SERVED: SEPTEMER 4, 2012. 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

OFFiCE OF HEARINGS 

WASHINGTON, DC 

IN THE MATTER OF 

STEPHEN GUNNER GAMA 

FAA DOCKET NO. [TO BE ASSIGNED] 

(Civil Penalty Action) 

FDMS NO. FAA-2012 :- 0871 

PROCEDURAL ORDER 

In order to expedite the hearing in this matter, the parties shall comply with the 

Procedural Schedule set forth hereinbelow1

• The Rules of Practice for this proceeding 

are set forth in 14 C.F.R. Part 13, Subpart G, ofthe Federal Aviation Regulations2

• 

Those rules provide, inter alia, that the Respondent must file a written Answer or motion 

within thirty (30) days after service of the Complaint (14 C.F.R. § 13.209(a)), that a 

general denial is deemed a failure to file an Answer(§ 13.209(e)), that failure to file an 

Answer without good cause is deemed an admission of each allegation in the Complaint 

(§13.209(f)), and that, absent agreement ofthe parties, a party seeking an extension of 

time must file a written motion not less than seven (7) days before the document is due, 

absent good cause shown(§ 13.213(a) and (b)). .. 

More specifically, 14 CFR § 13.209 (e) states: 

A person filing an _answer shall admit, deny, or state that the person is without 

sufficient knowledge or information to admit or deny, each numbered paragraph 

of the complaint. Any statement or allegation contained in the complaint that is 

not specifically denied in the answer may be deemed an admission o:fthe truth of 

that allegation. A general denial ofthe complaint is deemed a failure to file an 

answer. 

Under FAA Order 2J50.3B and the Rules governing these proceedings, the 

Agency attorney and the Respondent are·encouraged to consider the possibility of 

1 Materials filed in the FAA Hearing Docket (except for materials filed in security cases) are also available 

for viewing at http://www.regulations.gov. .-

2 The Administrator's civil pemllty decisions, along with indexes of the decisions, the Rules of Practice, as 

well as other materials relating to civil penalty cases, are available on the internet at: · 

http://www.faa.gov/ about/ office_ org/headquarters ~office~/ age/pol_ adjudication/ agc400/ civil _penalty/; see 

.. . _ .. _ ...... · alsQ;;..tJt(P,/iff~g{?,98:cc - · · -· - :? ·:: . · .· ·"" ... · _·. . • . . ·-

~~7ditio'il,'i:'iiomson Reuters/ est Publishing publishes Federal Aviation Decisions. Finally, the deCisions 

are available throvgh LEXIS (TRANS library) and WestLaw 9FTRAN-FAA database). For additional 

infonriation, see the Web site; · 

1 
settlement and compromise of this matter.3 Compromise may be effected with or 

without a finding of violation (14 C.P.R. §13.16 (n) (1)). 

NOTE: This presiding Judge does not require "Discovery" to be se~ved on the 

Judge. Other Judges have different policies, but as long as this case is assigned to the 

undersigned presiding Judge the parties may, but are not required, serve discovery on the 

undersigned. 

The judge will not discuss the case with any party,4 

or its representative on an ex 

parte basis. If a party has a non-substantive matter to discuss, they should contact Mr. 

Ira Leibowitzat (202) 366-2139 (Ira.Leibowitz@dot.gov). Administrative matters may 

be addressed to Staff Assistant, Pat Matthews [202-366-5121] 

(Patricia.Matthews@dot. gov ): 

WHEREFORE, the parties be and are hereby ORDERED to adhere to the . 

following procedural schedule: 

1. Venue shall be Sacramento or San Francisco, CA. depending on availability of 

court facilities; 

2.' On or before November 9, 2012, the parties shall conclude all discovery 

including, but not limited to, depositions, document production, responses to 

production requests and/or interrogatories. If the parties cannot resolve a 

discovery dispute they shall submit the dispute to the undersigned for resolution 

in a timely manner; 

3. The parties shall be prepared to present this case at a hearing on or after 

November 9, 20125

, subject to the availability of courtroom facilities. The 

specific date and time for the hearing will be forthcoming in a separate Order. 

4. The parties will have the opportunity to file Post-Hearing briefs and arguments 

pursuant to a schedule to be determined at the hearing. For guidance, the 

following schedule is typically used: Complainant shall file its brieffifteen (15) 

days afterreceipt of the transcript; Respondent shall its brief fifteen (15) days 

3 See Linda Joyce Goodman, FAA Docket No. CP89WP0061, Order dated May 30, 1989. 4 "The public policy of favoring and encouraging settlement makes necessary the inadmissibility of 

settlement negotiations in order to foster frank discussions". (Fiberglass Insulators. Inc. v Dupuy, et al, 

(856 F. 2d 652, 26 Fed. R. Evid. Serv. 1225, 1988. See also Coakley & Williams Construction, 

Incorporated v Structural Concrete Equipment, Incorporated, 973 F.2d 349, 1992; 2 McCormick t:m Evid. 

§266 (6th ed.); Rule 68 of the FederalRules of Civil Procedure.). Rule 408 of the Federal Rules of 

Evidence " ... prohibits the admission of statements made in compromise negotiations ... " (In the Matter of 

Africa Air Corporation, FAA Order No. 99-5). "Rule 408's public policy purpose of encouraging frank 

. . . . se.ttl~~:~~ns i!!!.c~~P~!!~~!~""~~c.~~~.P!- . .nalD'...C~!?~~~.~ffi.:~s.~~jtj~j~l.f,~~~I.ti~l§,,Ji~Jl~~~""·~·,~···'"''.--""'"""····~· ,.,,,.,,,..,.,._,."":,'"""'"'~''g'iiftlw:i~.:t: wuf oe."f'Oftoweatiimese proceeas.'' va;) 

5 14 C.F.R. § 13.221 states: "The administrative law judge shall give each party at least 60 days notice of · 

the date, time and location of the hearing:" 

2 
thereafter; and any rebuttal brief by the Complainant shall be filed seven (7) days 

thereafter. 

5. Settled cases will not be removed from the hearing docket until the proper written 

pleading(s), consistent with the applicable rules,6 is received by the presiding 

judge.7 

6. The parties are advised that submissions sent to the street address of the U.S. 

Department of Transportation, Office of Hearings, may be delayed due to 

screening conducted by the U.S. Postal Service and/or other security agencies and 

may take. up to four (4) ~eeks to be delivered. Additiomilly, submissions may be 

"irradiated", which affects the quality of submissions. The parties are 

encouraged, but not required, to file submissions by private delivery service, 

facsimile, or email. The certificate of service shall reflect the manner of service. 

The parties are encouraged to provide email addresses to expedite service of 

pleadings. 

ichard ·c. Goodwin 

U.S. Administrative Law Judge 

Attachment - Service List 

., 

6 14 C.F .R. § 13.215 states: At any time before or during a hearing, an agency attorney may withdraw a 

complaint or party may withdraw a request for a hearing without the consent of the adniinistrative law 

judge. If an agency attorney withdraws the complaint or a party withdraws the request for a hearing and the 

answer, the administrative law judge shall dismiss the proceedings under this subpart with prejudice. 7 See: In the Matter of Lewis Drake & Associates, FAA Docket No. CP03S00045, OMS. No. F AA-2003-

16379, "Order Terminating Proceeding", served February26, 2005; citing Kerry James Eldridge, FAA 

Docket CP89GL0458, "Order Canceling Hearing and Terminating Proceeding", served January 16; 1991, 

. at I; In The Matter of Robert H$Uris FAA Docket No. CP03E1\00Ql. DMS No. FAA-2002-14236., Orders 

dated October 18,2004 and October 27,2004. USAIR, Inc., FAA Docket CP90NE0359, Trans World 

Airlines, Inc., FAA Dockets CP90GL0085, CP90CEOIIO, CP90CE0114, CP90CE0134, Order of 

~.~}~~~Jnri£=~l:~.~~~2lk·%.U~~~~~~~~-~i§~i~6ia&~.,~~~it1<01111i..-.~-~<lf1l~.~· ~~- , · :''·~Omp amant s jfppeiP'. · tn'Tfl~'1Vratter o7Jro6ert ilarns, I<AA Docket No. CP03EAOOO L·DMS No; FAA2005-14, August 15, 2005. 

3 
SERVICE LIST 

ORIGINAL & ONE COPY 

Federal Aviation Administration 

800 Independence Avenue, S.W. 

Washington, DC 20591· 

Attention: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC-430 

Wilbur Wright Building-Suite 2W1 0001 

Stephen Gunner Gama, Respondent 

1958 Country Club Ct., Apt. A 

Marysville, CA 95901 

ONE COPY 

Lindsey M. Nakamura, Complainant's Counsel 

Attorney, Office of the Regional Counsel 

Western-Pacific Region, A WP-7.11 

Federal Aviation Administration 

P.O. Box 92007 

Los Angeles, CA 90009-2007 

TEL: 310-725-7138 

. FAX: 310-725-6816 

The Honorable Richard C. Goodwin, Administrative Law Judge 

Office of Hearings, M-20 

U.S. Department of Transportation 

1200 New Jersey Avenue; S.E. (E11-310) 

Washington, DC 20590 

TEL: 202-366-2139 Attorney-Advisor 

202-3 66-5121 Staff Assistant 

FAX: 202-366-7536 

FDMS No. FAA-2012-0871 

(Civil Penalty Action) 

., 

~··~t·s~~u.s.~~l~~·~·p~~'"'<>7bYe'~eclite~ou~er:"'u~~~<lare;;rTeretar---""~-.. . Aviation Administration, 600 Independence Avenue, S.W., Wilbur Wright Building-Suite 2W1000, Washington, 

DC 20591; Attention: Hearing Docket Clerk, AGC-430.