Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_23-cv-02514/USCOURTS-caed-2_23-cv-02514-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Guillermo Gutierrez
Plaintiff
Transamerica Life Insurance
Defendant

Document Text:

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

1 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

GUILLERMO GUTIERREZ, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

TRANSAMERICA LIFE INSURANCE, 

Defendant. 

No. 2:23-cv-02514 KJM AC 

ORDER 

 

 This case was removed from Stanislaus County Superior Court on November 1, 2023. 

ECF No. 1. It is before the undersigned because plaintiff is appearing in pro se. Local Rule 

302(c)(21). Good cause appearing, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED as follows: 

1. A Status (Pretrial Scheduling) Conference is set for March 6, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom 

before the undersigned. All parties shall appear by counsel or in person if acting without 

counsel. 

2. Not later than fourteen (14) days prior to the Status Conference, the parties shall file status 

reports addressing the following matters: 

a. Service of process; 

b. Possible joinder of additional parties; 

c. Any expected or desired amendment of the pleadings; 

d. Jurisdiction and venue; 

Case 2:23-cv-02514-AC Document 6 Filed 11/03/23 Page 1 of 3
1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

2 

e. Anticipated motions and their scheduling; 

f. The report required by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26 outlining the proposed 

discovery plan and its scheduling, including disclosure of expert witnesses; 

g. Future proceedings, including setting appropriate cut−off dates for discovery and 

law and motion, and the scheduling of a pretrial conference and trial; 

h. Special procedures, if any; 

i. Estimated trial time; 

j. Modification of standard pretrial procedures specified by the rules due to the 

simplicity or complexity of the proceedings; 

k. Whether the case is related to any other cases, including bankruptcy; 

l. Whether a settlement conference should be scheduled; 

m. Whether the parties will stipulate to the magistrate judge assigned to this matter 

acting as settlement judge and waiving disqualification by virtue of her so acting, 

or whether they prefer to have a settlement conference before another judge; 

n. Any other matters that may add to the just and expeditious disposition of this 

matter. 

3. The parties are informed that they may elect to participate in the court’s Voluntary 

Dispute Resolution Program (“VDRP”) by contacting the court’s VDRP administrator, 

Sujean Park, at (916) 930-4278 or SPark@caed.uscourts.gov.1 The parties shall carefully 

review and comply with Local Rule 271, which outlines the specifications and 

requirements of the VDRP. The parties are directed to meet and confer regarding 

possible VDRP participation, and contact Ms. Park to make the necessary 

arrangements if both parties agree that participation may be beneficial, within 45 

//// 

1

 The resources of the VDRP program are limited, and the parties are expected to make good 

faith efforts to timely and fully exhaust informal settlement efforts prior to initiating participation 

in the VDRP. The court will look with disfavor upon parties stalling or failing to participate in 

initial informal discussions, prompting potentially unnecessary participation in the VDRP and 

straining the program’s resources. 

Case 2:23-cv-02514-AC Document 6 Filed 11/03/23 Page 2 of 3
1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

3 

days of this order. If the parties agree to participate in VDRP the status conference will 

be vacated, to be reset if the case fails to settle. 

4. The parties are also informed that they may, if all consent, have this case tried by a United 

States Magistrate Judge while preserving their right to appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of 

Appeals. See 28 U.S.C. § 636(c). The form for consent to trial by a magistrate judge is 

attached. Consent forms should be returned to the Clerk of the Court within 30 days of 

this order. 

5. The Clerk of the Court is directed to provide copies of the “Consent to Proceed Before 

United States Magistrate Judge” with this order. 

 IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: November 2, 2023 

Case 2:23-cv-02514-AC Document 6 Filed 11/03/23 Page 3 of 3