Binder v. National Railroad Passenger Corporation

Filing 23

PRETRIAL ORDER. Signed by Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley on 1/24/2013. (ahm, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 1/24/2013)

1
2
3
4
5
6
7

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

8

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

9
10

Northern District of California

United States District Court

11
12

CHERYL BINDER,

13

Plaintiff,

14

Case No.: 12-cv-04807 JSC
PRETRIAL ORDER

v.

15
16
17

NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER
CORPORATION,
Defendant.

18
19

Following the parties’ submission of a Joint Case Management Conference Statement

20
21

on January 14, 2013, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:

22

I.

CASE MANAGEMENT SCHEDULE

23

Fact Discovery Cut-Off:

September 23, 2013

24

Deadline for Hearing Dispositive Motions:

November 21, 2013

25

Plaintiff’s Expert Witness Disclosures:

December 20, 2013

26

Plaintiff’s Experts’ Depositions:

January 10, 2014

27

Defendant’s Expert Witness Disclosures:

January 31, 2014

28

Defendant’s Experts’ Depositions:

February 20, 2014

1

Expert Discovery Cutoff:

March 3, 2014

2

Parties shall appear for a further Case Management Conference on September 5, 2013,

3

at 1:30 p.m., in Courtroom F, 15th Floor, U.S. District Court, 450 Golden Gate, San

4

Francisco, California. Counsel may contact Court Call at 1-888-882-6878 to make

5

arrangements to appear by telephone.
The Court further orders that private mediation shall occur within 120 days of the date

6
7

of this Order. If the parties cannot agree on a private mediator within 30 days of the date of

8

this order, the parties shall notify the Court of such disagreement and the Court will refer the

9

parties to a volunteer mediator program.

10

II.

A.

Northern District of California

United States District Court

11
12

15
16
17
18
19

Jury trial will begin on April 21, 2014, at 8:30 a.m., in Courtroom F, 15th Floor,

U.S. District Court, 450 Golden Gate, San Francisco, California.
B.

13
14

TRIAL DATE

III.

The Court is expecting the length of the trial to not exceed seven court days.

PRETRIAL CONFERENCE
A Final Pretrial Conference shall be held on April 3, 2014, at 2:30 p.m., in Courtroom

F, 15th Floor. Lead trial counsel for each party shall attend.
A.

At least seven days prior to date of the Final Pretrial Conference the parties

shall do the following:
1.

In lieu of preparing a Joint Pretrial Conference Statement, the parties

20

shall meet and confer in person, and then prepare and file a jointly signed Proposed Final

21

Pretrial Order that contains: (a) a brief description of the substance of claims and defenses

22

which remain to be decided; (b) a statement of all relief sought; (c) all stipulated facts; (d) a

23

joint exhibit list in numerical order, including a brief description of the exhibit and Bates

24

numbers, a blank column for when it will be offered into evidence, a blank column for when

25

it may be received into evidence, and a blank column for any limitations on its use; and (e)

26

each party’s separate witness list for its case-in-chief witnesses (including those appearing by

27

deposition), including, for all such witnesses (other than party plaintiffs or defendants), a

28

short statement of the substance of his/her testimony and, separately, what, if any, non-

2

1

cumulative testimony the witness will offer. For each witness, state an hour/minute time

2

estimate for the direct examination (only). Items (d) and (e) should be submitted as

3

appendices to the proposed order. The proposed order should also state which issues, if any,

4

are for the Court to decide, rather than the jury.

5

2.

File a joint set of proposed instructions on substantive issues of law

6

arranged in a logical sequence. If undisputed, an instruction shall be identified as “Stipulated

7

Instruction No. ____ Re ___________,” with the blanks filled in as appropriate. If disputed,

8

each version of the instruction shall be inserted together, back to back, in their logical place in

9

the overall sequence. Each such disputed instruction shall be identified as, for example,

Northern District of California

“Disputed Instruction No. ____ Re ____________ Offered by _________________,” with

11
United States District Court

10

the blanks filled in as appropriate. All disputed versions of the same basic instruction shall

12

bear the same number. Any modifications to a form instruction must be plainly identified. If a

13

party does not have a counter version and simply contends that no such instruction in any

14

version should be given, then that party should so state (and explain why) on a separate page

15

inserted in lieu of an alternate version. With respect to form preliminary instructions, general

16

instructions, or concluding instructions, please simply cite to the numbers of the requested

17

instructions in the current edition of the Ninth Circuit Model Jury Instructions. Other than

18

citing the numbers, the parties shall not include preliminary, general, or concluding

19

instructions in the packet.

20
21
22
23

3.

File a separate memorandum of law in support of each party’s disputed

instructions, if any, organized by instruction number.
4.

File a joint set of proposed voir dire questions supplemented as necessary

by separate requests.

24

5.

File trial briefs on any controlling issues of law.

25

6.

File proposed verdict forms, joint or separate.

26

7.

File and serve any objections to exhibits.

27
28

3

8.

1

File a joint simplified Statement of the Case to be read to the jury during

2

voir dire as part of the proposed jury instructions. Unless the case is extremely complex, this

3

statement should not exceed one page.
B.

4

Any motions in limine shall be submitted as follows: at least twenty (20)

5

calendar days before the conference, the moving party shall serve, but not file, the opening

6

brief. At least ten (10) calendar days before the conference, the responding party shall serve

7

the opposition. There will be no reply. When the oppositions are received, the moving party

8

should collate the motion and the opposition together, back-to-back, and then file the paired

9

sets at least seven (7) calendar days before the conference. Each motion should be presented

Northern District of California

in a separate memorandum and properly identified, for example, “Plaintiff’s Motion in

11
United States District Court

10

Limine No. 1 to Exclude . . . .” Each party is limited to bringing five motions in limine. The

12

parties are encouraged to stipulate where possible, for example, as to the exclusion of

13

witnesses from the courtroom. Each motion should address a single, separate topic, and

14

contain no more than seven pages of briefing per side.
C.

15

Hard-copy courtesy copies of the above documents shall be delivered by

16

NOON the day after filing. The Joint Proposed Final Pretrial Order, jury instructions, and

17

verdict form shall be submitted via e-mail as attachments to [e-mail]. The

18

Court requests that all hard-copy submissions be three-hole-punched.

19

IV.

20

PRETRIAL ARRANGEMENTS
A.

Should a daily transcript and/or real-time reporting be desired, the parties shall

21

make arrangements with Debra Campbell, Supervisor of the Court Reporting Services, at

22

[phone], at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the trial date.

23

B.

During trial, counsel may wish to use overhead projectors, laser-disk/computer

24

graphics, poster blow-ups, models, or specimens of devices. Equipment should be shared by

25

all counsel to the maximum extent possible. The Court provides no equipment other than an

26

easel. The United States Marshal requires a court order to allow equipment into the

27

courthouse. For electronic equipment, parties should be prepared to maintain the equipment

28

or have a technician handy at all times. The parties shall tape extension cords to the carpet for

4

1

safety. The parties may work with the deputy clerk, Ada Means (415-522-2015), on all

2

courtroom-layout issues.
SCHEDULING

3
4

Trial will be conducted from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 or 3:00 p.m., depending on the

5

preference of the jury and the parties, Monday through Friday. Counsel must arrive by 8:15

6

a.m., or earlier as needed, for any matters to be heard out of the presence of the jury. The jury

7

will be called at 8:30 a.m.

8
9

THE JURY
In civil cases, there are no alternate jurors and the jury is selected as follows:

Northern District of California

Eighteen to twenty jurors are called to fill the jury box and the row in front of the bar, and are

11
United States District Court

10

given numbers (1 through 18). The remaining potential jurors will be seated in the public

12

benches. Hardship excuses will usually be considered at this point. The Court will then ask

13

questions of those in the box and in the front of the bar. Counsel may then conduct a limited

14

voir dire. Challenges for cause will then be addressed out of the presence of the potential

15

jurors. The Court will consider whether to fill in the seats of the stricken jurors. If so,

16

questions will be asked of the additional jurors and cause motions as to them will be

17

considered. After a short recess, each side may exercise its allotment of peremptory

18

challenges out of the presence of the potential jurors. The eight (or such other size as will

19

constitute the jury) surviving the challenge process with the lowest numbers become the final

20

jury. For example, if the plaintiff strikes 1, 5, and 7 and the defendant strikes 2, 4, and 9, then

21

3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 become the final jury. If more (or fewer) than eight jurors are to

22

be seated, then the starting number will be adjusted. So too if more than a total of six

23

peremptories are allowed. Once the jury selection is completed, the jurors’ names will be read

24

again and they will be seated in the jury box and sworn. The Court may alter this procedure in

25

its discretion and after consultation with the parties.

26

WITNESSES

27

At the close of each trial day, all counsel shall exchange a list of witnesses for the

28

5

1

next two full court days and the exhibits that will be used during direct examination (other

2

than for impeachment of an adverse witness). Within 24 hours of such notice, all other

3

counsel shall provide any objections to such exhibits and shall provide a list of all exhibits to

4

be used with the same witness on cross-examination (other than for impeachment). The first

5

notice shall be exchanged prior to the first day of trial. All such notices shall be provided in

6

writing.
EXHIBITS

7
8
9
10

Northern District of California

United States District Court

11

A.

Prior to the Final Pretrial Conference, counsel must meet and confer in person

toconsider all exhibit numbers and objections and to eliminate duplicate exhibits and
confusion over the precise exhibit.
B.

Use numbers only, not letters, for exhibits, preferably the same numbers as

12

were used in depositions. Blocks of numbers should be assigned to fit the need of the case

13

(e.g., Plaintiff has 1 to 100, Defendant A has 101 to 200, Defendant B has 201 to 300, etc.). A

14

single exhibit should be marked only once. If the plaintiff has marked an exhibit, then the

15

defendant should not re-mark the exact document with another number. Different versions of

16

the same document, e.g., a copy with additional handwriting, must be treated as different

17

exhibits with different numbers. To avoid any party claiming “ownership” of an exhibit, all

18

exhibits shall be marked and referred to as “Trial Exhibit No. _____,” not as “Plaintiff’s

19

Exhibit” or “Defendant’s Exhibit.”

20

C.

The exhibit tag shall be in the following form:

21
22

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

23
24

TRIAL EXHIBIT 100

25
26

Case No. ________________

27

Date Entered _____________

28

By______________________

6

Deputy Clerk

1
2
3

Counsel preferably will make the tag up in a color that will stand out (yet still allow for

4

photocopying), but that is not essential. Place the tag on or near the lower right-hand corner

5

or, if a photograph, on the back. Counsel should fill in the tag but leave the last two spaces

6

blank. The parties must jointly prepare a single set of all trial exhibits that will be the official

7

record set to be used with the witnesses and on appeal. Each exhibit must be tagged, three-

8

hole-punched, separated with a label divider identifying the exhibit number, and placed in 3-

9

ring binders. Spine labels should indicate the numbers of the exhibits that are in the binders.

Northern District of California

Each set of exhibit binders should be marked as “Original.” Deposit the exhibits with the

11
United States District Court

10

deputy clerk seven (7) days before the Pretrial Conference.

12

D.

Counsel must consult with each other and with the deputy clerk at the end of

13

each trial day and compare notes as to which exhibits are in evidence and any limitations

14

thereon. If there are any differences, counsel should bring them promptly to the Court’s

15

attention.

16

E.

In addition to the official record exhibits, a single, joint set of bench binders

17

containing a copy of the exhibits must be provided to the Court seven (7) days before the

18

Pretrial Conference, and should be marked as “Chambers Copies.” Each exhibit must be

19

separated with a label divider identifying the exhibit number. (An exhibit tag is unnecessary

20

for the bench set.) Spine labels should indicate the numbers of the exhibits that are in the

21

binders.

22
23
24

F.

Before the closing arguments, counsel must confer with the deputy clerk to

make sure the exhibits in evidence are in good order.
G.

Exhibit notebooks for the jury will not be permitted without prior permission

25

from the Court. Publication must be by poster blow-up, overhead projection, or such other

26

method as is allowed in the circumstances. It is permissible to highlight, circle or underscore

27

in the enlargements as long as it is clear that it was not on the original.

28

7

CHARGING CONFERENCE

1
2

As the trial progresses and the evidence is heard, the Court will fashion a

3

comprehensive set of jury instructions to cover all issues actually being tried. Prior to the

4

close of the evidence, the Court will provide a draft final charge to the parties. After a

5

reasonable period for review, one or more charging conferences will be held at which each

6

party may object to any passage, ask for modifications, or ask for additions. Any instruction

7

request must be renewed specifically at the conference or it will be deemed waived, whether

8

or not it was requested prior to trial. If, however, a party still wishes to request an omitted

9

instruction after reviewing the Court’s draft, then it must affirmatively re-request it at the

Northern District of California

charging conference in order to give the Court a fair opportunity to correct any error.

11
United States District Court

10

Otherwise, as stated, the request will be deemed abandoned or waived.

12
13

IT IS SO ORDERED.

14
15

Dated: January 24, 2013
_________________________________
JACQUELINE SCOTT CORLEY
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

8