Garraway v. Ciufo et al
Filing
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ORDER GRANTING 33 Motion to Stay and Extension of Time In Light of Lapse in Appropriations, signed by Magistrate Judge Gary S. Austin on 1/15/19. (30-Day Deadline) (Martin-Gill, S)
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
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MITCHELL GARRAWAY,
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Plaintiff,
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vs.
1:17-cv-00533-DAD-GSA-PC
ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR STAY
AND EXTENSION OF TIME IN LIGHT OF
LAPSE IN APPROPRIATIONS
(ECF No. 33.)
JACQUILINE CIUFO, et al.,
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Defendants.
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I.
BACKGROUND
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Plaintiff Mitchell Garraway is a federal prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis
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with this civil rights action pursuant to Bivens vs. Six Unknown Agents, 403 U.S. 388 (1971).
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This case now proceeds with the original Complaint against defendants Jacquiline Ciufo (Unit
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Manager), Corrections Officer K. Miller, and Lieutenant J. Zaragoza (collectively,
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“Defendants”), for failure to protect Plaintiff under the Eighth Amendment. This case is currently
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in the discovery phase.
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On January 11, 2019, Defendants filed a motion for stay and extension of time to respond
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to discovery. (ECF No. 33.)
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II.
MOTION FOR STAY AND EXTENSION OF TIME
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The court has inherent authority to manage the cases before it. Landis v. N. Am. Co.,
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299 U.S. 248, 254-55 (1936) (“[T]he power to stay proceedings is incidental to the power
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inherent in every court to control the disposition of the causes on its docket with economy of
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time and effort for itself, for counsel, and for litigants. How this can best be done calls for the
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exercise of judgment which must weigh competing interests and maintain an even balance.”)
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Stays of proceedings in federal court . . . are committed to the discretion of the trial court. See,
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e.g., Jarvis v. Regan, 833 F.2d 149, 155 (9th Cir. 1987). In addition, “[w]hen an act may or must
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be done within a specified time, the court may, for good cause, extend the time.” Fed. R. Civ. P.
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6(b)(1).
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Defendants assert that the continuing resolution that had been funding the Department of
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Justice expired at midnight on December 22, 2018, causing a lapse in appropriations for an
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indefinite time. Due to the lack of appropriations, Department of Justice attorneys are prohibited
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from working except in very limited circumstances, including “emergencies involving the safety
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of human life or the protection of property.” 31 U.S.C. § 1342. Defense counsel requests a stay
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of Defendants’ time to respond to discovery until Congress has restored appropriations. Counsel
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also requests a thirty-day extension of time following the date of restored funding to the
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Department of Justice for Defendants to respond to discovery received after the appropriations
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lapse to allow time for counsel to prepare responses. Counsel has agreed to notify the court as
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soon as Congress has appropriated funds for the Department of Justice.
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The court does not lightly stay litigation due to the possibility of prejudice. However,
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Defendants have shown good cause for a stay of their time to respond to discovery pending the
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restoration of funding to the Department of Justice by Congress, and the court finds that any
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prejudice to the parties is outweighed by the necessity of a stay. Therefore, the court shall grant
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Defendants’ motion for stay and extension of time.
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III.
CONCLUSION
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Accordingly, it is HEREBY ORDERED that:
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1.
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Defendants’ motion for stay and extension of time, filed on January 11, 2019, is
GRANTED;
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Defendants are granted a stay of their time to respond to discovery until funds are
restored to the Department of Justice by Congress;
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3.
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Defendants are granted a thirty-day extension of time in which to respond to
discovery received after the appropriations lapse; and
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Defendants shall notify the court as soon as Congress has appropriated funds for
the Department of Justice.
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IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated:
January 15, 2019
/s/ Gary S. Austin
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
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