Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_21-cv-01898/USCOURTS-caed-2_21-cv-01898-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Charles Ray Gordon
Plaintiff
Nnenna Ikegbu
Defendant

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CHARLES RAY GORDON,

Plaintiff,

v.

NNENNA IKEGBU,

Defendant.

Case No. 2:21-cv-01898-DAD-JDP (PC)

ORDER REFERRING CASE TO POSTSCREENING ADR PROJECT AND

STAYING CASE FOR 120 DAYS

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding without counsel. Defendant has answered the

complaint. 

The undersigned is referring all post-screening civil rights cases filed by pro se state 

inmates to the Post-Screening Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) Project in an effort to 

resolve such cases more expeditiously and inexpensively. Defense counsel from the Office of the 

California Attorney General has agreed to participate in this pilot project. No defenses or 

objections shall be waived by their participation. 

As set forth in the screening order, plaintiff has stated a potentially cognizable civil rights 

claim. Thus, the court stays this action for a period of 120 days to allow the parties to investigate 

plaintiff’s claims, meet and confer, and then participate in a settlement conference.

Case 2:21-cv-01898-DAD-JDP Document 21 Filed 11/30/22 Page 1 of 3
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There is a presumption that all post-screening prisoner civil rights cases assigned to the 

undersigned will proceed to settlement conference.1 However, if after investigating plaintiff’s 

claims and speaking with plaintiff, and after conferring with defense counsel’s supervisor, 

defense counsel in good faith finds that a settlement conference would be a waste of resources, 

defense counsel may move to opt out of this pilot project. 

Within thirty days of the date of this order, the assigned Deputy Attorney General shall 

contact Courtroom Deputy Nic Cannarozzi, at (916) 930-4172, to schedule the settlement 

conference. If difficulties arise in scheduling the settlement conference due to the court’s 

calendar, the parties may seek an extension of the initial 120-day stay.

Once the settlement conference is scheduled, at least seven days prior to the conference, 

the parties shall submit to the assigned settlement judge a confidential settlement conference 

statement. The parties’ confidential settlement conference statements shall include the following: 

(a) names and locations of the parties; (b) a short statement of the facts and alleged damages; (c) a 

short procedural history; (d) an analysis of the risk of liability, including a discussion of the 

efforts made to investigate the allegations; and (e) a discussion of the efforts that have been made 

to settle the case. 

In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. This action is stayed for 120 days to allow the parties an opportunity to settle their 

dispute before the discovery process begins. Except as provided herein or by subsequent court 

order, no other pleadings or other documents may be filed in this case during the stay of this 

action. The parties shall not engage in formal discovery, but the parties may elect to engage in 

informal discovery. 

2. Within thirty days from the date of this order, the assigned Deputy Attorney General 

shall contact this court’s Courtroom Deputy, Nic Cannarozzi, at (916) 930-4172, to schedule the

settlement conference. 

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If the case does not settle, the court will issue a discovery and scheduling order.

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3. At least seven days prior to the settlement conference, each party shall submit a 

confidential settlement conference statement, as described above, to the judge assigned for 

settlement. 

4. If a settlement is reached at any point during the stay of this action, the parties shall file 

a Notice of Settlement in accordance with Local Rule 160. 

5. The parties remain obligated to keep the court informed of their current addresses at all 

times during the stay and while the action is pending. Any change of address must be reported 

promptly to the court in a separate document captioned for this case and entitled “Notice of 

Change of Address.” See L.R. 182(f). 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: November 29, 2022 

JEREMY D. PETERSON

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 2:21-cv-01898-DAD-JDP Document 21 Filed 11/30/22 Page 3 of 3