Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_03-cv-00068/USCOURTS-caed-2_03-cv-00068-9/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
Defendant
Marcia Starr-Gordon
Plaintiff

Document Text:

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Stipulation For Order Deeming Certain Facts Established As True 

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Robert L. Sallander Jr., SBN 118352 

Dean C. Burnick, SBN 146914 

GREENAN, PEFFER, SALLANDER & LALLY LLP 

6111 Bollinger Canyon Road, Suite 500 

San Ramon, CA 94583 

Telephone: (925)866-1000 

Facsimile: (925)830-8787 

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

MARCIA STARR-GORDON 

Robert R. Pohls, (California Bar #131021) 

POHLS AND ASSOCIATES 

One Walnut Creek Center 

100 Pringle Avenue Suite 235 

PHONE: (925) 937-1773 

FAX: (925) 937-1763 

Peter E. Romo, Jr., (California Bar #38925) 

Robin Hardy, (California Bar #192489) 

SEYFARTH SHAW LLP 

560 Mission Street, Suite 3100 

San Francisco, CA 94105 

PHONE: (415) 397-2823 

FAX: (415) 397-8549 

John P. Hooper, Pro Hac Vice 

Stephen M. Prignano, Pro Hac Vice 

EDWARDS & ANGELL, LLP 

750 Lexington Avenue 

New York, NY 10022 

Attorneys for Defendant 

MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

MARCIA STARR-GORDON, 

Plaintiff, 

vs. 

MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE 

INSURANCE COMPANY, a Massachusetts 

Corporation, and DOES 1-100, 

Defendants 

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Case No.: 03-CV-68 LKK (GGH) 

STIPULATION FOR ORDER 

DEEMING CERTAIN FACTS 

ESTABLISHED AS TRUE 

Case 2:03-cv-00068-LKK -GGH Document 214 Filed 07/06/06 Page 1 of 4
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Stipulation For Order Deeming Certain Facts Established As True 

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1. Purpose: This stipulation is entered into by and between Plaintiff Marcia StarrGordon (“Plaintiff”) and Defendant Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance 

Company (“MassMutual”), sometimes collectively referred to as “the parties”, for 

the purpose of avoiding certain depositions by stipulating to the truth of the 

following facts. 

2. Stipulated Facts: The parties agree that, subject to the reserved objections noted 

below, the following facts are established as true without the need for the further 

presentation of evidence: 

A. Prior to December 14, 2001, MassMutual stopped issuing disability 

insurance policies to dental hygienists. 

B. MassMutual decided to stop issuing disability insurance policies to dental 

hygienists because the amounts it was actually incurring in covered 

disability benefits to dental hygienists, which is a component of what is 

known as its “morbidity cost”, were greater than expected. 

C. Actual morbidity cost is a measure of the amount incurred by MassMutual 

in policy benefits. It includes the amount of policy benefits paid, the 

amount of premiums waived, and the amount of change in MassMutual’s 

claims reserves caused by covered claims. 

D. Expected morbidity costs are the combination of (1) the amount of 

expected paid claims plus the amount of expected change in the claim 

reserves for policyholders on claim, and (2) the amount of expected claim 

reserves that would be required if all existing policyholders were to go on 

claim, multiplied by the probability that they would become disabled. 

E. To compare actual morbidity cost to expected morbidity cost, MassMutual 

uses a ratio commonly referred to as “A/E Morbidity”. Although the A/E 

Morbidity Ratio does not measure profitability itself, it is one factor that, 

when combined with others, helps determine whether a particular block of 

policies issued by MassMutual is profitable. 

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Stipulation For Order Deeming Certain Facts Established As True 

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3. Forbearance of Right to Depositions: In consideration of and in reliance upon 

the stipulations set forth herein, Plaintiff withdraws the notices of taking 

deposition of MassMutual, issued pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 

Rule 30(b)(6), responsive to Category (1)(K), and hereby waives it right to obtain 

documents responsive to Category 11 of the of the Amended Notice of Deposition 

attached hereto, marked Exhibit “A” and incorporated herein by this reference. 

With respect to the categories of testimony and documents identified above, 

Plaintiff agrees not to seek depositions of any present or former MassMutual 

employee concerning the subject matter of this Stipulation for Order. 

4. Objections Preserved: Apart from objections based on the accuracy of the 

above-stipulated facts, nothing contained herein shall be construed to restrict or 

limit MassMutual’s ability to interpose objections, based on relevancy or other 

grounds, to the admissibility of the above-stipulated facts at the time of trial. 

The parties have entered into this stipulation in good faith, and not for reasons of delay or any 

other improper purpose. 

DATED: June __, 2006 EDWARDS ANGELL PALMER & 

DODGE LLP 

By /signature on original 

Stephen M. Prignano, Esq. 

Attorneys for Defendant 

MASSACHUSETTS MUTUAL LIFE 

INSURANCE COMPANY

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Stipulation For Order Deeming Certain Facts Established As True 

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DATED: June__, 2006 GREENAN, PEFFER, 

 SALLANDER & LALLY LLP 

By:_/signature on original

Robert L. Sallander, Jr. 

Dean C. Burnick, Esq. 

6111 Bollinger Canyon Rd., Ste. 500 

Post Office Box 10 

San Ramon, California 94583-0010 

ATTORNEYS FOR PLAINTIFF MARCIA 

 STARR-GORDON 

ORDER

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Date: _July 5, 2006 _____

__________________________ The Honorable Lawrence K. Karlton 

 Senior District Court Judge 

 United States District Court 

 Eastern District of California 

Case 2:03-cv-00068-LKK -GGH Document 214 Filed 07/06/06 Page 4 of 4