Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-02156/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-02156-6/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
REMSA
Defendant
Brad Reger
Plaintiff
SEMSA
Defendant
Sierra Medical Services Alliance
Defendant
Patrick Smith
Defendant

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28 The caption has been amended according to the Dismissal *

of Doe Defendants portion of this Order.

1

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BRAD REGER, ) 02:05-cv-2156-GEB-GGH

)

Plaintiff, )

)

v. ) FINAL PRETRIAL ORDER

)

PATRICK SMITH; SIERRA MEDICAL )

SERVICES ALLIANCE d/b/a/ SEMSA; )

REMSA, )

)

)

Defendants. )

*

 )

The final pretrial conference scheduled for February 26,

2007, is vacated since the parties’ Joint Pretrial Statement

(“JPS”) indicates this Final Pretrial Order should issue. 

I. DISMISSAL OF DOE DEFENDANTS

Since Plaintiff has not justified Doe defendants

remaining in this action, Does 1 through 50 are dismissed. See

Order Setting Status (Pretrial Scheduling) Conference filed October

26, 2005, at 2 n.2 (indicating that if Plaintiff failed to set

forth in the Joint Status Report a date by when the identities of

any “Doe” defendants were expected to be discovered, the claims

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Minor edits were made to make the undisputed facts more 2

understandable to jurors. These edits are reflected in bold font.

The parties have leave to include other undisputed facts 3

into the instruction and may make the facts read in a narrative

form if they desire. As the preamble to this instruction the

parties could have the following language:

Before the trial, the attorneys for the parties agreed that

the following facts are true. By this procedure, it is often

possible to shorten the length of the trial. Therefore, in

accordance with the agreement of the parties, you are required to

treat these facts as having been proved:

2

against Doe defendants would be deemed abandoned and a dismissal

order would follow).

II. JURY/NON-JURY

All issues shall be tried to a jury.

III. UNDISPUTED FACTS2

This section contains facts which will become a part of

the evidentiary record. The parties shall incorporate them into a

preliminary jury instruction which will be read to the jury prior

to opening statements.3

Defendants SIERRA MEDICAL SERVICES ALLIANCE (hereinafter

referenced as “SEMSA”), and REGIONAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

ASSOCIATION (hereinafter referenced as “REMSA”), are non-profit

corporations with offices in Reno, Nevada, which provide ambulance

services in California and Nevada. Defendant PATRICK SMITH

(“SMITH”) is, and was at all relevant times, the president and CEO

of both SEMSA and REMSA.

The Plaintiff is a long time resident of Lassen County,

California (since 1967) and was the principal of Lassen Ambulance

for more than twenty years when that company went out of business

in December 2004. Lassen Ambulance was the primary provider of

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ground ambulance services in Lassen County prior to December 2004. 

The Plaintiff was and still is one of the principals of Mountain

Life Flight, which provides air ambulance services to Lassen

County. 

In mid 2004, issues arose in the community concerning the

provision of ambulance services. Specifically, Lassen Ambulance

faced increased operating costs, which Brad Reger brought to the

attention of Lassen County officials. The issues relating to the

provision of ambulance services was a topic of discussion at

meetings of the Lassen County Board of Supervisors as well as the

Susanville City Council, in the summer and fall of 2004. One of

the issues that was raised between Mr. Reger and representatives

from the Hospital and Nursing Home, was the issue of transfers of

nursing home patients from Banner Lassen Hospital, when those

patients had been treated at that facility, back to their nursing

homes. 

In early December 2004, Lassen Ambulance completely

ceased operations.

After Lassen Ambulance ceased its operations, a State of

Emergency was declared by County officials. REMSA was then retained

by Lassen County, and began providing emergency ambulance services.

In early 2005, Lassen County issued a Request for

Proposal ("RFP"), for an Exclusive Operating Area ("EOA") for the

provision of emergency ambulance services in Lassen County. 

Pursuant to the RFP Request for Proposal, PATRICK SMITH, on behalf

of SEMSA, submitted a proposal. With the proposal he submitted a

cover letter. On page one of that cover letter, he made the

comment that plaintiff claims is defamatory: 

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The parties dispute whether the ruling issued on August 4

21, 2006 found that Plaintiff is not a public figure. The ruling

states: “Plaintiff cannot be considered a limited purpose public

figure who must prove actual malice to prevail.” Therefore, this

issue has not been stated herein as a point of law.

Further, Plaintiff’s objection that Defendants have included

in the JPS privileges that were not preserved for trial in their

answer is sustained. Therefore, those privileges have not been

included herein. 

4

“We have transferred patients from Banner

Lassen back to the local nursing home where

their residence is. Apparently, the previous

provider declined to do this because of the low

reimbursement potential, but it's still the

right thing to do for these patients and we

consider it to be our job as EMS professionals. 

We have had many people thank us for responding

to this need. No thanks are necessary; it's the

right thing to do!”

IV. DISPUTED FACTUAL ISSUES

1. Whether the statement was false.

2. Whether the statement was defamatory.

3. Whether the statement was privileged under California

Civil Code section 47(c).

4. Whether the statement has a natural tendency to inure or

cause special damages.

5. Whether any defendants acted with malice.

6. Whether Plaintiff suffered damages.

V. RELIEF SOUGHT

Plaintiff is seeking presumed, compensatory, and punitive

damages, and any other relief the Court deems just. 

VI. POINTS OF LAW4

A. The Final Pretrial Order supersedes the pleadings

and controls the facts and claims which may be presented at trial. 

Any legal theory of relief or affirmative defense asserted in the

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pleadings but not preserved for trial in this section of the Final

Pretrial Order cannot be raised during the trial. Hotel Emp., et

al. Health Tr. v. Elks Lodge 1450, 827 F.2d 1324, 1329 (9th Cir.

1987) (“Issues not preserved in the pretrial order are eliminated

from the action.”).

B. The following issues are preserved for trial provided

jury instructions are submitted as required by Section XIV of this

Order:

Plaintiff identifies the following legal issues:

1. Whether Plaintiff can establish the elements of libel by

proving that Defendants published a false, defamatory statement of

fact concerning Plaintiff. 

2. Whether Plaintiff can establish that Defendants acted

with actual malice and is thus entitled to presumed damages as a

matter of law.

3. Whether the Statement is libel per se and defamatory on

its face.

Defendant identifies the following legal issues:

1. Whether Plaintiff can carry his burden of proof in

establishing the elements of libel, which require a showing that

the statement in issue was false, defamatory, unprivileged, and has

a natural tendency to inure or cause special damage. 

2. Whether the statement in issue was non-libelous opinion. 

3. Whether the statement falls within the privilege for a

communication made without malice to an interested person, under

California Civil Code section 47(c).

4. Whether the statement constitutes libel per quod,

requiring proof of special damages. 

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C. In addition to the matters set forth in Local Rule

16-285, the parties shall brief the following points of law in

their trial briefs. 

(1) The elements, standards, and burdens of proof

as to each of Plaintiff's causes of action, including citations of

authority in support thereof.

(2) The elements, standards, and burdens of proof

as to each of Defendant's defenses, including citations of

authority in support thereof.

Notwithstanding Local Rule 16-285, trial briefs shall be

filed with the Court no later than twenty (20) court days prior to

the date of trial. All legal positions briefed in the trial brief

shall be supported with case and applicable statutory authority. 

See Local Rule 16-285. If separate or partial separate trial

briefs are submitted, responding briefs, if any, shall be filed

with the Court no later than five (5) court days prior to trial. 

The trial brief(s) must include “a summary of points of law,

including reasonably anticipated disputes concerning admissibility

of evidence, legal arguments, and citations of authority in support

thereof.” Local Rule 16-285(a)(3).

 VII. ABANDONED ISSUES

Defendants abandoned certain affirmative defenses in

section 8 of the JPS.

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///

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This portion of the Order does not affect the parties’ 5

obligations to timely comply with witness disclosure requirements

provided in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Local Rules,

or by Order of this Court.

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VIII. WITNESSES5

A. Plaintiff anticipates calling the witnesses in

section 9 of the JPS. The witnesses referenced in numbers 33 and

34 are excluded from Plaintiff’s list because they have not been

identified with the specificity required by Local Rule 16-

281(b)(10).

B. Defendants anticipate calling the witnesses listed on

Defendants’ list of witnesses in section 9 of the JPS. 

C. Each party may call a witness designated by the

other.

D. No person, other than those named on these witness

lists, will be permitted to testify unless:

(1) The party offering the witness demonstrates that

the witness is for the purpose of rebutting evidence which could

not reasonably be anticipated at the pretrial conference; or

(2) The witness was discovered after the pretrial

conference and the proffering party makes the showing required in

"E", below.

E. If a witness is discovered after the pretrial

conference, counsel for the party offering the witness shall

promptly inform the Court and opposing parties of the existence of

the unlisted witness so that the Court may consider at trial

whether the witness shall be permitted to testify. The witness

will be not be permitted to testify unless:

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This portion of the Order does not affect the parties’ 6

obligations to timely comply with disclosure requirements provided

in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, the Local Rules, or by

Order of this Court.

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(1) The witness could not reasonably have been

discovered prior to pretrial;

(2) The Court and opposing counsel were promptly

notified upon discovery of the witness;

(3) If time permitted, counsel offered the witness

for deposition; and

(4) If time did not permit, a reasonable summary of

the witness' testimony was provided to opposing counsel.

IX. EXHIBITS6

A. Plaintiff anticipates offering the exhibits listed on

Plaintiff’s list of exhibits in section 10 of the JPS.

B. Defendants anticipate offering the exhibits listed on

Defendants’ list of exhibits in section 10 of the JPS.

C. No other exhibits will be permitted to be introduced

unless:

(1) The party seeking to use the unlisted exhibit

demonstrates that the exhibit is being used to rebut evidence which

could not reasonably have been anticipated at the pretrial

conference; or

(2) The unlisted exhibit was discovered after the

pretrial conference and the offering party makes the showing

required in paragraph "D", below.

D. Any party proposing to introduce an exhibit which was

discovered after the pretrial conference shall promptly notify the

Court and opposing counsel of the existence of such exhibit. The

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28 The parties have leave to file joint exhibits. The above 7

procedure is designed for separate exhibits.

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Court will not permit any such exhibit to be introduced unless it

finds:

(1) That the exhibit could not reasonably have been

discovered prior to the pretrial conference;

(2) The Court and counsel were promptly informed of

the exhibit's existence; and

(3) That the offering party has delivered a copy of

the exhibit to opposing counsel, or, if the exhibit may not be

copied, that the offering counsel has made the exhibit reasonably

available for inspection by opposing counsel. 

E. Plaintiff's exhibits shall be numbered and marked

with colored stickers provided by the Court while Defendants'

exhibits shall be designated by alphabetical letter also marked

with colored stickers provided by the Court. To obtain stickers,

parties should contact the Clerk of Court at (916) 930-4000.

The parties are directed to exchange with each other, at

least twenty (20) court days prior to trial, copies of all of their

respective exhibits, marked with exhibit stickers provided by the

Court. Within five (5) court days after receipt and examination of

the exhibits, each party shall file with the Court and serve upon

opposing counsel objections, if any, to the exhibits, referencing

the exhibits as marked by exhibit sticker and specifying the basis

for each objection. Failure to exchange exhibits as ordered could 7

result in the exhibit not being used at trial and/or the imposition

of sanctions. The failure to make objections in the manner

prescribed by this section shall constitute a waiver of objections. 

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A party seeking to admit into evidence an exhibit to which no

objection was made must identify said exhibit for the record and

then move it into evidence. 

Counsel shall produce all exhibits to the Clerk's Office

on the Friday before the before trial date, no later than 4:00 p.m. 

At that time, the parties shall also furnish the Court with a copy

of each exhibit, unless the exhibit is physically incapable of

being reproduced. Failure to produce exhibits as ordered could

result in waiver of the right to offer those exhibits. Each party

submitting exhibits shall furnish a list to the Court, the

courtroom deputy and opposing counsel itemizing the exhibits. 

X. FURTHER PREPARATION FOR USE OF DISCOVERY DOCUMENTS

A. It is the duty of counsel to ensure that any

depositions which are to be used at trial for any purpose shall

have been filed with the clerk, and counsel are cautioned that a

failure to discharge this duty may result in preclusion of the use

of the unfiled depositions or in the imposition of such other

sanctions as the Court deems appropriate.

B. No later than twenty (20) court days before the trial

commencement date, counsel for each party shall serve on the other

parties a statement designating all answers to interrogatories and

all portions of depositions (except for passages to be used solely

for refreshing recollection, impeachment or rebuttal). No later

than ten (10) court days before the trial commencement date,

counter-designations of other portions of these discovery documents

may be served. No later than five (5) court days before trial, the

parties shall file and serve any preserved evidentiary objections

to any designated discovery, or said objections are waived.

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XI. FURTHER DISCOVERY OR MOTIONS

Pursuant to the Court's Pretrial Scheduling Order, all

discovery and law and motion was to have been completed prior to

the date of the final pretrial conference. That order is

confirmed. The parties are, of course, free to conduct any

additional discovery they desire pursuant to informal agreement. 

However, any such agreement will not be enforceable in this Court.

XII. SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS

No settlement conference is scheduled in this matter. If

the parties believe that a settlement conference would be

productive and facilitate resolution of this case, the parties may

contact the Court. If the Court schedules a settlement conference

at the request of the parties, each party would be directed to have

a principal with authority to settle the case on any terms present

at the settlement conference. 

In addition, each party would have to submit a settlement

conference statement directly to the chambers of the settlement

judge, five (5) court days prior to the settlement conference. 

Such statements would not have to be filed with the clerk nor

served on opposing counsel. However, each would be required to

notify the other party or parties that the statement was submitted

to the judge's chambers.

XIII. AGREED STATEMENT

The parties shall submit a short, jointly-prepared

statement concerning the nature of this case that can be read to

the jury at the commencement of trial. The statement shall be

provided to the Court no later than ten (10) court days before the

commencement of trial. If the parties fail to do this, they may be

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required to give their respective opening statements before voir

dire. Separate statements shall be submitted if agreement is not

reached.

XIV. JURY INSTRUCTIONS, VOIR DIRE, AND VERDICT FORMS

A. Counsel are directed to confer and to attempt to

agree upon a joint set of jury instructions and verdict forms. 

B. All instructions, both general and specific, shall

be submitted in the exact numerical order counsel desires them

given to the jury and shall be tailored to the facts and issues in

suit.

The joint set of instructions and verdict forms shall be

filed with the court clerk fifteen (15) court days prior to the

date of the trial. As to instructions on which there is dispute,

the parties shall adhere to the following procedure: 1) the party

offering the disputed instruction(s) shall submit the

instruction(s) as its proposed jury instructions, shall submit

authority in support of the proposed instruction(s) and shall

number the disputed instruction(s) in a manner that shows where

each disputed instruction should be placed in the tendered agreed

upon instructions. The contested instruction(s) and supporting

authority shall be filed with the joint set of instructions fifteen

(15) court days prior to the date of the trial; 2) the party

opposed to the contested instruction(s) shall file opposing

authority ten (10) court days prior to the date of the trial.

C. All instructions shall be, to the extent possible,

concise, understandable, and neutral statements of law. They shall

be prepared in accordance with Local Rule 51-163. Ninth Circuit

Pattern Instructions are preferred.

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D. It is the parties' responsibility to ensure that

jury instructions are submitted on all issues preserved for trial

in accordance with the schedule set forth above. Pursuant to Local

Rule 51-163, instructions not presented in accordance with this

Order will be refused unless it is shown either (1) that the

necessity for the request arose in the course of trial; the

instructions could not reasonably have been anticipated prior to

trial from the Final Pretrial Order; and the request for such

additional instructions is presented to the Court as promptly as

possible; or (2) that the refusal to give such instructions would

constitute manifest injustice under Rule 16(e). 

F. Most of the examination of prospective jurors is

conducted by the Court. The parties are directed to meet and

confer and attempt to agree upon a joint set of proposed voir dire

questions. These questions shall include any voir dire questions

supplied by the Court that the parties believe are necessary. The

joint set of voir dire questions shall be filed with the Court

fifteen (15) court days prior to the date of the trial. Parties

may also submit proposed voir dire questions which are disputed. 

Disputed voir dire questions shall be filed with the Court fifteen

(15) court days prior to the date of the trial and shall be

accompanied by an explanation as to the need for the question and

supporting case authority when available. The opposing party shall

respond with reasons for the opposition and any supporting case

authority no later than ten (10) court days prior to the date of

trial. Each side is granted fifteen (15) minutes to conduct voir

dire following the Court's examination of prospective jurors.

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As explained in United States v. Blouin, 666 F.2d 796, 8

798 (2d Cir. 1981), "the goal of the 'struck jury' system is to

whittle down an initially selected group . . . [to the amount of

jurors] who will serve as the petit jury." The selected group

consists of the jurors who will hear the case, plus the number of

jurors required to enable the parties to use the combined number of

peremptory challenges allotted to both sides for striking jurors

from the group. Typically extra jurors are included in the select

group in the event the minimum amount of jurors required for the

"struck system" is reduced "for cause" or some other reason.

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G. The parties shall file a joint verdict form

concurrently with proposed jury instructions fifteen (15) court

days prior to the commencement of trial. See L.R. 51-163(e). A

special verdict or interrogatories shall be included for all

factual disputes submitted to the jury that must be resolved before

questions of law can be decided, and for any other issue on which

specific responses are desired. The verdict form shall be prepared

in accordance with Local Rule 51-163(e). At the same time, where

disagreements exist, the parties shall explain the disagreement and

submit points and authorities supporting their respective

positions.

At the time of electronically filing the jury

instructions and verdict forms, counsel shall also submit a copy of

the sanitized joint jury instructions, the sanitized disputed jury

instructions, and the joint verdict forms to the Court by email to

geborders@caed.uscourts.gov in accordance with L.R. 51-163(b)(1).

XV. USE OF STRUCK JURY SELECTION SYSTEM

Eight (8) jurors will be impaneled. The "struck jury"

system will be used to select the jury. At the beginning of the 8

voir dire process, approximately eighteen prospective jurors,

randomly selected by the Jury Administrator, will be seated for

voir dire. The order of the jurors’ random selection is reflected

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The parties are required to meet and confer about the 9

length of the trial and to file a document no later than twenty

(20) court days before trial in which the length of trial is

estimated.

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by the order in which they will be seated. The first randomly

selected juror will be in jury seat number one, which is at the

extreme right-hand side of the jury box in the top row as the jury

box is viewed from the well of the courtroom. The eighth juror

will be in the eighth seat. The ninth selected juror will occupy

the seat located at the extreme right-hand side of the jury box in

the bottom row. The fifteenth seat will be in the left-hand side

of that row. Three chairs will be placed in front of the jury box. 

The sixteenth juror will occupy the seat on the right and the

eighteenth juror will occupy the seat on the left. The first eight

(8) jurors on a list, which shall be given to counsel, will

constitute the petit jury unless one or more of those eight (8) is

excused for some reason. Assuming that the first and fifth jurors

on the list are excused, the second listed juror becomes the first,

and the other jurors’ numbers are changed accordingly, with the

ninth juror on the list becoming seventh on the list; however, the

jurors continue to be identified by their original numbers.

Following the voir dire questioning, each side will take

turns exercising its three allotted peremptory strikes. If a side

elects to pass rather than exercise a particular peremptory

challenge, that challenge is waived.

XVI. TRIAL DATE

Trial to a jury will commence on May 30, 2007. A trial 9

day will commence at 9:00 a.m. and will adjourn at approximately

4:30 p.m. Each side has fifteen (15) minutes within which to make

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an opening statement to the jury and sixty (60) minutes within

which to make a closing argument. Counsel are to call Shani

Furstenau, Courtroom Deputy, at (916) 930-4114, one week prior to

trial to ascertain the status of the trial date.

XVII. OBJECTIONS TO PRETRIAL ORDER

Each party is granted ten (10) days from the date of this

Order to file an objection to same. Each party’s position on said

objection should be stated. Any objection must specify the

requested correction, addition, and/or deletion. If no objection

is filed, this Order will become final without further order of

this Court.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 22, 2007

 

GARLAND E. BURRELL, JR.

United States District Judge

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