOSITION OF RYSZARD DZIADUR;

AND DENYING REQUEST FOR

SANCTIONS

(Docket No. 100)

Plaintiff Julia Powell Keller-McIntyre has filed a motion asking for leave to redepose

Ryszard Dziadur and for sanctions. Having considered the parties’ submissions, and good cause

appearing therefor the Court hereby GRANTS the motion for a further deposition but DENIES the

motion for sanctions.

Mr. Dziadur is the Director of College Operations/Comptroller. Ms. Keller-McIntyre argues

that, during his deposition, opposing counsel acted improperly by making “lengthy speaking

objections to the extent that it was impossible to get an answer to the question from the witness.” 

Mot. at 1. The Court has reviewed the transcript of the deposition. Based on this review, the Court

concludes that counsel for the College did make a large number of objections -- many of which were

speaking objections -- and that, as a result, some of Ms. Keller-McIntyre’s questions were derailed,

even though counsel for the College never specifically instructed Mr. Dziadur not to answer any

question. The Court also notes that, although counsel for the College clearly had an obligation to

state an objection on the record in order to preserve it, at least some of the objections were

Case 3:06-cv-03209-MMC Document 105 Filed 10/31/06 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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questionable on the merits. Accordingly, the Court shall allow a further brief deposition of Mr.

Dziadur.

The Court, however, shall limit the deposition to one (1) hour only. Based on the Court’s

review of the transcript, it appears that Mr. Dziadur has little relevant information to impart. 

Although Ms. Keller-McIntyre claims that Mr. Dziadur is the right-hand man of the Dean, one of the

alleged discriminators, Mr. Dziadur has essentially disclaimed any knowledge of discrimination by

the Dean. In addition, Mr. Dziadur did not seem to have the knowledge needed to answer many of

the questions posed. For instance, simply because Mr. Dziadur is a higher administrative official at

the College does not mean that he (as opposed to, e.g., a human resources supervisor) has

information about duties of employees and classification levels for employees. Furthermore, a fair

number of the questions asked by Ms. Keller-McIntyre were of borderline relevance only. See, e.g.,

Tr. at 34 (“[I]s it possible to be competent and be rated low?”).

Finally, while the Court shall allow the redeposition of Mr. Dziadur, it denies Ms. KellerMcIntyre’s request that opposing counsel be ordered to pay for the cost of the redeposition. Many

of the objections were justified -- perhaps not in length but in terms of substance. More important,

at no point did opposing counsel ever instruct Mr. Dziadur not to answer a question. Ms. KellerMcIntyre may have abandoned a question after an objection but that blame should not be placed on

opposing counsel alone. Ms. Keller-McIntyre made the decision to represent herself rather than be

represented by counsel. If the continued deposition of one (1) hour takes place, Ms. KellerMcIntyre shall bear the cost of reporter fees.

This order disposes of Docket No. 100.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 31, 2006

_________________________ EDWARD M. CHEN

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 3:06-cv-03209-MMC Document 105 Filed 10/31/06 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JULIA POWELL KELLER-MCINTYRE,

Plaintiff,

v.

COLLEGE OF HEALTH & HUMAN

SERVICES, SAN FRANCISCO STATE

UNIVERSITY,

Defendant.

______________________________/

No. C-06-3209 MMC (EMC)

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I, the undersigned, hereby certify that I am an employee in the U.S. District Court, Northern

District of California. On the below date, I served a true and correct copy of the attached, by placing

said copy/copies in a postage-paid envelope addressed to the person(s) listed below, by depositing

said envelope in the U.S. Mail; or by placing said copy/copies into an inter-office delivery

receptacle located in the Office of the Clerk.

Julia Powell Keller-McIntyre

P.O. Box 320662

San Francisco, CA 94132

415/314-4204 (cell)

415/405-3943 (work)

ALL OTHER COUNSEL/PARTIES TO

RECEIVE ORDER VIA ELECTRONIC

FILING

Dated: October 31, 2006 RICHARD W. WIEKING, CLERK

By: /s/ 

Leni Doyle

Deputy Clerk

Case 3:06-cv-03209-MMC Document 105 Filed 10/31/06 Page 3 of 3