Ochoa v. Lintig et al

Filing 46

ORDER: (1) Granting 45 Ex Parte Motion to Modify Scheduling Order; and (2) Issuing Amended Scheduling Order. A telephonic, counsel-only Status Conference is set for 3/3/2021 at 2:00 PM before Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt. A Mandatory Settlement Conference is set for 5/6/2021 at 9:00 AM before Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt. Signed by Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt on 2/17/2021. (All non-registered users served via U.S. Mail Service) (tcf)

Case 3:19-cv-00346-MMA-JLB Document 46 Filed 02/18/21 PageID.972 Page 1 of 5

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

9

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

10
11

BARRY ERNEST OCHOA,

Case No.: 19-cv-00346-MMA-JLB
Plaintiff,

12
13

v.

14

ORDER:

CARLA FRIEDERIKE VON LINTIG,

(1) GRANTING EX PARTE MOTION
TO MODIFY SCHEDULING
ORDER; AND

Defendant.

15
16

(2) ISSUING AMENDED
SCHEDULING ORDER

17
18

[ECF Nos. 43; 45]

19
20

Before the Court is Defendant Carla Friederike Von Lintig’s second Ex Parte

21

Motion to Modify Scheduling Order. (ECF No. 45.) Defendant requests a sixty-day

22

extension of the March 1, 2021 discovery cutoff and the March 29, 2021 pretrial motions

23

deadline and a continuance of the March 11, 2021 Mandatory Settlement Conference. (Id.

24

at 1.)

25

continuance because Plaintiff failed to appear for his deposition, which was noticed for

26

January 12, 2021. (Id. at 2.) Defendant further provides that Plaintiff has secured counsel,

27

but his counsel has not yet appeared in the case. (Id.)

28

///

Defendant provides that good cause exists for the requested extensions and

1
19-cv-00346-MMA-JLB

Case 3:19-cv-00346-MMA-JLB Document 46 Filed 02/18/21 PageID.973 Page 2 of 5

1
2
3

For good cause shown, Defendant’s ex parte motion (ECF No. 45) is GRANTED,
and the operative Scheduling Order (ECF No. 43) is amended as follows:
1.

A telephonic, counsel-only Status Conference shall be held before

4

Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt on March 3, 2021, at 2:00 PM. For purposes of the

5

Status Conference, counsel for Plaintiff and defense counsel shall call the Court’s

6

teleconference line at [phone] and use access code 9930765.

7

2.

All discovery shall be completed on or before April 30, 2021. “Completed”

8

means that all discovery under Rules 30–36 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and

9

discovery subpoenas under Rule 45 must be initiated a sufficient period of time in advance

10

of the cut-off date so that it may be completed by the cut-off date, taking into account the

11

times for services, notice, and response as set forth in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

12

The parties or their counsel, if represented, shall promptly and in good faith meet

13

and confer with regard to all discovery disputes in compliance with Local Rule 26.1(a).

14

The Court expects counsel and the parties to make every effort to resolve all disputes

15

without court intervention through the meet and confer process. Discovery motions must

16

be filed in the time and manner directed by Judge Burkhardt (see Judge Burkhardt’s Civil

17

Chambers Rules on Discovery Disputes). All discovery motions must be filed within 30

18

days of the service of an objection, answer, or response that becomes the subject of dispute

19

or the passage of a discovery due date without response or production, and only after

20

counsel have met and conferred to resolve the dispute and requested an informal

21

teleconference with the Court.

22

3.

A Mandatory Settlement Conference shall be conducted on May 6, 2021,

23

at 9:00 AM in the chambers of Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt, Edward J. Schwartz

24

U.S. Courthouse, 221 West Broadway, Suite 5140, San Diego, California 92101. If

25

Plaintiff is incarcerated, Plaintiff shall appear at the settlement conference by video

26

conference, and defense counsel shall assist in coordinating the arrangements for Plaintiff’s

27

video conference appearance. If Plaintiff is not incarcerated, Plaintiff shall attend the

28

settlement conference in person.
2
19-cv-00346-MMA-JLB

Case 3:19-cv-00346-MMA-JLB Document 46 Filed 02/18/21 PageID.974 Page 3 of 5

1

The parties or their counsel, if represented, shall LODGE confidential settlement

2

statements in accordance with Judge Burkhardt’s Civil Chambers Rules no later than

3

April 26, 2021. The confidential settlement statements should be lodged by e-mail to

4

[e-mail].

5

conference statements may be lodged by mail to the U.S. District Court, Southern District

6

of California, Office of the Clerk, Attn: Magistrate Judge Burkhardt’s Chambers, 333 West

7

Broadway, Suite 420, San Diego, California 92101. Settlement conference statements

8

shall not be filed via the CM/ECF system. Settlement conference statements may be

9

exchanged confidentially with opposing counsel within the parties’ discretion.

However, if e-mail is unavailable, settlement

10

Each party’s settlement statement shall concisely set forth the following: (1) the

11

party’s statement of the case; (2) the controlling legal issues; (3) issues of liability and

12

damages; (4) the party’s settlement position, including the last offer or demand made by

13

that party; (5) a separate statement of the offer or demand the party is prepared to make at

14

the settlement conference; and (6) a list of all attorney and non-attorney attendees for the

15

Conference, including person(s) and their title(s) or position(s) with the party who will

16

attend and have settlement authority at the conference.

17

Pursuant to Local Civil Rule 16.3, all party representatives and claims adjusters for

18

insured defendants with full and unlimited authority 1 to negotiate and enter into a binding

19

settlement, as well as the principal attorney(s) responsible for the litigation, must be present

20

and legally and factually prepared to discuss and resolve the case at the mandatory

21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

“Full authority to settle” means that the individuals at the settlement conference must
be authorized to fully explore settlement options and to agree at that time to any settlement
terms acceptable to the parties. Heileman Brewing Co., Inc. v. Joseph Oat Corp., 871 F.2d
648 (7th Cir. 1989). The person needs to have “unfettered discretion and authority” to
change the settlement position of a party. Pitman v. Brinker Int’l., Inc., 216 F.R.D. 481,
485–86 (D. Ariz. 2003). The purpose of requiring a person with unlimited settlement
authority to attend the conference includes that the person’s view of the case may be altered
during the face to face conference. Id. at 486. A limited or a sum certain of authority is
not adequate. Nick v. Morgan’s Foods, Inc., 270 F.3d 590 (8th Cir. 2001).
1

3
19-cv-00346-MMA-JLB

Case 3:19-cv-00346-MMA-JLB Document 46 Filed 02/18/21 PageID.975 Page 4 of 5

1

settlement conference. In the case of a corporate entity, an authorized representative of the

2

corporation who is not retained outside counsel must be present and must have

3

discretionary authority to commit the company to pay an amount up to the amount of the

4

Plaintiff’s prayer, excluding punitive damages prayers. The purpose of this requirement is

5

to have representatives present who can settle the case during the course of the conference

6

without consulting a superior.

7
8

Failure to attend the conference or obtain proper excuse will be considered
grounds for sanctions.

9

4.

All dispositive pretrial motions, including motions for summary judgment and

10

motions addressing Daubert issues, must be filed by May 28, 2021.2 Counsel for the

11

moving party must obtain a motion hearing date from Judge Anello’s law clerk. The period

12

of time between the date you request a motion date and the hearing date may vary from

13

one district judge to another. Please plan accordingly. Failure to make a timely request

14

for a motion date may result in the motion not being heard.

15

5.

If appropriate, following the filing of an order ruling on a motion for summary

16

judgment or other dispositive pretrial motion, or in the event no such motion is filed, after

17

the expiration of the deadline set forth in paragraph 4, supra, Judge Anello will issue a

18

pretrial scheduling order setting a pretrial conference, trial date, and all related pretrial

19

deadlines. The parties must review and be familiar with Judge Anello’s Civil Chambers

20

Rules, which provide additional information regarding pretrial scheduling.

21
22

6.

within 30 days of verdict in the case.

23
24

A post trial settlement conference before a magistrate judge may be held

7.

The dates and times set forth herein will not be modified except for good cause

shown.

25
26
27
28

This deadline is not applicable to pretrial motions in limine. For further information
regarding motions in limine, please refer to Judge Anello’s Civil Chambers Rules.
2

4
19-cv-00346-MMA-JLB

Case 3:19-cv-00346-MMA-JLB Document 46 Filed 02/18/21 PageID.976 Page 5 of 5

1

8.

Briefs or memoranda in support of or in opposition to any pending motion

2

shall not exceed twenty-five (25) pages in length without leave of a district judge. No reply

3

memorandum shall exceed ten (10) pages without leave of a district judge. Briefs and

4

memoranda exceeding ten (10) pages in length shall have a table of contents and a table of

5

authorities cited.

6
7

9.

This Order does not otherwise amend the Court’s previous Scheduling Orders

(ECF Nos. 37; 43).

8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18

The Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to mail a copy of this Order to the following
addresses:
Barry Ernest Ochoa
39161 Trail Creek Ln
Temecula, CA 92591
Philip Deitch
19360 Rinaldi St, Ste 330
Porter Ranch, CA 91326
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: February 17, 2021

19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
5
19-cv-00346-MMA-JLB