Opinion ID: 3038777
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Motions to Strike Portions of Affidavits

Text: Bliesner contends that the district court erred in striking portions of her affidavit submitted in support of her motion for summary judgment, and in failing to strike portions of affidavits from two Verizon employees, Sully and Under- BLIESNER v. COMMUNICATION WORKERS OF AMERICA 11245 wood. Under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56(e), affidavits must be based on personal knowledge. We review the district court’s ruling for an abuse of discretion. El Pollo Loco, Inc. v. Hashim, 316 F.3d 1032, 1038 (9th Cir. 2003). [7] It is clear from its order that the district court only struck those portions of Bliesner’s affidavit concerning her own personal belief that she could be trained in one week. By her own admission, Bliesner was entirely unacquainted with many of the skills for which training would have been required. For example, there is evidence in the record that the MARK program — which was a necessary part of the new job — requires a three to four week training class. Bliesner stated in her deposition that she had no knowledge of the MARK system. Given Bliesner’s lack of knowledge of the MARK system, the district court did not abuse its discretion in striking, for lack of personal knowledge, the portion of her affidavit stating that she could learn it in one week. [8] By contrast, the affidavits of Sully and Underwood were based upon their first-hand knowledge of the necessary skills for the job Bliesner sought, as well as the time needed to obtain those skills. The district court did not abuse its discretion in refusing to strike their affidavits or portions thereof.