KEGLEY et al v. FLETCHER

Filing 24

ORDER memorializing the instructions given at the pretrial conference. The Court instructed defense counsel to file a motion to continue the trial and to reopen the discovery period no later than Friday, October 22, 2021. Plaintiffs shall respond to the motion no later than Friday, October 29, 2021. Plaintiffs' counsel is hereby ORDERED to file a written response to this Order no later than Friday, October 22, 2021 explaining why counsel failed to attend the pretrial conference. Ordered by US DISTRICT JUDGE W LOUIS SANDS on 10/14/2021. (rlw)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA
VALDOSTA DIVISION
DIONNE KEGLEY,
:
Individually and as next of kin of CK, a minor, :
et al.,
:
:
Plaintiffs,
:
:
v.
:
:
DEBBIE ANN FLETCHER,
:
:
Defendant.
:

CASE NO.: 7:20-CV-00135 (WLS)

ORDER
On September 15, 2021, the Court entered a Notice of Pretrial Conference, notifying
the Parties to confer and submit a joint proposed pretrial order by October 5, 2021 and to
attend a pretrial conference on October 12, 2021. (Doc. 16.) The pretrial conference occurred
on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, which defense counsel attended. Plaintiffs’ counsel was not
present. The Court issues this Order to memorialize the instructions given at the conference
and to issue further instructions to the Parties.
Defense counsel announced that the Defendant was not ready for trial as she had not
received any discovery from Plaintiffs and understood that Plaintiffs still intended to provide
the requested discovery. Indeed, the joint proposed pretrial order reflects that Plaintiffs intend
to provide discovery as soon as possible. The Court then inquired whether the discovery
period should be reopened, and defense counsel affirmed that it should. Thus, the Court
instructed defense counsel to file a motion to continue the trial and to reopen the discovery
period, and the motion shall indicate whether Rule 26 initial disclosures have been made and
on what date(s). Said motion is due no later than Friday, October 22, 2021. Plaintiffs shall
respond thereto, explaining the grounds for any opposition or whether Plaintiffs consent to
the motion, no later than Friday, October 29, 2021, after which the Court will resolve the
motion.

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Furthermore, because Plaintiff’s counsel did not attend the pretrial conference and did
not request to be excused from attending, Plaintiffs’ counsel is hereby ORDERED to file a
written response to this Order no later than Friday, October 22, 2021 explaining why
counsel failed to attend the conference.
SO ORDERED, this 14th day of October 2021.
/s/ W. Louis Sands
W. LOUIS SANDS, SR. JUDGE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

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