Kennedy v. McDonald

Filing 41

AMENDED ORDER SETTING FINAL SCHEDULE FOR PROGRESSION OF CASE - IT IS ORDERED that Defendant's Unopposed Motion for Extension of Final Progression Order (Filing No. 40 ) is granted. The provisions of the court's earlier, initial progressio n order remain in effect, and in addition to those provisions, the following shall apply as set forth in this order. Final Pretrial Conference set for 8/21/2017 at 10:00 AM in Chambers before Magistrate Judge F.A. Gossett. Jury Trial set for 9/19/2017 at 09:00 AM in Courtroom 2, Roman L. Hruska Federal Courthouse, 111 South 18th Plaza, Omaha, NE before Chief Judge Laurie Smith Camp. Ordered by Magistrate Judge F.A. Gossett. (TCL)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEBRASKA
TERRY KENNEDY,
Plaintiff,
vs.
ROBERT A. MCDONALD,
SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF
VETERANS AFFAIRS,
Defendant.

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Case No. 8:15CV389
AMENDED ORDER SETTING
FINAL SCHEDULE FOR
PROGRESSION OF CASE

The Court has reviewed Defendant’s Unopposed Motion for Extension of Final
Progression Order (Filing No. 40) and finds that the remaining deadlines set forth in the
Final Progression Order should be revised. Accordingly,
IT IS ORDERED that Defendant’s Unopposed Motion for Extension of Final
Progression Order (Filing No. 40) is granted. The provisions of the court's earlier, initial
progression order remain in effect, and in addition to those provisions, the following shall
apply:
1. Motions for Summary Judgment. Motions for summary judgment shall be
filed not later than April 25, 2017. See NECivR 56.1 and 7.0.1.
2. Pretrial Disclosures. Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(3), each party shall
serve opposing counsel and file a redacted version as applicable with the following
information regarding the evidence it may present at trial other than solely for impeachment
purposes as soon as practicable but not later than the date specif ied:
a. Nonexpert Witnesses - On or before August 1, 2017: The name,
address and telephone number1 of each witness, separately identifying those whom

1

In accordance with the E-Government Act, counsel shall, on witness lists, exhibits, and other
disclosures and/or documents filed with the court, redact Social Security numbers, home
addresses, telephone numbers, and other personally identifying information of witnesses, but shall

the party expects to present and those whom the party may call if the need arises.

b. Deposition Testimony and Discovery - The designation of discovery
testimony and discovery responses intended to be utilized at trial is not required at
this time.
c. Trial Exhibits - On or before August 1, 2017: A list of all exhibits it
expects to offer by providing a numbered listing and permitting examination of such
exhibits, designating on the list those exhibits it may offer only if the need arises.
d. Waiver of Objections. Any and all objections to the use of the witnesses,
deposition testimony, discovery responses, or exhibits disclosed pursuant to the
above subparagraphs, including any objection pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 32(a) that
a deponent is available to testify at the trial, shall be made a part of the pretrial
order. Failure to list objections (except those under Fed. R. Evid. 402 and 403) is
a waiver of such objections, unless excused by the court for good cause shown.
3.

Motions in Limine.
a.

Any other motions in limine shall be filed on or before August 10, 2017.

4. The Final Pretrial Conference with the assigned magistrate judge is set for
August 21, 2017, at 10:00 A.M. in chambers, 111 South 18th Plaza, Suite 2210, Roman
L. Hruska United States Courthouse, Omaha, Nebraska. The final pretrial conference shall
be attended by lead counsel for represented parties. Counsel shall complete prior to the
pretrial conference, all items as directed in NECivR 16.2.2 By the time of the pretrial
conference, full preparation for trial shall have been made so that trial may begin
immediately thereafter. The pretrial conference will include a discussion of settlement, and
counsel shall be prepared through investigation, discovery and communication with clients
and insurers, if any, to discuss fully the subject of settlement, including realistic
expectations about liability, obstacles to agreement, offers made, and offers which can be
serve an unredacted version on opposing parties. See NECivR 5.0.3.
2

All personal information should be redacted from the public version of the order and/or
attachments filed with the Clerk. See NECivR 5.0.3.
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made at the conference. Counsel shall be prepared to make additional offers or proposals
for settlement in behalf of their clients at the pretrial conference, and counsel shall be
prepared to make or opine on recommendations for further negotiations and conferences.
5.

Mediation and Settlement:

a. If the parties intend to mediate their dispute, notice of the mediation shall
be given to the staff of the magistrate judge's office. The filing of a mediation
reference order will terminate pending motions, without prejudice to refiling. If the
mediation is not successful, the moving party may reinstate such a motion by filing
a written notice to that effect, and the other parties may respond in accordance with
the local rules, regarding the date of the notice as reinstating the response/reply
time that remained as of the date the mediation reference order was filed.
b. Not later than two weeks prior to trial, plaintiff or plaintiff's counsel shall
serve on defendant or defendant's counsel a written, updated settlement proposal.
Defendant or defendant's counsel shall respond in writing to such proposal not later
than one week before trial.
c. Notice of settlement shall be given to the trial judge's office as soon as
practicable but in any event in time to avoid summoning a jury. If a case settles and
notice of settlement is not given in sufficient time to avoid summoning a jury,
assessment of jury costs may – and normally will – be made against a party and/or
counsel for one or more of the parties. For purposes of this paragraph, a jury is
considered summoned for a trial at noon the business day prior to the designated
date of trial
6. A jury trial is set to commence, at the court's call, during the week of
September 19, 2017, in Omaha, Nebraska, before the Honorable Laurie Smith Camp,
Chief United States District Judge. Unless otherwise ordered, jury selection shall be at the
commencement of trial.
7. Motions to Alter Dates. All requests for changes of deadlines or settings
established herein shall be directed to the magistrate judge by appropriate motion,
including all requests for changes of trial dates. Such motions shall not be considered in
the absence of a showing by counsel of due diligence in the timely development of this
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case for trial and the recent development of circumstances, unanticipated prior to the filing
of the motion, which require that additional time be allowed.
DATED: February 17, 2017.
BY THE COURT:

s/ F.A. Gossett, III
United States Magistrate Judge

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