Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-01257/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-01257-3/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
AT&T California
Defendant
Pacific Bell Telephone Company
Defendant
Sprint Communications Company L.P.
Plaintiff
Surewest Telephone
Defendant
Surewest Televideo
Defendant
Verizon California, Inc.
Defendant

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24675206.1

ORDER GRANDING VERIZON CALIFORNIA INC. MOTION TO SEVER AND TRANSFER TO EASTERN 

DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

HENRY WEISSMANN (SBN 132418)

henry.weissmann@mto.com

TAMERLIN J. GODLEY (SBN 194507)

tamerlin.godley@mto.com

MARGARET G. MARASCHINO (SBN 267034)

margaret.maraschino@mto.com

MUNGER, TOLLES & OLSON LLP

355 South Grand Avenue

Thirty-Fifth Floor

Los Angeles, California 90071-1560

Telephone: (213) 683-9100

Facsimile: (213) 687-3702

Attorneys for Defendant VERIZON 

CALIFORNIA INC.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SPRINT COMMUNICATIONS 

COMPANY L.P., 

Plaintiff,

vs.

PACIFIC BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY 

D/B/A AT&T CALIFORNIA; 

VERIZON CALIFORNIA, INC; SUREWEST 

TELEPHONE; and SUREWEST 

TELEVIDEO,

Defendants.

Case No. 2:14-cv-01257-MCE-CKD

ORDER GRANTING VERIZON 

CALIFORNIA INC.’S MOTION TO 

SEVER AND TRANSFER TO THE 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

Judge: Hon. Morrison C. England, Jr,

Date: October 30, 2014

Time: 2:00 PM

Courtroom: 7

Action Filed: May 21, 2014

Case 2:14-cv-01257-MCE-CKD Document 46 Filed 10/14/14 Page 1 of 3
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24675206.1

ORDER GRANDING VERIZON CALIFORNIA INC. MOTION TO SEVER AND TRANSFER TO EASTERN 

DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

This matter is before the Court on the unopposed motion of Defendant Verizon California 

Inc.’s (“Verizon”) to sever and to transfer venue to the United States District Court for the Eastern 

District of Missouri. Mot., Oct. 1, 2014, ECF No. 42. Verizon moves to sever the claims against 

it from this case and to transfer venue of those claims to the Eastern District of Missouri pursuant 

to Fed. R. Civ. P. 21 and 28 U.S.C. § 1404(a). Plaintiff Sprint Communications Company L.P.

(“Plaintiff”) and the remaining Defendant, Pacific Bell Telephone Company, do not oppose 

Verizon’s motion. See ECF No. 43. In addition, all parties to this action ask that the Court decide 

the instant motion forthwith without oral argument. See id. Having reviewed the motion and 

related documents, and by stipulation of all parties, the Court finds the matter suitable for decision 

on shortened time and without oral argument pursuant to Local Rules 144(e) and 230(g). 

Therefore, the October 30, 2014, hearing date for this motion is hereby VACATED.

For the reasons set forth in Verizon’s Motion, the Court agrees that the Eastern District of 

Missouri is a more convenient forum for adjudication of Plaintiff’s claims against Verizon. For 

good cause shown, the Court hereby GRANTS Verizon California Inc.’s Motion to Sever and to 

Transfer Venue to the Eastern District of Missouri (ECF No. 37).

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 As set forth in Verizon’s Motion, a related case, Sprint Communications Co. L.P. v. Southwestern. Bell 

Telephone Company., et al., Case No. 4:14-cv-00850-CEJ (E.D. Mo. filed May 2, 2014), is pending in the United 

States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Eastern Division.

Case 2:14-cv-01257-MCE-CKD Document 46 Filed 10/14/14 Page 2 of 3
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24675206.1 -2- ORDER GRANDING VERIZON CALIFORNIA INC. MOTION TO SEVER AND TRANSFER TO EASTERN 

DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

Accordingly, it is hereby ORDERED:

(1) Plaintiff Sprint Communications Company L.P.' s claims against Defendant Verizon 

California Inc. are hereby SEVERED pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 21. 

(2) It is further ORDERED this case is hereby TRANSFERRED to the United States 

District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Eastern Division, as to Defendant Verizon 

California Inc. only. The Clerk of the Court is DIRECTED to take all steps necessary to 

effectuate this transfer; and

(3) After the transfer of Defendant Verizon California Inc. as set forth above, Sprint 

Communications Company L.P. SHALL REMAIN the Plaintiff and Pacific Bell Telephone 

Company, doing business as AT&T California, SHALL REMAIN the Defendant in this action in 

the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: October 14, 2014

Case 2:14-cv-01257-MCE-CKD Document 46 Filed 10/14/14 Page 3 of 3