Thomas et al v. Singh et al

Filing 8

Amended Rule 16 Initial Order indicating correct court division. Signed by Magistrate Judge Jane M. Virden on 10/18/17. (irw)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPI
OXFORD DIVISION

FRANCES THOMAS, et al
VERSUS

PLAINTIFFS
CIVIL ACTION NO.

3:17cv182-MPM-JMV

GURPARTAP SINGH, et al

DEFENDANTS

AMENDED RULE 16 INITIAL ORDER
The court will conduct a Telephonic Case Management Conference (CMC) in this action
on November 1, 2017, at 10:00 a.m. before:
Magistrate Judge Jane M. Virden
305 Main Street, Room 364
Greenville, MS 38701
Telephone Number to use for CMC: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

UNLESS OTHERWISE AGREED, IT SHALL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF COUNSEL
FOR THE PLAINTIFF TO ARRANGE THE CONFERENCE CALL AND ONCE ALL
PARTIES ARE ON THE LINE PLACE THE CALL TO THE NUMBER ABOVE. THE
MAGISTRATE JUDGE MAY REQUIRE COUNSEL AND THE PARTIES TO
PARTICIPATE IN THE CMC.
PLEASE NOTE: Counsel must use the latest version of the Case Management Order Form
on the court web site at http://www.msnd.uscourts.gov/forms/cs-mgmt-ordr as Form No. 1 in the
Uniform Local Civil Rules, effective December 1, 2015, in discussions and preparation for the
CMC. Because the Form is updated regularly, counsel should always use the link to the Form
rather than saving the Form to counsel’s computer system. Do NOT print the Form to PDF
before sending it to the court; instead, save the document and forward it to the court in that
format so that the court can insert changes made at the Case Management Conference.
FED. R. CIV. P. 26(F) ATTORNEY CONFERENCE
AT LEAST twenty-one days before the CMC, counsel must confer in person or
telephonically and be prepared to report to the court:
1.

The principal factual and legal issues in dispute;

2.

The principal evidentiary basis for claims and defenses;

3.

The number of days required for trial, whether the parties intend to call experts,
the total number and the fields of expertise likely to be necessary, and whether the
case should be considered for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR);

4.

Any motions whose early resolution would have significant impact on the scope
of discovery or other aspects of the litigation;

5.

What additional discovery is required beyond the voluntary disclosures and initial
depositions of the parties, with designated time limitations;

6.

Each of the eleven discrete matters related to electronically stored information
specified in L.U.CIV.R. 26(e)(2)(B);

7.

Whether all parties consent to jurisdiction by a magistrate judge;

8.

The appropriate time for a L.U.CIV.R. 16(g) settlement conference;

9.

Both settlement prospects and the costs of going through litigation and the appeal
process, which counsel must explore fully with each other and their respective
clients and represent to the court that they have done; and

10.

The contents of a proposed case management order. The court will determine all
deadlines at the Case Management Conference itself.
PROPOSED CASE MANAGEMENT ORDER
CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT MEMORANDA

Counsel must submit a proposed case management order by e-mail (NO FAXES) to the
magistrate judge, at [e-mail], no later than October 18, 2017. At the
same time counsel must also submit a memorandum (3-page maximum) with a brief explanation
of the case and a candid appraisal of the parties’ respective positions, including possible
settlement figures and a good faith estimate of the expense of carrying the litigation through trial
and the appellate process, if not settled. Counsel must have discussed, and will represent to the
court that they have in fact discussed, these costs with their respective clients and must be
prepared to candidly discuss them with the court. These memoranda are not to be exchanged,
will be viewed only by the court, will not become a part of the record and will be destroyed upon
the resolution of the case.

CASE MANAGEMENT PLAN
At the Case Management Conference, the court and the parties will:
1.

Identify the principal factual and legal issues in dispute;

2.

Identify the alternative dispute resolution procedure which counsel intend to use,
or report specifically why no such procedure would assist in the resolution of the
case;
Indicate whether all parties consent to jurisdiction by a magistrate judge;

3.
4.

Review the parties’ compliance with their disclosure obligations and
consider whether to order additional disclosures;

5.

Determine whether there is discoverable ESI and, if so, the means by which it will
be obtained and produced;

6.

Determine whether early filing of any motions might significantly affect the scope
of discovery or other aspects of the litigation, and provide for the staged
resolution, or bifurcation of issues for trial consistent with FED.R.CIV.P. 42(b);

7.

Determine the plan for at least the first stage of discovery; impose limitations on
each discovery tool, time periods and other appropriate matters;

8.

Determine the date for a settlement conference or mediation; and

9.

Set appropriate deadlines for completion of discovery and filing motions and
dates for the final pretrial conference and trial.
CASE MANAGEMENT ORDER

The court will enter a Case Management Order within seven days of the conference.
This, the 18th day of October, 2017.

/s/ Jane M. Virden
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

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