Grider et al v. Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Inc. et al
Filing
93
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER denying 57 Motion to Compel. Signed by Magistrate Judge Gerald L. Rushfelt on 01/23/2018.Mailed to pro se party Gary D. Grider, Teresa Mary Palmer and Teresa Marita Palmer by regular mail. (tvn)
IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF KANSAS
GARY D. GRIDER, et al.,
Plaintiffs,
v.
Case No. 16-CV-2750-DDC-GLR
SHAWNEE MISSION MEDICAL CENTER,
INC., et al.,
Defendants.
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
Before the Court is Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel Defendant Shawnee Mission Medical
Center, Inc. (SMMC) to Admit or Deny Their First and Second Set of Requests for Admissions
and Interrogatories (ECF 57). Plaintiffs filed the motion on June 12, 2017. Plaintiffs state “[a]s
an initial matter, Plaintiff James W. Palmer on June 7, 2017, called SMMC’s attorney,
Christopher Lucas, and conferred regarding SMMC’s refusal to admit or deny all of Plaintiff’s
Requests.”1 SMMC responded on June 26, 2017, stating only James Palmer ever conferred as
required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(a)(1) and D. Kan. R. 37.2.2 In their reply, Plaintiffs claim though
James Palmer was the only plaintiff speaking, Teresa Marita Palmer was sitting next to him
listening using a speakerphone.3 Plaintiffs never claim that either Teresa Mary Palmer or Gary
Dean Grider were present during this phone call or that either of them attempted to confer with
SMMC at any other time.
Importantly, on November 22, 2017, the Court granted in part and denied in part
Defendants’ motions to dismiss (ECF 84). The Court denied the motions to dismiss regarding
1
ECF 57 at 1.
ECF 59 at 3.
3
ECF 62 at 2.
2
the EMTALA claims asserted by Teresa Mary Palmer. But the Court did dismiss the EMTALA
claims asserted by Gary Dean Grider, Teresa Marita Palmer, and James Palmer.
Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(a)(1) requires a motion for an order compelling disclosure or discovery
to “include a certification that the movant has in good faith conferred or attempted to confer with
the person or party failing to make disclosure or discovery in an effort to obtain it without court
action.” D. Kan. R. 37.2 states the court will not entertain a motion to resolve a discovery dispute
unless the moving party “has conferred or has made reasonable effort to confer with opposing
counsel concerning the matter in dispute prior to the filing of the motion.”
Here, Plaintiffs certify that James Palmer, and perhaps Teresa Marita Palmer, conferred
with SMMC. They do not certify that Teresa Mary Palmer conferred or attempted to confer with
SMMC. The Court has reviewed Plaintiffs’ requests for admissions and interrogatories and finds
the requested information is relevant to the EMTALA claim. Teresa Mary Palmer is the only
plaintiff remaining regarding that claim. The Court finds that Teresa Mary Palmer did not meet
the requirement to confer with SMMC and therefore denies the motion without prejudice and
directs Teresa Mary Palmer to confer with Defendant SMMC, before she files any further motion
to compel.
IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED BY THE COURT that Plaintiffs’ Motion to Compel
Defendant Shawnee Mission Medical Center, Inc. (SMMC) to Admit or Deny Their First and
Second Set of Requests for Admissions and Interrogatories (ECF 57) is denied.
Dated January 23, 2018, at Kansas City, Kansas.
S/ Gerald L. Rushfelt
Gerald L. Rushfelt
U.S. Magistrate Judge
2
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?