IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA 

TALLAHASSEE DIVISION 

CAROLYN ANN MILLER, 

 Plaintiff, 

vs. Case No. 4:20cv514-MW/MAF 

EBS SECURITY INC,. and 

PRINTELLA BANKHEAD, 

 Defendants. 

 / 

 ORDER SETTING SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE

 Chief Judge Mark E. Walker has referred this case to me for a 

settlement conference. To facilitate the conference, it is ORDERED that: 

 1. The settlement conference will take place on Thursday, March 2, 

2023, commencing at 10:00 a.m. All day has been reserved. Instructions 

for participating in the conference will be provided by the Clerk. 

 2. All parties and their counsel may participate in the process. A 

person with full settlement authority for all remaining parties must be 

available for consultation and agreement, though they need not be online 

for the whole conference. 

 3. Before beginning the settlement conference, the parties shall 

negotiate and make a good-faith effort to settle the case without the 

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4:20cv514-MW/MAF 

involvement of the court. At a minimum, specific proposals and counter 

proposals shall be exchanged, even if such proposals have previously 

been exchanged. Any settlement reached shall be immediately 

communicated to the court by filing a joint notice of settlement. 

 4. The conference will be conducted in such a manner as not to 

prejudice any party in the event settlement is not reached. To that end, all 

matters communicated to me in confidence during the conference will be 

kept confidential and will not be disclosed to any other party or to the 

district judge. I will, however, communicate to the other party those matters 

which a party wishes me to communicate. 

 5. During the conference I will briefly address the parties jointly and 

direct counsel to give a brief presentation outlining the factual and legal 

highlights of the case. Thereafter, separate, confidential caucuses will be 

held with each party and the party’s representative. Prior to the conference 

counsel should consider, and where appropriate discuss with his or her 

client, the following issues or events that may arise during the separate 

caucuses: (1) I may address a party personally; (2) I may ask counsel to 

assess the weaknesses or strengths of the claims and defenses; and (3) I 

may ask counsel to discuss whether attorney fees or other expenses are 

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affecting settlement and, if so, whether this has been communicated to the 

opposing party. 

 6. The parties will be permitted to have access to laptops and cell 

phones during the Settlement Conference, but are strongly cautioned about 

the need to keep all negotiations private. They should certainly not be 

shared with persons who are not involved in the case. 

 7. The parties may submit confidential letters/memos, not to exceed 

five (5) pages, in an envelope and marked “confidential” to my attention by 

Monday, February 27, 2023. In the letters/memos, the parties are 

requested to briefly summarize the remaining issues to be tried after the 

summary judgment ruling. 

 8. The conference will end when settlement is reached, or when I 

conclude that further negotiation is unlikely to result in settlement. If 

possible, any settlement will be reduced to writing and signed by the parties 

before the conference ends. 

DONE AND ORDERED on January 31, 2023. 

 s/ Martin A. Fitzpatrick 

 MARTIN A. FITZPATRICK 

 UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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