Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-04404/USCOURTS-cand-3_05-cv-04404-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Terry L. Meier
Plaintiff
United States of America
Defendant

Document Text:

United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

TERRY L. MEIER

Plaintiff,

 v.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Defendant. /

No. C 05-04404 WHA

ORDER RE DISCOVERY ISSUES

RAISED IN CORRESPONDENCE

DATED AUGUST 18 & 23, 2006 

Having reviewed the above correspondence from both sides in this contentious civil

action, the Court now rules as follows:

1. Plaintiff may have up to seven more hours in total of depositions and may split the seven

hours among Leung, Cheung, Gordon, Visita and/or the nurse who signed the 12/19/02

report, subject plaintiff to subpoenaing, if necessary, all such individuals selected and

completing the foregoing by the fact discovery deadline.

2. Mr. Meier must submit to an IME. His mental condition has been placed at issue by his

claim for non-economic emotional-distress damages. His argument that he only seeks

“ordinary” emotional distress damage is not persuasive, for defendant is entitled to

show, if it can do so, that plaintiff has mental problems that account for all or some of

any emotional distress. The documents requested are granted in part: all requested

records relating to mental, physical, medical condition of plaintiff, discipline of plaintiff, 

and/or grievances by plaintiff, otherwise, the request is denied. Mr. Meier is ordered to

sign appropriate forms conforming to this ruling. If he does not immediately, Ms.

Case 3:05-cv-04404-WHA Document 26 Filed 08/28/06 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Dowling should prepare a form of order capturing the ruling above. The IME report

must be completed before the expert-report deadline and the documents provided by the

fact-discovery deadline.

3. Based on Mr. Meier’s admission, he is now barred from seeking economic damages

except, if appropriate, attorney’s fees and costs.

4. With respect to John Sawyer and Melinda Kazain, plaintiff will be deemed to have

supplemented his Rule 26 initial disclosures to add them and the government may

despose, each over and above any deponent limitation but only for three hours each. 

5. With respect to Mr. Meier’s refusal to answer deposition questions, the record needs to

be augmented. Please file all deposition pages necessary to show improper responses. 

Please do the same for all ad hominem attacks alleged in footnote 4 of Ms. Dowling’s

letter. This must be filed by August 30 at noon and any response by August 31 at noon.

If this order has missed any issue, it will have to be the subject of a fresh motion.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: 8/28/06 

WILLIAM ALSUP

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:05-cv-04404-WHA Document 26 Filed 08/28/06 Page 2 of 2