Valiavacharska v. Celaya et al

Filing 149

ORDER FOR PLAINTIFF'S COUNSEL TO SHOW CAUSE. Order to Show Cause Hearing set for 3/23/2012 at 09:00 AM, 15th Floor, Courtroom F in San Francisco. Signed by Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley on 2/13/2012. (ahm, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 2/13/2012)

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1 2 3 4 5 6 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 7 FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 8 9 10 Northern District of California United States District Court 11 ZHIVKA VALIAVICHARSKA, Plaintiff, 12 13 Case No.: CV 10-4847 JSC ORDER FOR PLAINTIFF’S COUNSEL TO SHOW CAUSE v. 14 15 16 MITCH CELAYA, et al., Defendant. 17 18 On October 27, 2011, Plaintiff‟s counsel, Mr. Steven Yourke, electronically filed a 19 declaration from Plaintiff in opposition to Defendants‟ motion for summary judgment. The 20 declaration was signed by Plaintiff under penalty of perjury. (Dkt. No. 50.) Plaintiff states in 21 her declaration: “I put my hand on top of the barricade and shook it.” (Dkt. No. 50 ¶ 5.) 22 During her sworn trial testimony on February 7, 2012, Plaintiff stated: “I don‟t particularly 23 recollect [shaking the barricade], but I‟m saying I may have been shaking the barricade.” 24 (Trial Tr., Feb. 7, 2012 (Valiavicharska) at 7: 17-18.) Defendant subsequently attempted to 25 impeach Plaintiff with her unequivocal declaration statement. (Id. at 11: 10-15.) Plaintiff, 26 after examining her declaration at some length, stated: “I hadn‟t actually seen that document, 27 but it was filed on my behalf.” (Id.) Out of the presence of the jury, and upon questioning 28 1 from the Court, Mr. Yourke issued the following explanation for Plaintiff‟s failure to have 2 seen her declaration prior to her testimony at trial: 3 4 5 6 7 [T]o the best of my recollection, I did speak with her [Plaintiff] telephonically, told her what I was doing. I was preparing a declaration for her. I believe I read it to her or at least explained what the substance of the declaration was and would it be okay if I were to sign it on her behalf. And she said, „Yes.‟ . . . I don‟t believe I sent it to her for review before getting her authorization, but I certainly discussed it with her on the phone and told her what it was and what it was for. (Partial Trial Tr., 2-7-12 at 2:19-24, 3:2-5.) client “shall attest that concurrence in the filing of the document has been obtained” from the 10 signatory and “shall maintain records to support this concurrence for subsequent production 11 Northern District of California General Order 45 §10(B) requires that an attorney filing a declaration on behalf of his 9 United States District Court 8 for the court if so ordered.” Based on the evidence now before the Court, Mr. Yourke did not 12 obtain the required concurrence prior to filing this declaration on behalf of Plaintiff. Mr. 13 Yourke is therefore ordered to show cause, including production of any records in support of 14 Plaintiff‟s concurrence, by February 27, 2012 as to why he should not be sanctioned for his 15 failure to comply with General Order 45 §10(B). Such sanctions may include referral to the 16 Standing Committee on Professional Conduct, the Chief Judge, or another appropriate 17 disciplinary authority in California or the Northern District. See L.R. 11-6 (a). Defendant 18 shall file a response, if any, by March 12, 2012. A hearing on this Order To Show Cause will 19 be held March 23, 2012 at 9:00 a.m. 20 21 22 IT IS SO ORDERED. Dated: February 13, 2012 _________________________________ JACQUELINE SCOTT CORLEY UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE 23 24 25 26 27 28 2

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