Gann v. Kokor et al

Filing 50

ORDER REFERRING CASE TO POST-SCREENING ADR AND ORDER STAYING CASE, signed by Magistrate Judge Barbara A. McAuliffe on 10/19/2021. CASE STAYED(Filing Deadline: 30-Day Deadline, Settlement Conference set for 1/13/2022 at 11:00 AM in Courtroom 9 (SAB) before Magistrate Judge Stanley A. Boone)(Martin-Gill, S)

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1 2 3 4 5 6 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 7 EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 8 9 NATHANIEL MARCUS GANN, 10 Plaintiff, 11 VERA-BROWN, ORDER REFERRING CASE TO POSTSCREENING ADR AND STAYING CASE v. 12 Case No. 1:18-cv-00084-AWI-BAM (PC) 13 Defendant. 14 Hearing: Date: Time: Judge: Location: Settlement Conference January 13, 2022 11:00 a.m. Stanley A. Boone via Zoom Videoconference 15 16 Plaintiff Nathaniel Marcus Gann (“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma 17 pauperis in this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. This action proceeds on Plaintiff’s 18 second amended complaint against Defendant Vera-Brown for deliberate indifference to serious 19 medical needs in violation of the Eighth Amendment. Defendant Vera-Brown has answered the 20 complaint. (ECF No. 48.) 21 Because it takes years to get to trial, the Court has identified this case as an appropriate case 22 for post-screening ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution), which is an effort to resolve such cases 23 more expeditiously and less expensively. No claims, defenses, or objections shall be waived by the 24 parties’ participation. In appropriate cases, defense counsel from the California State Attorney 25 General’s Office has agreed to participate in these early settlements. 26 As set forth in the screening order, Plaintiff has stated a cognizable civil rights claim. But, 27 stating a cognizable claim does not mean Plaintiff will prevail at trial. Thus, the Court stays this 28 action to allow the parties to investigate Plaintiff’s claims, meet and confer, and then participate in a 1 1 settlement conference. Therefore, this case will be referred to Magistrate Judge Stanley A. Boone to conduct a video 2 3 settlement conference, via the Zoom videoconferencing application, on January 13, 2022, at 11:00 4 a.m. The Court will issue any necessary transportation order in due course. Counsel for Defendants shall contact Courtroom Deputy Victoria Gonzales at (559) 499-5672 5 6 or vgonzales@caed.uscourts.gov for the video and dial-in information, including any necessary 7 passcodes, for all parties. Counsel for Defendants is also required to arrange for Plaintiff’s 8 participation by contacting the Litigation Coordinator at the institution where Plaintiff is housed and 9 providing the necessary Zoom contact information. 10 In issuing this order, there is a presumption that this case will proceed to a settlement 11 conference.1 However, if after investigating Plaintiff’s claims and speaking with Plaintiff, and after 12 conferring with others, defense counsel in good faith finds that a settlement conference would be a 13 waste of resources, defense counsel may move to opt out of this early settlement conference. A 14 written notice to opt out must be filed within thirty (30) days of the date of the issuance of this order. The parties shall each submit to Judge Boone a confidential settlement conference statement, 15 16 as described below, to arrive at least seven days (one week) prior to the conference. The Court puts the parties on notice that if Plaintiff has any outstanding criminal restitution 17 18 obligation, fines and/or penalties, these settlement negotiations shall not be geared towards what the 19 restitution obligation is, but what the value of the case itself is to each side, irrespective of any 20 outstanding restitution obligation. In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: 21 22 1. This action is STAYED to allow the parties an opportunity to settle their dispute before the 23 discovery process begins. Except as provided herein or by subsequent court order, no other 24 pleadings or other documents may be filed in this case during the stay of this action. The 25 parties shall not engage in formal discovery, but may engage in informal discovery to prepare 26 27 1 28 If the case does not settle, the Court will then lift the stay of its Discovery and Scheduling Order or issue one forthwith. 2 for the settlement conference. 1 2. This case is set for a video settlement conference, via the Zoom videoconferencing 2 application, before Magistrate Judge Stanley A. Boone on January 13, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. 3 3. A representative with full and unlimited authority to negotiate and enter into a binding 4 settlement shall attend via the Zoom videoconferencing application.2 5 6 4. Those in attendance must be prepared to discuss the claims, defenses and damages. The failure 7 or refusal of any counsel, party or authorized person subject to this order to appear in person 8 may result in the cancellation of the conference and the imposition of sanctions. The manner 9 and timing of Plaintiff’s transportation to and from the conference is within the discretion of CDCR. 10 11 5. Defendants shall provide a confidential settlement statement to the following email address: 12 saborders@caed.uscourts.gov. Plaintiff shall mail his confidential settlement statement to 13 U.S. District Court, 2500 Tulare Street, Fresno, California 93721, “Attention: Magistrate 14 Judge Stanley A. Boone.” The envelope shall be marked “Confidential Settlement 15 Statement.” Settlement statements shall arrive no later than January 6, 2022. Parties shall 16 also file a Notice of Submission of Confidential Settlement Statement (See Local Rule 270(d)). 17 Settlement statements should not be filed with the Clerk of the Court nor served on any 18 other party. Settlement statements shall be clearly marked “Confidential” with the date and 19 time of the settlement conference indicated prominently thereon. 6. The confidential settlement statement shall be no longer than five pages in length, typed or 20 neatly printed, and include the following: 21 22 a. A brief statement of the facts of the case. 23 b. A brief statement of the claims and defenses, i.e., statutory or other grounds upon 24 which the claims are founded; a forthright evaluation of the parties’ likelihood of 25 prevailing on the claims and defenses; and a description of the major issues in dispute. 26 27 2 28 In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and the evolving coronavirus protocols, the Court may issue an order at a later date requiring the parties to appear in person. 3 1 c. An estimate of the cost and time to be expended for further discovery, pretrial, and trial. 2 d. The party’s position on settlement, including present demands and offers and a history of past settlement discussions, offers, and demands. 3 e. A brief statement of each party’s expectations and goals for the settlement conference, 4 including how much a party is willing to accept and/or willing to pay. 5 f. If parties intend to discuss the joint settlement of any other actions or claims not in this 6 7 suit, give a brief description of each action or claim as set forth above, including case 8 number(s) if applicable. 9 10 11 7. If a settlement is reached at any point during the stay of this action, the parties shall file a Notice of Settlement in accordance with Local Rule 160. 8. If defense counsel wishes to “opt-out” of this settlement for the reasons stated above, counsel 12 must do so within thirty (30) days of this order by filing a “Notice of Opt-Out and Request to 13 Vacate Settlement Conference.” 14 9. If defense counsel does not wish to opt-out, defense counsel shall contact the Litigation 15 Coordinator at the institution where Plaintiff is housed to determine whether the 16 institution can accommodate a Zoom video appearance by Plaintiff at this date and time. 17 10. The parties remain obligated to keep the Court informed of their current address at all times 18 during the stay and while the action is pending. Any change of address must be reported 19 promptly to the Court in a separate document captioned for this case and entitled “Notice of 20 Change of Address.” See Local Rule 182(f). 21 22 11. A failure to follow these procedures may result in the imposition of sanctions by the court. 23 24 25 26 IT IS SO ORDERED. Dated: /s/ Barbara October 19, 2021 A. McAuliffe _ UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 27 28 4

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