Saint Alphonsus Health Alliance, Inc. et al v. Corizon, LLC et al
Filing
30
MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER The joint Motion to Consolidate Cases (Dkt. 28 ) is GRANTED. Case No. 1:18-cv-00289-DCN, St. Luke's Health System, Ltd, et al. v.Corizon, LLC, et al., is hereby CONSOLIDATED with the above captioned case. The pa rties will submit any and all future filings only in Case No. 1:18-cv-00183-DCN which is now the LEAD CASE. The Parties will use the case caption as it appears herein in all future pleadings. The Clerk of the Court shall place a signed copy of th is order in the file of Case No. 1:18-cv- 00289-DCN. Signed by Judge David C. Nye. Associated Cases: 1:18-cv-00183-DCN, 1:18-cv-00289-DCN(caused to be mailed to non Registered Participants at the addresses listed on the Notice of Electronic Filing (NEF) by (jp)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF IDAHO
SAINT ALPHONSUS HEALTH
ALLIANCE, INC. f/k/a ADVANTAGE
CARE NETWORK, INC., an Idaho
corporation, and SAINT ALPHONSUS
HEALTH SYSTEM, INC., an Idaho
corporation, ST. LUKE’S HEALTH
SYSTEM, LTD. and ST. LUKE’S
REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER,
LTD.,
Case No. 1:18-cv-00183-DCN
MEMORANDUM DECISION AND
ORDER
Plaintiffs,
v.
CORIZON, LLC, f/k/a
CORRECTIONAL MEDICAL
SYSTEMS, INC., a Missouri limited
liability company, and CORIZON
HEALTH, INC., a Delaware corporation,
Defendants.
I. INTRODUCTION
Pending before the Court is a Stipulated Motion to Consolidate Cases. Dkt. 28. In
the instant Motion, Saint Alphonsus, St. Luke’s, and Corizon have stipulated to the
consolidation of the discovery and expert phases of this action and the sister action—
Case No. 1:18-cv-00289-DCN; St. Luke’s Health System, Ltd, et al. v. Corizon, LLC, et
al.—currently pending before the undersigned judge. For the reasons set forth below, the
Court GRANTS the Motion.
MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER - 1
II. BACKGROUND
On April 25, 2018, Saint Alphonsus filed the instant action against Corizon. Dkt.
1. Broadly speaking, Corizon and the Idaho Department of Correction (“IDOC”) contract
with Saint Alphonsus for health care services for inmates and detainees in the custody of
IDOC. Saint Alphonsus alleges in its Complaint that Corizon underpaid for services it
rendered. For its part, Corizon alleges that certain agreements were no longer in effect
and that it paid Saint Alphonsus appropriate and legal rates for its services.
On June 28, 2018, St. Luke’s filed a separate Complaint against Corizon. Case
1:18-cv-00289, Dkt. 1. In its Complaint, St. Luke’s alleges substantially similar claims
against Corizon as those made by Saint Alphonsus—that Corizon underpaid for healthrelated services it provided inmates. Additionally, St. Luke’s brings four individual
breach of contract claims against Corizon related to four “John Doe” inmates. Corizon
denies all of the allegations and asserts that it fully and fairly compensated St. Luke’s for
all of the services it provided—including those services for the four John Does.
Separate Case Management Orders were entered in these two cases and discovery
began. Early on in the litigation of both cases, however, the parties informed the Court
that consolidation—in one form or another—was likely. The parties now jointly move for
consolidation of the two cases during the discovery and expert phases.
III. LEGAL STANDARD
Rule 42(a) authorizes a district court to consolidate cases that share “a common
question of law or fact.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 42(a). The Court has broad discretion to order
consolidation, and in exercising that discretion should “weigh[] the saving of time and
MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER - 2
effort consolidation would produce against any inconvenience, delay or expenses that it
would cause.” Huene v. United States, 743 F.2d 703, 704 (9th Cir. 1984).
IV. ANALYSIS
As this is a joint motion stipulated to by all parties, the Court will not undertake an
in-depth analysis of the relevant consolidation factors, but simply notes that these cases
clearly share common questions of law and fact and consolidation will not cause any
prejudice, inconvenience, or undue delay. To the contrary, consolidation will avoid
duplicative litigation and be an efficient use of judicial resources.
Accordingly, under Rule 42(a), the Court will order these cases consolidated
during the discovery and expert phases. As the time for trial approaches, the Court and
counsel will determine the best way to proceed with each case and/or whether bifurcation
is necessary.
In light of consolidation, the Court must reset certain deadlines to bring the cases
in sync. The consolidated deadlines that will apply moving forward are as follows:
Close of Fact Discovery:
September 20, 2019
Plaintiffs’ Expert Disclosures:
August 2, 2019
Defendants’ Expert Disclosures: September 16, 2019
Plaintiffs’ Rebuttal Experts:
October 21, 2019
Close of Expert Discovery:
November 14, 2019
Dispositive Motion Deadline:
November 15, 2019
///
///
MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER - 3
V. ORDER
IT IS ORDERED:
1.
The joint Motion to Consolidate Cases (Dkt. 28) is GRANTED.
2.
Case No. 1:18-cv-00289-DCN, St. Luke’s Health System, Ltd, et al. v.
Corizon, LLC, et al., is hereby CONSOLIDATED with the above captioned
case.
3.
The parties will submit any and all future filings only in Case No. 1:18-cv00183-DCN which is now the LEAD CASE. The Parties will use the case
caption as it appears herein in all future pleadings. The Clerk of the Court
shall place a signed copy of this order in the file of Case No. 1:18-cv00289-DCN.
DATED: June 5, 2019
_________________________
David C. Nye
Chief U.S. District Court Judge
MEMORANDUM DECISION AND ORDER - 4
Disclaimer: Justia Dockets & Filings provides public litigation records from the federal appellate and district courts. These filings and docket sheets should not be considered findings of fact or liability, nor do they necessarily reflect the view of Justia.
Why Is My Information Online?