Washington v. Gustafson, et al.

Filing 68

ORDER signed by Magistrate Judge Deborah Barnes on 6/15/2018 SETTING a Settlement Conference on 8/14/2018 at 09:30 AM in Courtroom 24 (CKD) before Magistrate Judge Carolyn K. Delaney. Plaintiff is to appear by video conference from his place of detention. Parties shall submit confidential settlement statement no later than 8/7/2018 in accordance with this order. (cc: CKD, ADR) (Yin, K)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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JESSE WASHINGTON,

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No. 2:14-cv-0628 TLN DB P

Plaintiff,
v.

ORDER SETTING SETTLEMENT
CONFERENCE

ANDREW GUSTAFSON, et al.,

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Defendants.

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Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis with a civil rights

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action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. The court has determined that this case will benefit from a

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settlement conference. Therefore, this case will be referred to Magistrate Judge Carolyn K.

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Delaney to conduct a settlement conference at the U. S. District Court, 501 I Street, Sacramento,

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California 95814 in Courtroom #24 on August 14, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. Plaintiff is to appear by

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video conference from his place of detention.

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A separate order and writ of habeas corpus ad testificandum will issue concurrently with
this order.

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In accordance with the above, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

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1. This case is set for a settlement conference before Magistrate Judge Carolyn K.

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Delaney on August 14, 2018 at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom #24 at the U. S. District Court,

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501 I Street, Sacramento, California 95814. Plaintiff is to appear by video conference

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from his place of detention

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2. Parties are instructed to have a principal with full settlement authority present at the

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Settlement Conference or to be fully authorized to settle the matter on any terms. The

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individual with full authority to settle must also have “unfettered discretion and

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authority” to change the settlement position of the party, if appropriate. The purpose

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behind requiring the attendance of a person with full settlement authority is that the

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parties’ view of the case may be altered during the face to face conference. An

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authorization to settle for a limited dollar amount or sum certain can be found not to

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comply with the requirement of full authority to settle1.
3. Parties are directed to submit confidential settlement statements no later than August

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7, 2018 to [e-mail]. Plaintiff shall mail his confidential

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settlement statement Attn: Magistrate Judge Carolyn K. Delaney, USDC CAED, 501 I

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Street, Suite 4-200, Sacramento, California 95814 so it arrives no later than August 7,

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2018. The envelope shall be marked “CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT

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CONFERENCE STATEMENT.” Parties are also directed to file a “Notice of

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Submission of Confidential Settlement Statement” (See L.R. 270(d)).

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Settlement statements should not be filed with the Clerk of the Court nor served on

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any other party. Settlement statements shall be clearly marked “confidential” with

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While the exercise of its authority is subject to abuse of discretion review, “the district court has the
authority to order parties, including the federal government, to participate in mandatory settlement
conferences… .” United States v. United States District Court for the Northern Mariana Islands, 694 F.3d 1051,
1053, 1057, 1059 (9th Cir. 2012)(“the district court has broad authority to compel participation in mandatory
settlement conference[s].”). The term “full authority to settle” means that the individuals attending the
mediation conference must be authorized to fully explore settlement options and to agree at that time to any
settlement terms acceptable to the parties. G. Heileman Brewing Co., Inc. v. Joseph Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648,
653 (7th Cir. 1989), cited with approval in Official Airline Guides, Inc. v. Goss, 6 F.3d 1385, 1396 (9th Cir. 1993).
The individual with full authority to settle must also have “unfettered discretion and authority” to change the
settlement position of the party, if appropriate. Pitman v. Brinker Int’l., Inc., 216 F.R.D. 481, 485-86 (D. Ariz.
2003), amended on recon. in part, Pitman v. Brinker Int’l., Inc., 2003 WL 23353478 (D. Ariz. 2003). The
purpose behind requiring the attendance of a person with full settlement authority is that the parties’ view of
the case may be altered during the face to face conference. Pitman, 216 F.R.D. at 486. An authorization to
settle for a limited dollar amount or sum certain can be found not to comply with the requirement of full
authority to settle. Nick v. Morgan’s Foods, Inc., 270 F.3d 590, 596-97 (8th Cir. 2001).
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the date and time of the settlement conference indicated prominently thereon.

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The confidential settlement statement shall be no longer than five pages in length,

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typed or neatly printed, and include the following:

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a. A brief statement of the facts of the case.

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b. A brief statement of the claims and defenses, i.e., statutory or other grounds upon

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which the claims are founded; a forthright evaluation of the parties’ likelihood of

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prevailing on the claims and defenses; and a description of the major issues in

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dispute.

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c. A summary of the proceedings to date.

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d. An estimate of the cost and time to be expended for further discovery, pretrial, and

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trial.

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e. The relief sought.

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f. The party’s position on settlement, including present demands and offers and a

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history of past settlement discussions, offers, and demands.
g. A brief statement of each party’s expectations and goals for the settlement
conference.
Dated: June 15, 2018

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DLB:13
DB/ORDERS/ORDERS/PRISONER.CIVIL RIGHTS/wash0628.med

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