(PC) Merced v. Covello et al

Filing 49

ORDER signed by Magistrate Judge Jeremy D. Peterson on 2/5/2024 REFERRING CASE TO POST-SCREENING ADR PROJECT AND STAYING CASE FOR 120 DAYS. Within 60 days from the date of this order, defendant shall file any motion to opt out of Post-screening Early ADR. Each party shall submit a confidential settlement conference statement at least 7 days prior to the conference. If settlement is reached, the parties shall file a Notice of Settlement.(Yin, K)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

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JUAN AUTILANO MERCED, Jr.,

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Plaintiff,
v.
PATRICK COVELLO, et al.,

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Case No. 2:21-cv-01405-WBS-JDP (PC)
ORDER
REFERRING CASE TO POST-SCREENING
EARLY ADR AND STAYING CASE FOR
120 DAYS

Defendants.

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Plaintiff, a state prisoner, is proceeding without counsel. Defendant has waived service of
process.
The undersigned is referring all post-screening civil rights cases filed by pro se state

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inmates to Post-Screening Early ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) in an effort to resolve

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such cases more expeditiously and less expensively. Defense counsel from the Office of the

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California Attorney General has agreed to participate in Early ADR. No defenses or objections

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shall be waived by their participation.

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As set forth in the screening order, plaintiff has stated a potentially cognizable civil rights

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claim. Thus, the court stays this action for a period of 120 days to allow the parties to investigate

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plaintiff’s claims, meet and confer, and then participate in a settlement conference.

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There is a presumption that all post-screening prisoner civil rights cases assigned to the

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undersigned will proceed to settlement conference.1 However, if after investigating plaintiff’s

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claims and speaking with plaintiff, and after conferring with defense counsel’s supervisor,

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defense counsel in good faith finds that a settlement conference would be a waste of resources,

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defense counsel may move to opt out of Early ADR. A motion to opt out must be filed within

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sixty days of the date of this order.

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Once the settlement conference is scheduled, at least seven days prior to the conference,

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the parties shall submit to the settlement judge a confidential settlement conference statement.

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The parties’ confidential settlement conference statements shall include the following: (a) names

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and locations of the parties; (b) a short statement of the facts and alleged damages; (c) a short

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procedural history; (d) an analysis of the risk of liability, including a discussion of the efforts

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made to investigate the allegations; and (e) a discussion of the efforts that have been made to

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settle the case. Defendant shall e-mail the settlement conference statement to the settlement

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judge’s e-mail box for proposed orders, available on the court’s website. Plaintiff shall place his

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settlement conference statement in the U.S. mail addressed to the settlement conference judge,

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United States District Court, 501 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Plaintiff shall mail his

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settlement conference statement so that it is received by the court at least seven days before the

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settlement conference.

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

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1. This action is stayed for 120 days to allow the parties an opportunity to settle their

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dispute before the discovery process begins. Except as provided herein or by subsequent court

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order, no other pleadings or other documents may be filed in this case during the stay of this

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action. The parties shall not engage in formal discovery, but the parties may elect to engage in

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informal discovery.

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2. Within sixty days from the date of this order, defendant shall file any motion to opt out
of Post-screening Early ADR.
3. At least seven days prior to the settlement conference, each party shall submit a

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If the case does not settle, the court will set a date for the filing of a responsive pleading.
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confidential settlement conference statement, as described above, to the settlement judge.

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Defendant shall e-mail the settlement conference statement to the settlement judge’s proposed

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orders e-mail address. Plaintiff shall place his settlement conference statement in the U.S. mail

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addressed to the settlement judge, United States District Court, 501 I Street, Sacramento, CA

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95814. Plaintiff shall mail his settlement conference statement so that it is received by the court

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at least seven days before the settlement conference.

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4. 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.

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5. The parties remain obligated to keep the court informed of their current addresses at all

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times during the stay and while the action is pending. Any change of address must be reported

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promptly to the court in a separate document captioned for this case and entitled “Notice of

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Change of Address.” See L.R. 182(f).

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IT IS SO ORDERED.

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Dated:

February 5, 2024

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JEREMY D. PETERSON
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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