Donnie Cummings et al v. Cenergy International Services, LLC

Filing 30

SCHEDULING ORDER, signed by Magistrate Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on 11/11/2017. Pleading Amendment Deadline 2/5/2018. Discovery Deadlines: Initial Disclosures 1/15/2018; Non-Expert 5/15/2018; Expert 7/24/2018. Mid-Discovery Status Conference se t for 3/15/2018 at 08:30 AM in Bakersfield, 510 19th Street before Magistrate Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Non-Dispositive Motion Deadlines: Filed by 7/31/2018; Hearing by 8/28/2018. Dispositive Motion Deadlines: Filed by 9/11/2018; Hearing by 10/2 3/2018. Pretrial Conference set for 12/18/2018 at 08:30 AM in Courtroom 4 (LJO) before Chief Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill. Bench Trial set for 2/12/2019 at 08:30 AM in Courtroom 4 (LJO) before Chief Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill. (Hall, S)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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DONNIE CUMMINGS, et al.,
Plaintiffs,

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v.
CENERGY INTERNATIONAL
SERVICES, LLC,
Defendant.

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1: 17-CV-0484 - LJO - JLT
SCHEDULING ORDER (Fed. R. Civ. P. 16)
Pleading Amendment Deadline: 2/5/2018
Discovery Deadlines:
Initial Disclosures: 1/15/2018
Non-Expert: 5/15/2018
Expert: 7/24/2018
Mid-Discovery Status Conference:
3/15/2018 at 8:30 a.m.

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Non-Dispositive Motion Deadlines:
Filing: 7/31/2018
Hearing: 8/28/2018

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Dispositive Motion Deadlines:
Filing: 9/11/2018
Hearing: 10/23/2018

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Pre-Trial Conference:
12/18/2018 at 8:30 a.m.
Courtroom 4

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Trial: 2/12/2019 at 8:30 a.m.
Courtroom 4
Court trial: 1-2 days

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I.

Magistrate Judge Consent:

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Notice of Congested Docket and Court Policy of Trailing

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Due to the District Judges’ heavy caseload, the newly adopted policy of the Fresno Division of

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the Eastern District is to trail all civil cases. The parties are hereby notified that for a trial date set

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before a District Judge, the parties will trail indefinitely behind any higher priority criminal or older

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civil case set on the same date until a courtroom becomes available. The trial date will not be reset to a

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continued date.
The Magistrate Judges’ availability is far more realistic and accommodating to parties than that

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of the U.S. District Judges who carry the heaviest caseloads in the nation and who must prioritize

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criminal and older civil cases over more recently filed civil cases. A United States Magistrate Judge

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may conduct trials, including entry of final judgment, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), Federal Rule of

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Civil Procedure 73, and Local Rule 305. Any appeal from a judgment entered by a United States

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Magistrate Judge is taken directly to the United States Court of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit.
The Fresno Division of the Eastern District of California, whenever possible, is utilizing United

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States Article III District Court Judges from throughout the nation as Visiting Judges. Pursuant to the

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Local Rules, Appendix A, such reassignments will be random, and the parties will receive no advance

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notice before their case is reassigned to an Article III District Court Judge from outside of the Eastern

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District of California.
Therefore, the parties are directed to consider consenting to Magistrate Judge jurisdiction to

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conduct all further proceedings, including trial. Within 10 days of the date of this order, counsel

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SHALL file a consent/decline form (provided by the Court at the inception of this case) indicating

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whether they will consent to the jurisdiction of the Magistrate Judge.

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II.

Pleading Amendment Deadline
Any requested pleading amendments are ordered to be filed, either through a stipulation or

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motion to amend, no later than February 5, 2018.

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III.

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Discovery Plan and Cut-Off Date
The parties are ordered to exchange the initial disclosures required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(1)

on or before January 15, 2018.
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The parties are ordered to complete all discovery pertaining to non-experts on or before May

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15, 2018 and all discovery pertaining to experts on or before July 24, 2018.
The parties are directed to disclose all expert witnesses, in writing, on or before May 29, 2018,

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and to disclose all rebuttal experts on or before June 26, 2018. The written designation of retained and

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non-retained experts shall be made pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. Rule 26(a)(2), (A), (B), and (C) and

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shall include all information required thereunder. Failure to designate experts in compliance with

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this order may result in the Court excluding the testimony or other evidence offered through such

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experts that are not disclosed pursuant to this order.
The provisions of Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(b)(4) and (5) shall apply to all discovery relating to experts

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and their opinions. Experts must be fully prepared to be examined on all subjects and opinions

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included in the designation. Failure to comply will result in the imposition of sanctions, which may

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include striking the expert designation and preclusion of expert testimony.
The provisions of Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(e) regarding a party's duty to timely supplement

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disclosures and responses to discovery requests will be strictly enforced.
A mid-discovery status conference is scheduled for March 15, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. before the

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Honorable Jennifer L. Thurston, U.S. Magistrate Judge, located at 510 19th Street, Bakersfield,

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California. Counsel SHALL file a joint mid-discovery status conference report one week before the

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conference. Counsel also SHALL lodge the status report via e-mail to [e-mail].

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The joint statement SHALL outline the discovery counsel have completed and that which needs to be

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completed as well as any impediments to completing the discovery within the deadlines set forth in this

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order. Counsel may appear via teleconference by dialing [phone] and entering Access Code

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1652736, provided the Magistrate Judge's Courtroom Deputy Clerk receives a written notice of the

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intent to appear telephonically no later than five court days before the noticed hearing date.

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IV.

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Pre-Trial Motion Schedule
All non-dispositive pre-trial motions, including any discovery motions, shall be filed no later

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than July 31, 2018 and heard on or before August 28, 2018. Non-dispositive motions are heard before

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the Honorable Jennifer L. Thurston, United States Magistrate Judge at the United States Courthouse in

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Bakersfield, California.
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No motion to amend or stipulation to amend the case schedule will be entertained unless it

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is filed at least one week before the first deadline the parties wish to extend. Likewise, no written

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discovery motions shall be filed without the prior approval of the assigned Magistrate Judge. A party

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with a discovery dispute must first confer with the opposing party in a good faith effort to resolve by

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agreement the issues in dispute. If that good faith effort is unsuccessful, the moving party promptly

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shall seek a telephonic hearing with all involved parties and the Magistrate Judge. It shall be the

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obligation of the moving party to arrange and originate the conference call to the court. To schedule

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this telephonic hearing, the parties are ordered to contact the Courtroom Deputy Clerk, Susan Hall, at

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[phone] or via email at [e-mail]. Counsel must comply with Local Rule 251

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with respect to discovery disputes or the motion will be denied without prejudice and dropped

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from the Court’s calendar.
Counsel may appear and argue non-dispositive motions via teleconference by dialing (888) 557-

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8511 and entering Access Code 1652736, provided the Magistrate Judge's Courtroom Deputy Clerk

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receives a written notice of the intent to appear telephonically no later than five court days before the

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noticed hearing date.
All dispositive pre-trial motions shall be filed no later than September 11, 2018 and heard no

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later than October 23, 2018, in Courtroom 4 at 8:30 a.m. before the Honorable Lawrence J. O'Neill,

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United States District Court Judge. In scheduling such motions, counsel shall comply with Fed. R.

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Civ. P. 56 and Local Rules 230 and 260.

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V.

Motions for Summary Judgment or Summary Adjudication

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At least 21 days before filing a motion for summary judgment or motion for summary

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adjudication, the parties are ORDERED to meet, in person or by telephone, to confer about the issues

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to be raised in the motion.

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The purpose of the meeting shall be to: 1) avoid filing motions for summary judgment where a

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question of fact exists; 2) determine whether the respondent agrees that the motion has merit in whole

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or in part; 3) discuss whether issues can be resolved without the necessity of briefing; 4) narrow the

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issues for review by the court; 5) explore the possibility of settlement before the parties incur the

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expense of briefing a motion; and 6) to develop a joint statement of undisputed facts.
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The moving party SHALL initiate the meeting and SHALL provide a complete, proposed

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statement of undisputed facts at least five days before the conference. The finalized joint statement of

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undisputed facts SHALL include all facts that the parties agree, for purposes of the motion, may be

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deemed true. In addition to the requirements of Local Rule 260, the moving party shall file the joint

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statement of undisputed facts.
In the notice of motion the moving party SHALL certify that the parties have met and conferred

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as ordered above, or set forth a statement of good cause for the failure to meet and confer. Failure to

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comply may result in the motion being stricken.

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VI.

Pre-Trial Conference Date

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December 18, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. in Courtroom 4 before Judge O'Neill.

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The parties are ordered to file a Joint Pretrial Statement pursuant to Local Rule 281(a)(2).

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The parties are further directed to submit a digital copy of their pretrial statement in Word format,

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directly to Judge O'Neill's chambers, by email at [e-mail].
Counsels' attention is directed to Rules 281 and 282 of the Local Rules of Practice for the

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Eastern District of California, as to the obligations of counsel in preparing for the pre-trial conference.

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The Court will insist upon strict compliance with those rules. In addition to the matters set forth in the

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Local Rules the Joint Pretrial Statement shall include a Joint Statement of the case to be used by the

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Court to explain the nature of the case to the jury during voir dire.

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VII.

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Trial Date
February 12, 2019 at 8:30 a.m. in Courtroom 4 before the Honorable Lawrence J. O'Neill,

United States District Court Judge.

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A.

This is a Court trial.

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B.

Counsels' Estimate of Trial Time: 1-2 days.

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C.

Counsels' attention is directed to Local Rules of Practice for the Eastern District of

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California, Rule 285.

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VIII. Settlement Conference

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If the parties believe the action is in a settlement posture and a conference with the Court would
be fruitful, the parties may file a joint written request for a conference.
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Notwithstanding the provisions of Local Rule 270(b), the settlement conference will be

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conducted by Magistrate Judge Thurston. The Court deems the deviation from the Local Rule to be

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appropriate and in the interests of the parties and the interests of justice and sound case management

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based upon the location of the parties. If any party prefers that the settlement conference be

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conducted by a judicial officer not already assigned to this case, the joint request for the

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settlement conference should indicate this preference.

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IX.

Request for Bifurcation, Appointment of Special Master, or other

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Techniques to Shorten Trial

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Not applicable at this time.

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X.

There are no pending related matters before this Court.

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Related Matters Pending

XI.

Compliance with Federal Procedure
All counsel are expected to familiarize themselves with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

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and the Local Rules of Practice of the Eastern District of California, and to keep abreast of any

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amendments thereto. The Court must insist upon compliance with these Rules if it is to efficiently

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handle its increasing case load and sanctions will be imposed for failure to follow both the Federal

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Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Rules of Practice for the Eastern District of California.

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XII.

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Effect of this Order
The foregoing order represents the best estimate of the court and counsel as to the agenda most

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suitable to dispose of this case. The trial date reserved is specifically reserved for this case. If the

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parties determine at any time that the schedule outlined in this order cannot be met, counsel are ordered

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to notify the court immediately of that fact so that adjustments may be made, either by stipulation or by

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subsequent status conference.

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The dates set in this Order are considered to be firm and will not be modified absent a

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showing of good cause even if the request to modify is made by stipulation. Stipulations

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extending the deadlines contained herein will not be considered unless they are accompanied by

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affidavits or declarations, and where appropriate attached exhibits, which establish good cause

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for granting the relief requested.
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Failure to comply with this order may result in the imposition of sanctions.

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IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated:

November 11, 2017

/s/ Jennifer L. Thurston
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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