Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_02-cv-02685/USCOURTS-caed-2_02-cv-02685-2/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Kelly Services
Defendant
Lynn Noyes
Plaintiff

Document Text:

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1

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

LYNN NOYES, )

) 2:02-cv-2685-GEB-CMK

Plaintiff, )

)

v. ) FINAL PRETRIAL ORDER

)

KELLY SERVICES, INC., ) 

)

Defendant. )

)

The final pretrial conference scheduled for January 14,

2008, is vacated since the parties’ Joint Pretrial Statement

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

I. JURY/NON-JURY

All issues shall be tried to a jury.

II. DISPUTED FACTUAL AND LEGAL ISSUES

A. First Claim: Plaintiff claims she was discriminated

against in violation of Title VII, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-2(a)(1) when

she was denied a promotion because she was not a member of a

particular religious group. She seeks general, special and

punitive damages for said violation, as well as her attorneys’ fees

and costs, including expert witness fees.

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Defendant contends: 

(1) The Fellowship is not a religious organization

that would qualify for protected status, and therefore employment

decisions allegedly based on membership or non-membership cannot

support a Title VII religious discrimination claim; 

(2) the claim is barred because Plaintiff failed to

exhaust administrative remedies under Title VII; 

(3) Plaintiff has failed to mitigate the damages

alleged in the claim; and 

(4) Plaintiff’s claim for punitive damages is barred

because Defendant did not ratify, authorize or have knowledge of

the alleged conduct and the alleged unlawful conduct committed by

former employee William Heinz cannot be imputed to Defendant

because William Heinz was not an officer, director or managing

agent of Defendant under California law.

B. Second Claim: Plaintiff claims that she was

discriminated against in violation of the California Fair

Employment and Housing Act, when she was denied a promotion because

she was not a member of a particular religious group. She seeks

general, special and punitive damages for said violation, as well

as her attorneys’ fees and costs, including expert witness fees.

Defendant contends:

(1) The Fellowship is not a religious organization

that qualifies for protected status, and therefore Plaintiff’s

claim fails;

(2) The claim is barred because Plaintiff has failed

to exhaust the required administrative remedies under FEHA; 

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(3) The claim is barred because accommodating

religious preferences, or lack of religious preferences, would have

resulted in an undue hardship to Defendant; 

(4) Plaintiff failed to mitigate the damages alleged

in the claim; 

(5) Plaintiff’s claim for punitive damages is barred

because Defendant did not ratify, authorize or have knowledge of

the alleged conduct and the alleged unlawful conduct committed by

former employee William Heinz cannot be imputed to Defendant

because William Heinz was not an officer, director or managing

agent of Defendant under California law; and

(6) The claim is barred because Plaintiff

unreasonably failed to take advantage of preventive or corrective

opportunities.

C. Third Claim: Plaintiff claims that Defendant’s

actions were outrageous and with reckless disregard for the

foreseeable consequences to Plaintiff and she seeks damages for

intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Defendant contends:

(1) The claim is barred by the applicable statute of

limitations;

(2) Plaintiff’s sole and exclusive remedy is the

California Workers’ Compensation Act;

(3) Plaintiff has failed to mitigate damages alleged

in the claim; and 

(4) Plaintiff’s claim for punitive damages is barred

because Defendant did not ratify, authorize or have knowledge of

the alleged conduct and the alleged unlawful conduct committed by

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Before filing a motion setting forth an evidentiary 1

dispute, counsel shall meet and confer for the purpose of trying to

resolve that evidentiary dispute. 

This portion of the Order does not affect the parties’ 2

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; and does not address the issue whether

deposition testimony is admissible.

4

former employee William Heinz cannot be imputed to Defendant

because William Heinz was not an officer, director or managing

agent of Defendant under California law.

III. DISPUTED EVIDENTIARY ISSUES

Any evidentiary dispute capable of being resolved in

limine shall be set forth in an in limine motion which shall be

filed no later than 4:30 p.m. on February 4, 2008. An opposition 1

or a non-opposition statement to any filed in limine motion shall

be filed no later than 4:30 p.m. on February 18, 2008. Failure to

state a basis for admissibility or non-admissibility of disputed

evidence constitutes a waiver or abandonment of that basis. 

IV. WITNESSES2

A. The Joint Witness List was filed on January 7, 2008.

B. No person, other than those named on the witness

list, 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

“C”, below.

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This portion of the Order does not affect the parties’ 3

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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C. If a witness is discovered after this Order issues,

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:

(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.

V. EXHIBITS3

A. The Joint Exhibit List was filed on January 7, 2008. 

B. 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 “C”, below.

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28 The parties have leave to file joint exhibits. The above 4

(continued...)

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C. 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

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. 

D. Plaintiff's exhibits shall be numbered and marked

with colored stickers provided by the Court while Defendant's

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 the date on which trial

commences, 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 4

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procedure is designed for separate exhibits.

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exchange exhibits as ordered could 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. 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

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

trial is scheduled to commence. 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. 

VI. 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

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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 the trial

commencement date, the parties shall file and serve any preserved

evidentiary objections to any designated discovery, or said

objections are waived.

VII. 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.

VIII. STIPULATIONS

The parties’ stipulations on pages 11 (lines 24 to and

including 27) and 12 (lines 2 to and including 8) of their JPS are

part of this Order.

IX. 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

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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.

X. 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

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

be required to give their respective opening statements before voir

dire. Separate statements shall be submitted if agreement is not

reached.

XI. 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 fifteen (15) court days prior to the trial commencement date. 

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

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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 trial commencement date; 2) the party

opposed to the contested instruction(s) shall file opposing

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

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.

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; 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). 

E. 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

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

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 trial commencement date

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 trial commencement date. Each side is granted 15 

minutes to conduct voir dire following the Court's examination of

prospective jurors.

F. The parties shall file a joint verdict form

concurrently with proposed jury instructions fifteen (15) court

days prior to the trial commencement date. 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).

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As explained in United States v. Blouin, 666 F.2d 796, 5

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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XII. USE OF STRUCK JURY SELECTION SYSTEM

Eight jurors will be impaneled. The “struck jury” system

will be used to select the jury. At the beginning of the voir 5

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 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 jurors on a

list, which shall be given to counsel, will constitute the petit

jury unless one or more of those eight 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

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becoming seventh on the list; however, the jurors continue to be

identified by their original numbers.

XIII. ATTORNEYS FEES

The parties are referred to Local Rule 54-293 concerning

the post-trial procedure for seeking an award of attorney's fees. 

XIV. TRIAL DATE

Trial to a jury will commence on March 25, 2008. A trial

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

4:30 p.m. Each side has 15 minutes within which to make an opening

statement to the jury and 90 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.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: January 9, 2008

 

GARLAND E. BURRELL, JR.

United States District Judge

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