Roloff v. BNSF Railway Company

Filing 10

ORDER - Counsel are directed to meet and confer and file their completed"Report of Parties' Rule 26(f) Planning Conference, " a copy of which is attached, by November 18, 2009. The Clerks office shall set a case management deadline for this report. Rule 26 Meeting Report Deadline set for 11/18/2009. Ordered by Judge Richard G. Kopf. (GJG)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT F O R THE DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA MARK A. ROLOFF, Plaintiff, ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

4:09cv3178

v.

ORDER

B N S F RAILWAY COMPANY, a D e la w a re corporation, Defendant.

IT IS ORDERED: 1) W ith the agreement of the Chief Judge and the other district judges, Judge K o p f will handle all magistrate matters for this case. The district judge a s s ig n e d to try this case has not changed. 2) C o u n s e l are directed to meet and confer and file their completed " R e p o rt of Parties' Rule 26(f) Planning Conference, " a copy of which is attached, by November 18, 2009. The Clerk's office shall set a case m a n a g e m e n t deadline for this report. 3) A b s e n t a specific request by one or all parties, a telephonic conference will not b e held before a final scheduling order is entered. The parties' responses in th e Rule 26(f) report will serve as the basis for the final scheduling order. D a te d : October 21, 2009 B Y THE COURT:

Richard G. Kopf
U n ite d States District Judge

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FO R THE DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA P l a i n t if f , ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )

: CV R EPO R T OF PARTIES' RULE 26(f) PL A N N IN G CONFERENCE

v. D e fe n d a n t.

Cou n sel for the parties met on ____________________ in person/by telephone. R e p r e s e n ti n g plaintiff was ____________________; representing defendant was

_________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . The parties discussed the case and jointly (except as noted below) m ake the following report:1 I. Initial Matters: A. Ju risd ictio n and Venue: The defendant does _____ does not _____ contest ju risd ictio n and/or venue. If contested, such position is because: 1. 2. B. Ju risd ictio n : _____________________________________________. V en u e: __________________________________________________.

Immu n ity: The defendant has raised _____ will _____ will not _____ raise an immu n ity defense. If so: 1. 2. B asis of Immunity Defense: __________________________________. T h e earliest defendant can file a motion to dismiss on the basis of immunity is:_______________________________________________.

Counsel are advised to use caution in filing this report as well as other documents so there is no disclosure of information required by the E-Government Act of 2002 to be kept non-public, such as addresses, phone numbers, social security numbers, etc. If such identifiers are required to be disclosed to opposing parties, you may wish to file redacted versions for the public court file and serve opposing parties with unredacted versions. See NECivR 5.3, available on the court's Website at www.ned.uscourts.gov. 1

1

C.

If either jurisdiction or venue is being challenged, or if a defense of immunity w ill be raised, state whether counsel wish to delay proceeding with the initial p h ases of discovery until those issues have been decided, and if so: 1. 2. T h e earliest a motion to dismiss or transfer will be filed is:___________. Th e initial discovery, limited to that issue, that will be necessary to file o r respond to the motion is ___________________________________ ________________________________________________________.

D.

R u le 11 Certification: As a result of further investigation as required by Fed. R. C iv . P. 11, after filing the initial pleadings in this case, the parties agree that the fo llow ing claims and defenses raised in the pleadings do not apply to the facts o f this case, and hereby agree the court may dismiss or strike these claims and d efe nses at this time (an order adopting this agreement will be entered). ______________________________________________________________ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

I I.

Re maining Claims and Defenses: A. Plaintiff's Claims, Elements, Factual Application: The elements of the plaintiff's remain in g claims and the elements disputed by defendant are as follows. For ea ch claim, list and number each substantive element of proof and the facts p lain tiff claims make it applicable or established in this case (DO NOT repeat b o ilerp late allegations from pleadings): 1. C L A IM ONE:_____________________________________________. E l e m e n ts : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . F actu al Application: ________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __________________.

2

O f these elements, defendant disputes the following numbered elements:__________________________________________________. (R EPEA T FOR EACH CLAIM) B. D e f e n ses. The elements of the remaining affirmative defenses raised by the p lead in g s are as follows: List each affirmative defense raised or expected to be ra ised by the defendant(s), the substantive elements of proof for it, and how the d efen d an t claims the facts of this case make such defense applicable or estab lish ed . (DO NOT repeat boilerplate allegations from pleadings or deny m atters on which plaintiff has the burden of proof): 1. F IR S T DEFENSE:__________________________________________. E l e m e n ts : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __________ ________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . F actu al Application: ________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___________________ ___________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____________________. O f these elements, plaintiff disputes the following elements: _____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___. (REPEAT FOR EACH DEFENSE) III. A m end ing Pleadings; Adding Parties: A. T h e plaintiff does _____ does not _____ anticipate need to amend pleadings or ad d parties. If necessary, plaintiff can file the necessary motions to add parties o r amend pleadings by ____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . If more than sixty days, the reasons that much time is necessary are ________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____.

3

B.

T h e defendant does _____ does not _____ anticipate need to amend pleadings o r add parties. If necessary, defendant can file the necessary motions to add p arties or amend pleadings by ______________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ . If more than sixty days, the reasons that much time is necessary a r e :_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .

C.

Plaintiff _____ will not _____ move for class certification. The proposed class is: ____________________________________________________________. T h e earliest the motion for class certification can be filed is:_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ .

IV .

D isp o sitive Motion Assessment: A. Th e following claims and/or defenses may be appropriate for disposition by early mo tio n to dismiss: _______________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . B. T h e following claims and/or defenses may be appropriate for disposition by su mmary judgment or partial summary judgment:_______________________ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . C. T h e discovery necessary to determine whether to file dispositive motions on su ch claims and/or defenses is ______________________________________. It can be completed, at the earliest, by ________________________________.

V.

S e t t le m e n t : A. S tatu s/A ssessmen t of Settlement Discussions. Counsel state: _ _ _ _ _ T h ere have been no efforts taken yet to resolve this dispute. _ _ _ _ _ Th is dispute has been the subject of efforts to resolve it _____ prior to filing in court; _____ after court filing, but before the filing of this report. T h o se efforts consisted of:____________________________________. 4

_ _ _ _ _ C o u n sel believe that with further efforts in the near future, the case can b e resolved, and the court is requested to delay entering an initial p ro g ressio n order for _____ days to facilitate immediate negotiations or med iatio n . Defendant's counsel will report to the court by letter at the end of this period on the status of such discussions. _ _ _ _ _ C ou n se l have discussed the court's Mediation Plan and its possible app lication in this case with clients and opposing counsel. Mediation _ _ _ _ will be appropriate in this case at some point; _____ will not be appropriate because:_________________________________________. _ _ _ _ _ T h is case can be settled, but settlement is not very likely, and negotiation s will be difficult because:____________________________. _ _ _ _ _ T h is case will not be settled because:____________________________. B. N ex t Step. The minimum discovery needed to conduct further settlement d iscu ssio n s is: By Plaintiff(s): _____________________________________. B y Defendant(s): ________________________________________________. Th is discovery will be completed by ____________________, and plaintiff(s) w ill then communicate to defendant(s) a written, updated settlement proposal. V I. D iscov ery Plan: The parties submit the following plan for their completion of discovery: A. Su b jec ts for Discovery (i.e., factual issues that discovery may resolve): ______________________________________________________________ ______ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___________________________________ _ _ _ ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . B. A greed Discovery Procedures: 1. U n ique Circumstances. The following facts or circumstances unique to th is case will make discovery more difficult or more time c o n su m i n g : _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____ ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ____________________________________________. 5

C o u n sel have agreed to the following actions to address that d i f f i c u lt y: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __________________. 2. Electronic Discovery Provisions: Counsel have conferred regarding the p reserv atio n of electronically produced and/or electronically stored info rm ation or data that may be relevant--whether privileged or not--to th e disposition of this dispute, including: (a ) (b ) (c ) (d ) (e ) (f) (g) (h ) The extent to which disclosure of such data should be limited to th at which is available in the normal course of business, or o th e rw i s e ; T h e anticipated scope, cost, and time required for disclosure of s u c h information beyond that which is available in the normal cou rse of business; The format and media agreed to by the parties for the production o f such data or information as well as agreed procedure for such p r o d u c ti o n ; Whether reasonable measures have been implemented to preserve su ch data; The persons who are responsible for such preservation, including an y third parties who may have access to or control over any such in f o r m a tio n ; The form and method of notice of the duty to preserve; Mechanisms for monitoring, certifying, or auditing custodial c o m p lia n c e ; Whether preservation will require suspending or modifying any ro u tin e business processes or procedures, records management p ro c ed u re s and/or policies, or any procedures for the routine d estru ctio n or recycling of data storage media; Methods to preserve any potentially discoverable materials such as voice mail, active data in databases, or electronic messages; The anticipated costs of preserving these materials and how such co sts should be allocated; and The entry of and procedure for modifying the preservation order as the case proceeds.

( i) (j ) (k )

Th e parties agree that: _ _ _ _ _ N o special provisions are needed in respect to electronic discovery. The co u rt should order protection and production of such information in acco rd an ce with its usual practice.

6

_ _ _ _ _ T h e following provisions should be included in the court's scheduling o rd er: ___________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________. 3. D isclo su res2 required by Rule 26(a)(1), including a statement of how ea ch matter disclosed relates to the elements of the disclosing party's claims or defenses _____ have been completed; _____ will be completed b y: ______________________________________________________ _________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _______________________________. 4. D isco v ery will be conducted in stages or otherwise restricted, as follows (S tate agreed restrictions, stages, scheduling stays, etc.). NOTE: The co u rt will expect discovery necessary to considering the matters in Parts IV and V above to be undertaken first, unless there is good reason to d elay it. __________________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __________________________________. 5. 6. 7. _____ _____ _____ Is the maximum number of interrogatories, including subp arts, that may be served by any party on any other party. Is the maximum number of depositions that may be taken b y plaintiffs as a group and defendants as a group. Depositions will be limited by Rule 30(d)(2), except the d e p o sitio n s of ____________________, which by a g re e m en t shall be limited as follows: _______________ _____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ______. 8. If expert witnesses are expected to testify at the trial, counsel agree to at lea st identify such experts, by name and address, (i.e., without the full rep o rts required by Rule 26(a)(2)), by: ___________________________. Th e parties stipulate that they will be required to give at least _____ days' n o tice of their intention to serve records/documents or subpoenas on third

9.

2

See note 1, supra. 7

p arties, to enable court consideration of them, if necessary, prior to is s u a n c e . 10. O th er special discovery provisions agreed to by the parties or suggested b y either party are: _________________________________________ _____________________ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _____________________ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___________________________. V I I. T ria l Scheduling: A. T h e parties now anticipate that the case can be ready for trial by _____, 20___, an d (if more than eight months from now) the special problems or circumstances th at necessitate that much time for trial preparation are: ___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . B. C. C o u n sel think that the trial of this case, if necessary, will require _____ trial d a ys . Ju ry Trial: 1. _____ Having previously demanded jury trial, the plaintiff now w aive s jury trial. Defendant will file a demand for jury tria l within _____ days of the filing of this report, in the a b se n c e of which jury trial will be deemed to have been w a iv e d . 2. _____ Having previously demanded jury trial, the defendant now w a iv e s jury trial. Plaintiff will file a demand for jury trial w ith in _____ days of the filing of this report, in the a b se n c e of which jury trial will be deemed to have been w a iv e d . 3. _____ The parties disagree on whether trial by jury is available in this case. A motion to strike the ___________________'s

8

d e m a n d for jury trial will be filed no later than ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _________. VIII. Othe r: Other matters to which the parties stipulate and/or which the court should know or consider: __________________________________________________________ _______________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . D a t e d :_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________________________ Counsel for Plaintiff

__________________________ Co u n s el for Defendant

9

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I hereby certify that on ______________, I electronically filed the foregoing with the Clerk of the Court using the CM/ECF system, which will send notification of such filing to the following: _____________________________________________ , and I hereby certify that I have mailed by U ni t ed States Postal Service the document to the following non CM/ECF participants:_____________________________________________.

s/_____________________________

10