Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-00156/USCOURTS-caed-1_16-cv-00156-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Elliott Family Construction, LLC
Defendant
Arthur Gray
Plaintiff

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

I. Date of Scheduling Conference

June 30, 2016.

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ARTHUR GRAY,

 Plaintiff,

v.

ELLIOTT FAMILY CONSTRUCTION, LLC,

Defendant.

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Case No.: 1:16-CV-0156- JLT

SCHEDULING ORDER (Fed. R. Civ. P. 16)

Pleading Amendment Deadline: 9/19/2016

Discovery Deadlines:

Non-Expert: 2/20/2017

Expert: 3/13/2017

 Mid-Discovery Status Conference:

12/12/2016 at 8:30 a.m.

Non-Dispositive Motion Deadlines:

Filing: 3/20/2017

Hearing: 4/17/2017

Dispositive Motion Deadlines: 

Filing: 5/3/2017

Hearing: 5/31/2017

Trial: 7/11/2017 at 8:30 a.m.

 510 19th Street, Bakersfield, CA

 Bench trial: 3-5 days

 

 

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II. Appearances of Counsel

Raymond Ballister appeared on behalf of Plaintiff.

Katherine Sandberg appeared on behalf of Defendant.

III. Pleading Amendment Deadline

Any requested pleading amendments are ordered to be filed, either through a stipulation or 

motion to amend, no later than September 19, 2016.

IV. Fictitiously-Named Defendants

All claims as to “Doe” Defendants are hereby DISMISSED.

V. Discovery Plan and Cut-Off Date

The parties are ordered to complete all discovery pertaining to non-experts on or before 

February 20, 2017, and all discovery pertaining to experts on or before March 13, 2017.

The parties are directed to disclose all expert witnesses, in writing, on or January 30, 2017, and 

to disclose all rebuttal experts on or before February 15, 2017. The written designation of retained 

and non-retained experts shall be made pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. Rule 26(a)(2), (A), (B), and (C) 

and shall include all information required thereunder. Failure to designate experts in compliance 

with this order may result in the Court excluding the testimony or other evidence offered through such 

experts that are not disclosed pursuant to this order.

The written designation of retained and non-retained experts shall be made pursuant to Fed. R. 

Civ. P. 26(a)(2), (A), (B), and (C) and shall include all information required thereunder. Failure to 

designate experts in compliance with this order may result in the Court excluding the testimony or other 

evidence offered through such experts that are not disclosed pursuant to this order.

The provisions of Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(4) and (5) shall apply to all discovery relating to experts 

and their opinions. Experts must be fully prepared to be examined on all subjects and opinions 

included in the designation. Failure to comply will result in the imposition of sanctions, which may 

include striking the expert designation and preclusion of expert testimony.

The provisions of Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(e) regarding a party’s duty to timely supplement 

disclosures and responses to discovery requests will be strictly enforced.

A mid-discovery status conference is scheduled for December 12, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. before the 

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Honorable Jennifer L. Thurston, U.S. Magistrate Judge, located at 510 19th Street, Bakersfield, 

California. Counsel SHALL file a joint mid-discovery status conference report one week before the 

conference. Counsel also SHALL lodge the status report via e-mail to JLTorders@caed.uscourts.gov. 

The joint statement SHALL outline the discovery counsel have completed and that which needs to be 

completed as well as any impediments to completing the discovery within the deadlines set forth in this 

order. Counsel may appear via CourtCall, providing a written notice of the intent to appear 

telephonically is provided to the Magistrate Judge's Courtroom Deputy Clerk no later than five court 

days before the noticed hearing date.

VI. Pre-Trial Motion Schedule

All non-dispositive pre-trial motions, including any discovery motions, shall be filed no later 

than March 20, 2017, and heard on or before April 17, 2017. The Court hears non-dispositive motions 

at 9:00 a.m. at the United States District Courthouse in Bakersfield, California. 

No motion to amend or stipulation to amend the case schedule will be entertained unless it 

is filed at least one week before the first deadline the parties wish to extend. Likewise, no written 

discovery motions shall be filed without the prior approval of the assigned Magistrate Judge. A party 

with a discovery dispute must first confer with the opposing party in a good faith effort to resolve by 

agreement the issues in dispute. If that good faith effort is unsuccessful, the moving party promptly 

shall seek a telephonic hearing with all involved parties and the Magistrate Judge. It shall be the 

obligation of the moving party to arrange and originate the conference call to the court. To schedule 

this telephonic hearing, the parties are ordered to contact the Courtroom Deputy Clerk, Susan Hall, at 

(661) 326-6620 or via email at SHall@caed.uscourts.gov. Counsel must comply with Local Rule 251 

with respect to discovery disputes or the motion will be denied without prejudice and dropped 

from the Court’s calendar.

All dispositive pre-trial motions shall be filed no later than May 3, 2017, and heard no later than

May 31, 2017, before the Honorable Jennifer L. Thurston, United States Magistrate Judge, at the 

United States District Courthouse in Bakersfield, California. In scheduling such motions, counsel shall 

comply with Fed. R. Civ. P. 56 and Local Rules 230 and 260.

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VII. Motions for Summary Judgment or Summary Adjudication

At least 21 days before filing a motion for summary judgment or motion for summary 

adjudication, the parties are ORDERED to meet, in person or by telephone, to confer about the issues 

to be raised in the motion.

The purpose of the meeting shall be to: 1) avoid filing motions for summary judgment where a 

question of fact exists; 2) determine whether the respondent agrees that the motion has merit in whole 

or in part; 3) discuss whether issues can be resolved without the necessity of briefing; 4) narrow the 

issues for review by the court; 5) explore the possibility of settlement before the parties incur the 

expense of briefing a motion; and 6) to develop a joint statement of undisputed facts.

The moving party SHALL initiate the meeting and SHALL provide a complete, proposed 

statement of undisputed facts at least five days before the conference. The finalized joint statement of 

undisputed facts SHALL include all facts that the parties agree, for purposes of the motion, may be 

deemed true. In addition to the requirements of Local Rule 260, the moving party shall file the joint 

statement of undisputed facts. 

In the notice of motion the moving party SHALL certify that the parties have met and conferred 

as ordered above, or set forth a statement of good cause for the failure to meet and confer. Failure to 

comply may result in the motion being stricken.

VIII. Trial Date

July 11, 2017, at 8:30 a.m. at the United States District Courthouse in Bakersfield, California, 

before the Honorable Jennifer L. Thurston, United States Magistrate Judge.

A. This is a bench trial.

B. Counsels' Estimate of Trial Time: 3-5 days. 

C. Counsels' attention is directed to Local Rules of Practice for the Eastern District of 

California, Rule 285.

IX. Settlement Conference

If the parties desire a conference with the Court, they may file a joint written request for a 

settlement conference. Alternatively, the parties may file a joint written request for referral to the 

Court’s Voluntary Dispute Resolution Program.

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X. Request for Bifurcation, Appointment of Special Master, or other Techniques 

to Shorten Trial

Not applicable at this time.

XI. Related Matters Pending

There are no pending related matters.

XII. Compliance with Federal Procedure

All counsel are expected to familiarize themselves with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 

and the Local Rules of Practice of the Eastern District of California, and to keep abreast of any 

amendments thereto. The Court must insist upon compliance with these Rules to efficiently handle its 

increasing case load, and sanctions will be imposed for failure to follow both the Federal Rules of Civil 

Procedure and the Local Rules of Practice for the Eastern District of California.

XIII. Effect of this Order

The foregoing order represents the best estimate of the court and counsel as to the agenda most 

suitable to dispose of this case. The trial date reserved is specifically reserved for this case. If the 

parties determine at any time that the schedule outlined in this order cannot be met, counsel are ordered 

to notify the court immediately of that fact so that adjustments may be made, either by stipulation or by

subsequent status conference.

The dates set in this Order are considered to be firm and will not be modified absent a 

showing of good cause even if the request to modify is made by stipulation. Stipulations 

extending the deadlines contained herein will not be considered unless they are accompanied by 

affidavits or declarations, and where appropriate attached exhibits, which establish good cause 

for granting the relief requested.

Failure to comply with this order may result in the imposition of sanctions. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: June 30, 2016 /s/ Jennifer L. Thurston 

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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