Lange v. Target Corporation
Filing
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SCHEDULING ORDER, signed by Magistrate Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on 11/20/2017. Pleading Amendment Deadline 1/15/2018. Discovery Deadlines: Initial Disclosures 11/28/2017; Non-Expert 4/17/2018; Expert 6/12/2018. Mid-Discovery Status Conference s et for 2/12/2018 at 08:30 AM in Bakersfield, 510 19th Street before Magistrate Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Non-Dispositive Motion Deadlines: Filed by 6/26/2018; Hearing by 7/24/2018. Dispositive Motion Deadlines: Filed by 6/26/2018; Hearing by 8/7/2018. Pretrial Conference set for 10/2/2018 at 08:30 AM in Courtroom 4 (LJO) before Chief Judge Lawrence J. O'Neill. Jury Trial set for 11/27/2018 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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SANDY LANGE,
Plaintiff,
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v.
TARGET CORPORATION,
Defendants.
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1: 17-CV-01131 - LJO - JLT
SCHEDULING ORDER1 (Fed. R. Civ. P. 16)
Pleading Amendment Deadline: 1/15/2018
Discovery Deadlines:
Initial Disclosures: 11/28/2017
Non-Expert: 4/17/2018
Expert: 6/12/2018
Mid-Discovery Status Conference:
2/12/2018 at 8:30 a.m.
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Non-Dispositive Motion Deadlines:
Filing: 6/26/2018
Hearing: 7/24/2018
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Dispositive Motion Deadlines:
Filing: 6/26/2018
Hearing: 8/7/2018
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Pre-Trial Conference:
10/2/2018 at 8:30 a.m.
Courtroom 4
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Trial: 11/27/2018 at 8:30 a.m.
Courtroom 4
Jury trial: 2-5 days
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The Court finds the information provided in the Joint Scheduling Report sufficient to schedule the action without
a hearing. Therefore, the conference set for November 21, 2017 is VACATED.
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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 January 15, 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 November 28, 2017.
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The parties are ordered to complete all discovery pertaining to non-experts on or before April
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17, 2018, and all discovery pertaining to experts on or before June 12, 2018.
The parties are directed to disclose all expert witnesses, in writing, on or before May 1, 2018,
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and to disclose all rebuttal experts on or before May 22, 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 February 12, 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 JLTorders@caed.uscourts.gov.
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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 (888) 557-8511 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 June 26, 2018, and heard on or before July 24, 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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(661) 326-6620 or via email at SHall@caed.uscourts.gov. 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.
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All dispositive pre-trial motions shall be filed no later than June 26, 2018, and heard no later
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than August 7, 2018, in Courtroom 4 at 8:30 a.m. before the Honorable Lawrence J. O'Neill, United
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States District Court Judge. In scheduling such motions, counsel shall comply with Fed. R. Civ. P. 56
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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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October 2, 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 LJOorders@caed.uscourts.gov.
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
November 27, 2018 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 jury trial.
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B.
Counsels' Estimate of Trial Time: 2-5 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, they may file a joint written request for a scheduling conference, including proposed dates
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for the conference. At that time, a conference will be set with Magistrate Judge Thurston.
If any party prefers that the settlement conference be conducted by a different judicial
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officer, that party is directed to notify the Court no later than 60 days in advance of the proposed
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settlement conference to allow sufficient time for another judicial officer to be assigned to handle the
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conference.
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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.
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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 the Rules as provided
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in both the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Rules of Practice for the Eastern District of
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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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