Willing v. Arms et al
Filing
74
ORDER Denying as Moot 57 Motion to Stay Discovery. It Is Further Ordered that 59 Motion to Stay or Extend Discovery is Granted in Part and Denied in Part. Discovery due by 12/21/2015. Motions due by 1/20/2016. Proposed Joint Pretrial Order due by 2/22/2016. It Is Further Ordered that 67 Motion to Compel is Denied. Signed by Magistrate Judge Peggy A. Leen on 9/21/2015. (Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF - DC)
1
2
3
4
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
5
DISTRICT OF NEVADA
6
***
7
CHRISTOPHER J. WILLING,
8
9
10
11
Case No. 2:14-cv-01122-APG-PAL
Plaintiff,
ORDER
v.
(Mot. Stay Discovery – Dkt. #57)
(Mot. Stay or Ext. Discovery – Dkt. #59)
(Mot. to Compel – Dkt. #67)
DEPUTY ARMS et al.,
Defendants.
12
This matter is before the Court on Defendant Nye County Detention Center’s Motion to
13
Stay Discovery (Dkt. #57) filed July 24, 2015. Also before the Court is Defendant Health Care
14
Partners’ Motion to Stay or, in the Alternative, Extend Discovery Deadlines (Dkt. #59), filed
15
July 24, 2015; and Plaintiff Christopher J. Willing’s Motion to Compel (Dkt. #67) filed August
16
19, 2015. This proceeding is referred to the undersigned pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A)
17
and LR IB 1-3 and 1-9 of the Local Rules of Practice.
18
BACKGROUND
19
Plaintiff is a prisoner proceeding in this matter pro se and in forma pauperis. On July 7,
20
2014, Plaintiff filed an application to proceed in forma pauperis along with his initial complaint.
21
See (Dkt. #1). The Court screened Plaintiff’s Complaint pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915, finding
22
that it stated claims against Defendants Arms, Nye County Detention, and Health Care Partners
23
for deliberate indifference and directed service. See Screening Order (Dkt. #5); Complaint (Dkt.
24
#6); Mar. 3, 2015 Order (Dkt. #27). Summons were returned executed for Defendants Nye
25
County Detention and Health Care Partners, see USM Returns (Dkt. ##31, 34, 35), but not for
26
Defendant Arms. See USM Returns Unexecuted (Dkt. ##32, 38). Plaintiff therefore filed a
27
motion providing additional information for Defendant Arms and requested leave to reserve the
28
summons. See Mot. for Re-Service of Summons (Dkt. #39).
1
1
On May 8, 2015, the Court entered a Scheduling Order (Dkt. #44) allowing the parties to
2
begin discovery. On June 12, 2015, Plaintiff timely filed requests to amend his complaint and
3
join additional parties. See Mot. to Amend/Correct Complaint (Dkt. #49); Mot. for Required
4
Joinder of Parties (Dkt. #50).
5
Defendant Nye County Detention’s Motion to Dismiss (Dkt. #33) because it is not an entity
6
capable of being sued. See Aug. 4, 2015 Order (Dkt. #62). This Court subsequently granted
7
Plaintiff’s requests to re-serve Defendant Arms and amend his complaint, to add two additional
8
parties as Defendants in this case: Sargent Martinez and Nye County. See Aug. 21, 2015 Order
9
(Dkt. #68).
While Plaintiff’s motions were pending, the Court granted
Accordingly, service of Plaintiff’s Amended Complaint (Dkt. #69) must be
10
accomplished on all Defendants by November 16, 2015.
11
DISCUSSION
12
I.
NYE COUNTY DETENTION’S MOTION TO STAY DISCOVERY (DKT. #57)
13
Nye County Detention’s Motion requests a stay pending resolution of its Motion to
14
Dismiss (Dkt. #33) and Plaintiff’s Motion to Amend Complaint (Dkt. #49). The Court has
15
considered the Motion and Plaintiff’s Opposition (Dkt. #61), filed July 29, 2015. However, Nye
16
County Detention’s Motion is now moot because both motions have been resolved. See Order
17
(Dkt. #62); Order (Dkt. #68). The Court therefore denies the motion as moot.
18
II.
HEALTH CARE PARTNERS’ MOTION TO STAY OR EXTEND DISCOVERY (DKT. #59)
19
Defendant Healthcare Partners’ Motion requests a stay of discovery pending resolution of
20
its Motion to Dismiss (Dkt. #37), or in the alternative, a 90-day extension of the current
21
discovery deadlines. On August 28, 2015, the district judge entered an Order denying as moot
22
Healthcare Partners’ Motion to Dismiss (Dkt. #37). As such, Healthcare Partners’ request for a
23
stay is also moot. The Court will therefore consider its alternative request for relief.
24
When a request is made to modify a discovery plan and scheduling order before the
25
expiration of the deadlines and before the final pretrial order is entered, a district court may
26
extend the discovery deadlines upon a showing of “good cause.” Coleman v. Quaker Oats Co.,
27
232 F.3d 1271, 1294 (9th Cir. 2000).
28
diligence of the party seeking the amendment.” Id. Discovery extensions may be allowed if the
The good cause standard “primarily considers the
2
1
deadlines “cannot reasonably be met despite the diligence of the party seeking the extension.”
2
Id. Additionally, any motion or stipulation to extend a deadline or to reopen discovery must
3
comply with Local Rules 26-4 and 6-1 of the Local Rules of Practice, and include the following:
4
(a) A statement specifying the discovery completed;
(b) A specific description of the discovery that remains to be
completed;
(c) The reasons why the deadline was not satisfied or the
remaining discovery was not completed within the time limits set
by the discovery plan; and,
(d) A proposed schedule for completing all remaining discovery.
5
6
7
8
9
See LR 26-4.
10
Healthcare Partners’ motion provides a list of discovery that has been served to date and
11
states that it has noticed Plaintiff’s deposition, although the date may change given Plaintiff’s
12
incarceration.
13
depositions of Plaintiff, witnesses, and propound additional written discovery. In particular,
14
Healthcare Partners recognizes that several Defendants have not been served or filed responsive
15
pleadings and, if those parties appear, they will need to conduct discovery. Plaintiff did not file
16
an opposition to this motion and the time for filing a response has now passed. The Court finds
17
good cause to extend the deadlines stated in the Scheduling Order by ninety (90) days from this
18
order.
19
III.
Healthcare Partners asserts that the parties need more time to complete
PLAINTIFF’S MOTION TO COMPEL (DKT. #67)
20
On August 19, 2015, Plaintiff filed a Motion to Compel Defendant Nye County
21
Detention Center to produce documents and responses to interrogatories. Plaintiff’s Motion
22
acknowledges that the August 4, 2015 Order (Dkt. #33) dismissed Nye County Detention Center.
23
As a non-party, Nye County Detention Center is not required to respond to interrogatories or
24
requests for production of documents served pursuant to Rules 33 and 34 of the Federal Rules of
25
Civil Procedure. However, Plaintiff relies upon LR 16-1(b) as authority for requiring Nye
26
County Detention Center, “as a political entity of Nye County,” to produce the requested
27
documents. Mot. to Compel (Dkt. #63) at 1–3. LR 16-1(b) states that the Court shall enter a
28
3
1
scheduling order in actions by inmates pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983.1 LR 16-1(b) is not a proper
2
basis for compelling Nye County Detention Center to respond to Plaintiff’s interrogatories or
3
requests for production of documents.
4
After Plaintiff filed his Motion, Nye County has been added as a party to this case. See
5
Order (Dkt. #68). After Plaintiff serves the Amended Complaint and Summons on Nye County,
6
he will be allowed to serve discovery requests directly upon Nye County. Discovery requests
7
must be served on opposing parties, who then have thirty (30) days to respond. A motion to
8
compel discovery materials may only be filed when a timely discovery request has been served,
9
the opposing party has not responded or has inadequately responded, and the moving party has
10
attempted in good faith to resolve any dispute about the adequacy of the discovery responses
11
without the Court’s intervention. Local Rule 26-7 also states the following:
13
Discovery motions will not be considered unless a statement of moving counsel is
attached thereto certifying that, after personal consultation and sincere effort to do
so, counsel have been unable to resolve the matter without court intervention.
14
LR 26-7(b). Local Rule 26-7 also requires that a party filing a motion to compel “set forth in full
15
the text of the discovery originally sought and the response thereto, if any.” LR 26-7(a). The
16
purpose of this rule is to give the court sufficient information to evaluate whether the information
17
sought is relevant and discoverable and whether the responses are sufficient or require
18
supplementation.
12
19
This is not the first time the Court has cautioned Plaintiff about following the Local
20
Rules. Plaintiff recently filed three Motions for Production of Documents (Dkt. ## 52, 53, 60) in
21
violation of Local Rule 26-8, which states that written discovery requests shall not be filed with
22
the Court but shall be mailed directly to counsel for the opposing party. See Aug. 19, 2015
23
Order (Dkt. #66). Accordingly, the Court instructed the Clerk of the Court to strike Plaintiff’s
24
discovery requests from the record. Id. The Court recognizes that it is difficult for pro se parties
25
26
27
28
1
LR 16-1(b) states the following:
In actions by or on behalf of inmates under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 or the principles of Bivens
v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, 403 U.S. 388 (1971),
and in forfeiture and condemnation actions, no discovery plan is required. In such cases,
a scheduling order shall be entered within thirty (30) days after the first defendant
answers or otherwise appears.
4
1
to litigate their claims; however, a pro se litigant must follow the same rules of procedure that
2
govern other litigants. See King v. Atiyeh, 814 F.2d 565, 567 (9th Cir. 1986). This includes
3
complying with the Local Rules of Practice as well as the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
4
Plaintiff is advised to carefully review the discovery rules contained in Rules 26–36 of the
5
Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Local Rules of Practice to ensure that he follows the
6
appropriate discovery procedures.
7
Because Nye County Detention Center is no longer a party to this action, Nye County has
8
not yet been served and therefore discovery directed to Nye County is premature, the Motion to
9
Compel is denied without prejudice.
IT IS ORDERED:
10
1. Defendant Nye County Detention Center’s Motion to Stay Discovery (Dkt. #57)
11
is DENIED as moot.
12
13
2. Defendant Health Care Partners’ Motion to Stay or, in the Alternative, Extend
14
Discovery Deadlines (Dkt. #59) is DENIED as moot with respect to a stay of
15
discovery and GRANTED regarding an extension of discovery deadlines. The
16
following deadlines stated in the Scheduling Order (Dkt. #44) are extended by
17
ninety (90) days:
a. Discovery in this action shall be completed on or before December 21,
18
2015;
19
b. Motions for summary judgment shall be filed and served no later than
20
January 20, 2016; and
21
22
c. The Parties shall file a Joint Pretrial Order February 22, 2016. If
23
dispositive motions are timely filed the deadline for filing the joint pretrial
24
order is suspended until 30 days after decision of dispositive motions or
25
further order of the court.
d. The disclosures required by Fed. R. Civ P 26(a)(3) and any objections to
26
the disclosures shall be included in the joint pretrial order.
27
28
///
5
1
2
3. Plaintiff’s Motion to Compel (Dkt. #67) is DENIED.
Dated this 21st day of September, 2015.
3
4
PEGGY A. LEEN
UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
6
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?