Morgan Hill Concerned Parents Association v. California Department of Education

Filing 147

ORDER signed by District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller on 1/13/2016 ORDERING that within 14 days of the date this order is filed the California Department of Education shall remit $23,678.88 to Special Master Winston Krone. (Reader, L)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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MORGAN HILL CONCERNED
PARENTS ASSOCIATION, an
unincorporated association, and
CONCERNED PARENTS
ASSOCIATION, an unincorporated
association,

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ORDER

Plaintiffs,

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No. 2:11-cv-03471-KJM-AC

v.
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION and DOES 1 through 5,

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Defendants.

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In a previous order, the court tentatively concluded that $23,678.88 in fees and

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costs invoiced by discovery Special Master Winston Krone were reasonable and would be

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submitted for payment to the California Department of Education (CDE). ECF No. 132. The

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court forwarded the parties an itemized invoice of those fees and invited objections from the

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CDE. See id.

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The CDE responded as ordered in an in camera filing. It raised no objections to

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payment of the invoice, but addressed three general concerns to the court: (1) the Special

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Master’s invoice nearly doubled his expected budget; (2) the invoice prepared by the Special
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Master included some “block billed” entries, i.e., amounts billed for more than one discrete task;

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and (3) the CDE believes plaintiffs have contacted the Special Master regarding matters beyond

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his appointment. Plaintiffs provided a response, unsolicited by the court, in the form of a

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declaration to address some of the factual representations in CDE’s response. Given CDE’s

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agreement to pay the current invoice as presented, the court need not address these disputes at this

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time. The court will, by separate order, address the process for payment of the Special Master’s

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invoices going forward.

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In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that: within fourteen
days of the date this order is filed the CDE shall remit $23,678.88 to Special Master Winston

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Krone.

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DATED: January 13, 2016.

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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