IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF ALABAMA 

NORTHERN DIVISION 

FARMERS TELECOMMUNICATIONS ) 

COOPERATIVE, INC., ) 

) 

 Plaintiff, ) 

 ) 

v. ) CIVIL ACTION NO. 2:06-cv-00790-WC 

 ) 

VERIZON BUSINESS NETWORK ) 

SERVICES INC. and QWEST ) 

COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION, ) 

) 

Defendants. ) 

JOINT STIPULATION AGREEING TO DELAY COMMENCEMENT OF DISCOVERY

Plaintiff Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc. (“Farmers”) and Defendants 

Verizon Business Network Services Inc. (“Verizon Business”) and Qwest Communications 

Corporation (“QCC”) jointly file this stipulation evidencing the parties’ mutual agreement to 

delay discovery in the above-styled cause until February 15, 2007 and respectfully request the 

inclusion of these provisions in the scheduling order to be issued by this Court. In support of 

said stipulation, the parties state as follows: 

1. In an unopposed motion seeking an extension of time filed by the Plaintiff on 

December 15, 2006, the defendants’ answers or other responsive pleadings are to be filed no 

later than January 29, 2007. 

2. The parties intend to engage in settlement discussions to facilitate a resolution of 

these issues and therefore, have agreed to delay all forms of discovery until a date subsequent to 

the January 29, 2007 deadline for filing answers. 

Case 2:06-cv-00790-WC Document 11 Filed 12/15/2006 Page 1 of 3
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3. Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(f), the parties are finalizing arrangements for a 

conference between the parties. The parties stipulate that the written report of said conference 

will require each party to provide the initial disclosures required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(1), on 

or before February 15, 2007. 

4. Notwithstanding Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(d), which allows parties to begin seeking 

discovery once the Rule 26(f) conference has occurred, the parties stipulate that no forms of 

discovery will be permitted until February 15, 2007. 

 Respectfully submitted on this 15th day of December, 2006. 

 /s/Jonathan M. Hooks__________________ 

 MARK D. WILKERSON (WIL072) 

 DANA H. BILLINGSLEY (BIL012) 

 JONATHAN M. HOOKS (HOO032) 

 PATRICK H. TATE (TAT006) 

Attorneys for Plaintiff Farmers Telecommunications 

Cooperative, Inc. 

OF COUNSEL: 

WILKERSON & BRYAN, P.C. 

P.O. Box 830 

405 South Hull Street 

Montgomery, Alabama 36101-0830 

(205) 265-1500 

(334) 265-0319 – fax

mark@wilkersonbryan.com

dana@wilkersonbryan.com

jonathan@wilkersonbryan.com 

PATRICK H. TATE, P.A. 

P. O. Box 680593 

Fort Payne, AL 35967-0593 

(256) 845-1047 

(256) 845-1045 – fax

phtate@farmerstel.com

Case 2:06-cv-00790-WC Document 11 Filed 12/15/2006 Page 2 of 3
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 /s/Bryan O. Balogh__________________ 

 BRYAN O. BALOGH (BAL026) 

 Attorney for Verizon Business Network 

 Services Inc. 

OF COUNSEL: 

STARNES & ATCHISON 

P.O. Box 598512 

Birmingham, AL 35259-8512 

205-868-6000 

205-868-6099 - fax 

bob@starneslaw.com

 /s/Leigh Anne Hodge__________________ 

 LEIGH ANNE HODGE (ASB-1008-E49L) 

 Attorney for Qwest Communications 

 Corporation 

OF COUNSEL: 

BALCH & BINGHAM 

1710 Sixth Avenue North 

Birmingham, Alabama 35203-2015 

(205) 226-8724 

(205) 488-5698 - fax 

lhodge@balch.com

Case 2:06-cv-00790-WC Document 11 Filed 12/15/2006 Page 3 of 3