Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_18-cv-00650/USCOURTS-caed-1_18-cv-00650-7/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Elijah Lopez
Plaintiff
Morelock
Defendant

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ELIJAH LOPEZ,

Plaintiff,

v.

MORELOCK,

Defendant.

Case No. 1:18-cv-00650-NONE-SKO (PC)

ORDER REFERRING CASE TO POSTSCREENING ADR AND STAYING CASE 

FOR 90 DAYS

Plaintiff Elijah Lopez is a state prisoner proceeding pro se in this civil rights action. On 

January 30, 2020, Defendant Morelock filed an answer to Plaintiff’s complaint. (Doc. 24.)

The Court is referring all civil rights cases filed by pro se inmates to Alternative Dispute 

Resolution (ADR) to attempt to resolve such cases more expeditiously and less expensively. In 

appropriate cases, defense counsel from the California Attorney General’s Office have agreed to 

participate in ADR. No claims, defenses, or objections are waived by the parties’ participation.

As set forth in its screening order, the Court has found that Plaintiff states at least one 

cognizable claim for relief. (Doc. 19.) Accordingly, the Court STAYS this action for 90 days to 

allow the parties to investigate Plaintiff’s claims, meet and confer, and participate in an early

settlement conference.

The Court presumes that all post-screening civil rights cases assigned to the undersigned 

will proceed to a settlement conference. However, if, after investigating Plaintiff’s claims and 

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meeting and conferring, either party finds that a settlement conference would be a waste of 

resources, the party may opt out of the early settlement conference.

Based on the foregoing, the Court ORDERS:

1. This action is STAYED for 90 days to allow the parties an opportunity to settle their 

dispute before the discovery process begins. No other pleadings or documents may be 

filed in this case during the stay. The parties shall not engage in formal discovery, but

they may engage in informal discovery to prepare for the settlement conference.

2. Within 30 days from the date of this order, the parties SHALL file the attached 

notice, indicating their agreement to proceed to an early settlement conference or their 

belief that settlement is not achievable at this time.

3. Within 35 days from the date of this order, the assigned Deputy Attorney General

SHALL contact the undersigned’s Courtroom Deputy Clerk at 

wkusamura@caed.uscourts.gov to schedule the settlement conference; 

4. If the parties reach a settlement during the stay of this action, they SHALL file a 

Notice of Settlement as required by Local Rule 160;

5. The Clerk of the Court SHALL serve via email copies of Plaintiff’s second amended 

complaint (Doc. 17), the Court’s most recent screening order (Doc. 19), and this order 

to Supervising Deputy Attorney General Christopher Becker, and a copy of this order 

to ADR Coordinator Sujean Park;

6. The parties are obligated to keep the Court informed of their current addresses during 

the stay and while this action is pending. Changes of address must be reported 

promptly in a Notice of Change of Address. See Local Rule 182(f).

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 24, 2020 /s/ Sheila K. Oberto .

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ELIJAH LOPEZ,

Plaintiff,

v.

MORELOCK,

Defendant.

Case No. 1:18-cv-00650-NONE-SKO (PC)

NOTICE REGARDING EARLY 

SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE

1. The party or counsel for the party agrees that an early settlement conference would be 

productive and wishes to engage in an early settlement conference.

Yes ____ No ____

2. Plaintiff (check one):

_____ would like to participate in the settlement conference in person.

_____ would like to participate in the settlement conference by telephone or video 

conference.

Dated:

________________________________

Plaintiff or Counsel for Defendants

Case 1:18-cv-00650-DAD-SKO Document 28 Filed 02/25/20 Page 3 of 3