United States of America v. Real Property Located At 5205 Bear Creek Road, Garden Valley, California et al

Filing 36

STIPULATION and ORDER signed by Judge Garland E. Burrell, Jr. on 6/3/2010 ORDERING 35 Status Conference reset for 9/20/2010 at 09:00 AM in Courtroom 10 (GEB) before Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. A joint status report is to be filed 14 days prior to the hearing. (Reader, L)

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BENJAMIN B. WAGNER United States Attorney KRISTIN S. DOOR, SBN 84307 Assistant United States Attorney 501 I Street, Suite 10-100 Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: [phone] Attorneys for Plaintiff United States of America

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) ) REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 5205 ) BEAR CREEK ROAD, GARDEN VALLEY,) CALIFORNIA, EL DORADO COUNTY, ) APN: 062-420-40, INCLUDING ) ALL APPURTENANCES AND ) IMPROVEMENTS THERETO, and ) ) APPROXIMATELY $37,750.00 IN ) U.S. CURRENCY, ) ) Defendants. ) )

2:08-cv-01113 GEB/DAD STIPULATION TO STAY FURTHER PROCEEDINGS AND ORDER THEREON [PROPOSED]

DATE: June 14, 2010 TIME: 9:00 a.m. COURTROOM: 10, 13th Fl.

Plaintiff United States of America and claimants Rollie and Sharlynn Trout and J.P. Morgan Bank, N.A.,1 requests that the

Court enter an order extending the existing stay of all further proceedings until August 1, 2010, because a related criminal case is still pending in El Dorado County (People v. Rollie William

J.P. Morgan Bank, N.A. acquired certain assets and liabilities of the lienholder, Washington Mutual Bank, from the FDIC acting as receiver. 1
S T I P U L A T I O N TO STAY FURTHER P R O C E E D I N G S AND ORDER (PROPOSED)

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Trout and Scharlynn Trout, El Dorado County No. P08CRF0018). This request is based on the following: 1. Counsel for plaintiff contacted the El Dorado County

District Attorney's Office on May 28, 2010, and was advised that a readiness conference is now scheduled for June 4, 2010, and the trial is now scheduled for June 8, 2010, in the criminal action against claimants Rollie and Scharlynn Trout. 2. Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ 981(g)(1) and 21 U.S.C. §

881(i) the United States is entitled to a stay if the court determines that civil discovery will adversely affect the ability of the government to conduct a related criminal investigation or the prosecution of a related case. The United States contends

that the defendant real property was used to facilitate a violation of federal drug laws (possession with intent to distribute marijuana) and is therefore forfeitable to the United States. The United States intends to depose the Trouts about the

claims they filed in this case and the facts surrounding the presence of over 37 pounds of processed marijuana on the defendant property. If discovery proceeds, claimants would be

placed in the difficult position of either invoking their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and losing the ability to protect their interest in the defendant property, or waiving their Fifth Amendment rights and submitting to depositions and potentially incriminating themselves in the pending criminal matter. If claimants invoke their Fifth Amendment rights, the

United States will be deprived of the ability to explore the factual basis for the claims they filed in this action and the defenses raised in their Answers.

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3.

If this case proceeds at this time, claimants Rollie

and Sharlynn Trout will attempt to depose law enforcement officers who were involved in the execution of the state search warrant at the defendant property. Allowing depositions of these

officers would adversely affect the ability of the El Dorado County authorities to conduct its related criminal prosecution. 4. Accordingly, the parties contend that proceeding with

this action at this time has potential adverse affects on the prosecution of the related criminal case and/or upon claimants' ability to prove their claim to the property and to contest the government's allegations that the property is forfeitable. For

these reasons, the parties request that this matter be stayed until August 1, 2010. At that time the parties will advise the

Court whether a further stay is necessary.

DATED: June 1, 2010

BENJAMIN B. WAGNER United States Attorney By: /s/ Kristin S. Door KRISTIN S. DOOR Assistant U.S. Attorney Attorneys for plaintiff

DATED: June 1, 2010

/s/ John Balazs JOHN BALAZS (As authorized on 5/28/10) Attorney for claimants Rollie and Scharlynn Trout

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DATED: June 1, 2010 By:

SCOTT J. STILMAN /s/ Scott J. Stillman SCOTT J. STILLMAN (As authorized on 6/1/10) Attorney for claimant JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., an acquirer of certain assets and liabilities of Washington Mutual Bank from the FDIC acting as receiver

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Good cause having been shown, the Status (Pretrial Scheduling) Conference scheduled for June 14, 2010, is continued to September 20, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. A joint status report is to

be filed fourteen days prior to the hearing.

GARLAND E. BURRELL, JR. United States District Judge

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S T I P U L A T I O N TO STAY FURTHER P R O C E E D I N G S AND ORDER (PROPOSED)