Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-01377/USCOURTS-caed-2_09-cv-01377-3/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Alaska Airlines, Inc.
Defendant
Ethan Blankenship
Plaintiff

Document Text:

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STIPULATION TO EXTEND DISCOVERY COMPLETION, DISPOSITIVE MOTION, JOINT PRETRIAL STATEMENT, PRETRIAL 

CONFERENCE AND JURY TRIAL DATES; ORDER

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CHRISTOPHER E. GRELL, ESQ. (SBN 88498)

RICHARD F. RESCHO, ESQ. (SBN 108086) 

LAW OFFICES OF CHRISTOPHER E. GRELL 

The Leamington 

1814 Franklin Street, Suite 501 

Oakland, California 94612 

Telephone: (510) 832-2980 

Facsimile: (510) 832-2986 

Attorneys for Plaintiff 

ETHAN BLANKENSHIP 

 

ROBERT E. DAVIES, ESQ. / SBN 106810 

MARY A. STEWART, ESQ. / SBN 106758 

REBECCA WEINSTEIN-HAMILTON, ESQ. / SBN 162699 

CAULFIELD, DAVIES & DONAHUE, LLP 

P.O. BOX 277010 

Sacramento, CA 95827 

Telephone: (916) 817-2900 

Facsimile: (916) 817-2644 

Attorneys for Defendant 

ALASKA AIRLINES, INC. 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

-o0oETHAN BLANKENSHIP,

 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

ALASKA AIRLINES, INC., and Alaska 

Corporation, and DOES 1 through 100, 

inclusive, 

Defendants. 

Case No. 2:09-CV-01377-JAM-GGH

The Hon. John A. Mendez 

STIPULATION TO EXTEND DISCOVERY 

COMPLETION, DISPOSITIVE MOTION, 

JOINT PRETRIAL STATEMENT, 

PRETRIAL CONFERENCE AND JURY 

TRIAL DATES; ORDER

IT IS HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED by and between Plaintiff, ETHAN 

BLANKENSHIP and Defendant ALASKA AIRLINES, INC., through their respective counsel 

to extend the date for completion of discovery currently set for June 28, 2010, to and 

including August 20, 2010. 

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STIPULATION TO EXTEND DISCOVERY COMPLETION, DISPOSITIVE MOTION, JOINT PRETRIAL STATEMENT, PRETRIAL 

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IT IS FURTHER HEREBY STIPULATED AND AGREED by and between Plaintiff 

ETHAN BLANKENSHIP and Defendant ALASKA AIRLINES, INC., through their respective 

counsel to extend the following dates as set forth below: 

1. To extend the Dispositive Motions Filing date from July 21, 2010 to 

September 22, 2010; 

2. To extend the Dispositive Motions Hearing date from August 18, 2010 to 

October 20, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.; 

3. To extend the filing date for the Joint Pre-Trial Statement to November 24, 

2010; 

4. To extend the Final Pre-Trial Conference date from October 1, 2010 to 

December 3, 2010; and 

5. To extend the Jury Trial date from November 15, 2010 to February 7, 2011 at 

9:00 a.m. 

This stipulation is made by counsel for the parties, pursuant to the Honorable Judge 

John A. Mendez’s Pre-Trial Scheduling Order of July 14, 2009, Judge Mendez’s February 

26, 2010 Order Extending Dates for Expert Witness Disclosure and Discovery Completion 

Date, and U.S.D.C. Eastern District Local Rules, Rule 144 (formerly L.R. 6-144). There 

has been one prior Stipulation and Order Extending the Discovery Completion Date in this 

case. 

There is good cause for the requested extension of the current discovery 

completion, dispositive motions, joint pre-trial statement, pre-trial conference and jury trial 

dates. Plaintiff’s action is for damages resulting from a fall in the security area of the 

Sacramento International Airport. The requested extension of the discovery completion 

date necessitates the requested extension of the remaining dates set in the July 14, 2009 

Pre-Trial Scheduling Order. Despite the parties’ diligence in the completion and scheduling 

of considerable discovery in this matter, including an Independent Physical Examination of 

Plaintiff Ethan Blankenship, the requested extensions are necessary. 

/ / / 

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STIPULATION TO EXTEND DISCOVERY COMPLETION, DISPOSITIVE MOTION, JOINT PRETRIAL STATEMENT, PRETRIAL 

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The parties, through their respective counsel, have initiated settlement negotiations. 

Expert Witness Disclosures have been filed with this Court and exchanged between the 

parties. However, due to the initiation of settlement negotiations, the parties would like 

additional time to pursue these discussions, prior to incurring further costs and expenses in 

completing expert witness depositions. 

Plaintiff and Defendant have each served initial written discovery, including 

interrogatories, requests for production and requests for admissions. Plaintiff’s medical 

treatment records have been subpoenaed. Additionally, depositions have been taken of 

the Plaintiff, Plaintiff’s treating orthopedic surgeon, Plaintiff’s treating physician, Plaintiff’s 

consulting orthopedic surgeon and of witnesses who were in Plaintiff’s traveling party. An 

Independent Medical Examination of the Plaintiff was completed on April 19, 2010. The 

depositions of the Transportation Security Administration employee witnesses identified by 

Plaintiff in discovery responses were taken on May 19, 2010. Plaintiff’s counsel intends to 

proceed with depositions of certain of Defendant Alaska Airlines, Inc.’s personnel. 

 Additionally, due to the location of the Plaintiff’s fall in the Transportation Security 

Administration (hereinafter “TSA”) security area of the Sacramento International Airport, 

discovery has revealed that several additional TSA employees potentially witnessed the 

events relevant to Plaintiff’s claims made in this action, requiring additional TSA employee 

depositions. 

The scheduling of TSA employee depositions requires a request and approval 

process through the submission of a written discovery plan to the U.S. Department of 

Homeland Security, Office of the Chief Counsel pursuant to United States ex rel. Touhy v. 

Ragen, 340 U.S. 462 (1951) and DHS regulations, 6 C.F.R., Part 5.41, et seq. While 

certain TSA employees were deposed on May 19, 2010, additional TSA employee 

witnesses were identified at that time as having knowledge of facts relevant to this case. 

Additional time is required to complete the necessary request to the TSA and approval of 

this additional discovery. 

/ / / 

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STIPULATION TO EXTEND DISCOVERY COMPLETION, DISPOSITIVE MOTION, JOINT PRETRIAL STATEMENT, PRETRIAL 

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Remaining necessary discovery includes, but is not necessarily limited to, 

depositions of the expert witnesses, depositions of certain Alaska Airlines, Inc. personnel, 

airport security personnel, certain of Plaintiff’s treating physicians, an inspection of the area 

where the fall occurred, as well as further interrogatories and requests for production. 

Both parties, through their respective counsel, have agreed that it would serve the 

interests of justice and judicial economy to extend the current discovery completion date to 

August 20, 2010, and to extend the dispositive motions, joint pre-trial statement, pre-trial 

conference and jury trial dates, as set forth above. 

There have been no prior requests for the continuance of the dispositive motions, 

joint pre-trial statement, pre-trial conference and jury trial dates. 

WHEREFORE, the parties respectfully move this Honorable Court to extend the 

dates for discovery completion, dispositive motions, joint pre-trial statement, pre-trial 

conference and jury trial as requested herein. 

IT IS SO STIPULATED. 

Dated: June 2, 2010 LAW OFFICES OF CHRISTOPHER E. GRELL

 By: ___/s/_____________________________ 

 Christopher E. Grell (SBN 88498) 

 Richard F. Rescho (SBN 108086) 

 Attorneys for Plaintiff, 

 ETHAN BLANKENSHIP 

 

Dated: June 2, 2010 CAULFIELD DAVIES & DONAHUE, LLP 

 By: _/s/_________________________________ 

 Robert E. Davies (SBN 106810) 

 Mary A. Stewart (SBN 106758) 

 Rebecca Weinstein-Hamilton (SBN 162699) 

 Attorneys for Defendant, 

ALASKA AIRLINES, INC. 

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STIPULATION TO EXTEND DISCOVERY COMPLETION, DISPOSITIVE MOTION, JOINT PRETRIAL STATEMENT, PRETRIAL 

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ORDER EXTENDING DATES FOR EXPERT WITNESS DISCLOSURE

AND DISCOVERY COMPLETION

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED, good cause appearing therefore, that the date for 

Completion of Discovery, currently set for June 28, 2010 is extended through August 20, 

2010. 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the following dates are extended as follows: 

1. The Dispositive Motions Filing date is extended from July 21, 2010 to 

September 22, 2010; 

2. The Dispositive Motions Hearing date is extended from August 18, 2010 to 

October 20, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.; 

3. The filing date for the Joint Pre-Trial Statement is extended to November 24, 

2010; 

4. The Final Pre-Trial Conference date is extended from October 1, 2010 to 

December 3, 2010; and 

5. The Jury Trial date is extended from November 15, 2010 to February 7, 2011 

at 9:00 a.m. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: June 3, 2010 /s/ John A. Mendez________________

 THE HONORABLE JOHN A. MENDEZ 

 United States District Court Judge, 

 Eastern District of California 

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STIPULATION TO EXTEND DISCOVERY COMPLETION, DISPOSITIVE MOTION, JOINT PRETRIAL STATEMENT, PRETRIAL 

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ROBERT E. DAVIES, ESQ. / SBN 106810

MARY A. STEWART, ESQ. / SBN 106758 

REBECCA WEINSTEIN-HAMILTON, ESQ. / SBN 162699 

CAULFIELD, DAVIES & DONAHUE, LLP 

P.O. BOX 277010 

Sacramento, CA 95827 

Telephone: (916) 817-2900 

Facsimile: (916) 817-2644 

Attorneys for Defendant 

ALASKA AIRLINES, INC. 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

-o0oETHAN BLANKENSHIP,

 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

ALASKA AIRLINES, INC., and Alaska 

Corporation, and DOES 1 through 100, 

inclusive, 

Defendants. 

Case No.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE OF

STIPULATION TO EXTEND DISCOVERY 

COMPLETION, DISPOSITIVE MOTION, 

JOINT PRETRIAL STATEMENT, 

PRETRIAL CONFERENCE AND JURY 

TRIAL DATES; ORDER

I HEREBY CERTIFY that I electronically filed with the Clerk of Court the foregoing 

document entitled: STIPULATION TO EXTEND DISCOVERY COMPLETION, 

DISPOSITIVE MOTION, JOINT PRETRIAL STATEMENT, PRETRIAL CONFERENCE 

AND JURY TRIAL DATES; ORDER using the CM/ECF system which will automatically 

send email notification of such filing to the following attorneys of record: 

/ / 

/ / 

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STIPULATION TO EXTEND DISCOVERY COMPLETION, DISPOSITIVE MOTION, JOINT PRETRIAL STATEMENT, PRETRIAL 

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CHRISTOPHER E. GRELL (SBN 88498) 

RICHARD F. RESCHO (SBN 108086) 

LAW OFFICES OF CHRISTOPHER E. GRELL 

The Learnington 

1814 Franklin St, Ste 501 

Oakland, CA 94612 

Tel: (510) 832-2980 

Fax: (510) 832-2986 

Counsel for Plaintiff ETHAN BLANKENSHIP

This _____ day of June, 2010. 

 CAULFIELD DAVIES & DONAHUE, LLP 

 By: ____________________________ 

 Robert E. Davies, Esq. 

 Mary A. Stewart, Esq. 

 Rebecca Weinstein-Hamilton, Esq. 

 Attorneys for Defendant 

ALASKA AIRLINES, INC. 

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