Knighten v. Omni Hotel

Filing 33

ORDER RE: DISCOVERY DISPUTE, Dkt. No. 26 . Signed by Judge Nathanael Cousins on 4/18/13. (lmh, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 4/18/2013)

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 8 NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 9 SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION 10 11 LINDA KNIGHTEN, Case No. 12-cv-02296 CW (NC) 12 ORDER RE: DISCOVERY DISPUTE Plaintiff, 13 v. Re: Dkt. No. 26 14 OMNI HOTEL, 15 Defendant. 16 17 The parties filed a joint discovery brief in which Omni seeks an order requiring 18 plaintiff to submit to a mental examination under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 35. Dkt. 19 No. 26. The Court held a hearing on the discovery dispute on April 17, 2013. Based on the 20 parties’ submissions and the arguments of counsel at the hearing, the Court orders as 21 follows: 22 1. The Court finds that plaintiff has placed her mental condition in controversy, 23 and that good cause exists for permitting a mental examination of plaintiff, limited in time 24 and scope as specified below. See Schlagenhauf v. Holder, 379 U.S. 104, 117-21 (1964). 25 2. Plaintiff must submit to a mental examination by George W. Woods, Jr., M.D. 26 The examination must take place on a mutually agreed day within 30 days of the date of this 27 order at the office of Dr. Woods in San Francisco, beginning at 9:00 a.m. and not exceeding 28 three hours (not including any appropriate breaks). Case No. 12-cv-02296 CW (NC) ORDER RE: DISCOVERY DISPUTE 1 3. The ex xamination must consi of those procedures and tests g ist s generally ac ccepted m mmunity as reasonably necessary t evaluate the nature, extent, and to d 2 by the medical com ) f’s nal a alth s, 3 cause(s) of plaintiff emotion distress and related mental hea injuries including any p anifestation Whether Omni cau ns. used or exac cerbated pla aintiff’s 4 alleged physical ma of ded o ination. Th purpose o the he 5 alcoholism is includ within the scope of the exami ation is not to assess pl laintiff’s cre edibility an perceptio nd on. 6 examina 7 4. Before the exami vide e ination, Om mni’s counse must prov Dr. W el Woods with a copy o 8 of this order. 9 5. Omni’ counsel must arrang for the ex ’s m ge xamination to be audio otaped and f a for ape ovided to plaintiff’s co ounsel with 14 days of the hin 10 copy of the audiota to be pro 0 ation. The examination must not be videotap e n b ped. 11 examina 1 12 2 6. The ex xamination, results, an audiotape of the exa nd e amination m only be used may e ection with this lawsuit. The audi iotape and r results of pl laintiff’s ex xamination may 13 in conne 3 d o xcept Dr. Woods and h staff, co W his ounsel in thi case, the Court, is 14 not be distributed to anyone ex 4 f, xpert witne retained by plaintiff without le ess ff, eave of Cou urt. 15 plaintiff and any ex 5 16 6 7. Omni’ counsel must provid plaintiff’s counsel w a copy of the ’s m de with ation results within 14 days of the examinatio s e on. 17 examina 7 18 8 8. This order does not address the admissi o n ibility of in nformation d disclosed du uring mination. 19 the exam 9 20 0 An party ma object to this nondispositive pr ny ay o retrial order within 14 days of the filing r e t 21 date of this order. See Civ. L.R. 72-2. 1 22 2 IT IS SO OR T RDERED. 23 3 Date: April 18, 2013 ____ __________ __________ _____ Nath hanael M. C Cousins Unit States M ted Magistrate J Judge 24 4 25 5 26 6 27 7 28 8 Case No. 12-cv-0229 CW (NC) 96 ) ORDER RE: DISCO R OVERY DIS SPUTE 2

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