Bartell Ranch LLC et al v. McCullough et al

Filing 313

ORDER granting ECF No. 312 Joint Motion to Stay Briefing Re: ECF No. 311 Bartell Plaintiffs' EAJA Motion : Bartell Plaintiffs and Defendants will submit a status report updating the Court on the progress of EAJA negotiations within 60 days of this order (1/12/2024). Signed by Chief Judge Miranda M. Du on 11/13/2023. (Copies have been distributed pursuant to the NEF - DRM)

O. KENT MAHER (Nev. Bar No. 316)
[e-mail]
PO Box 130
33 W Fourth Street
Winnemucca, Nevada 89446
Ph: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Local Counsel for Plaintiffs
DOMINIC M. CAROLLO (Or. Bar. No. 093057)
Pro Hac Vice
[e-mail]
Carollo Law Group LLC
Mail: P.O. Box 2456
Roseburg, OR 97470
Office: 2315 Old Highway 99 South
Roseburg, OR 97471
Ph: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Attorneys for Plaintiffs

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF NEVADA

BARTELL RANCH, LLC, a Nevada limited
liability company and EDWARD BARTELL,
Plaintiffs
vs.

ESTER M. MCCULLOUGH, Winnemucca
District Manager, BUREAU OF LAND
MANAGEMENT,
Defendants,
and
LITHIUM NEVADA CORP.,
Defendant-Intervenor.

Case No.: 3:21-cv-00080-MMD-CLB

JOINT MOTION BY BARTELL
PLAINTIFFS AND FEDERAL
DEFENDANTS FOR STAY OF BRIEFING
OF BARTELL PLAINTIFFS’ EAJA
MOTION

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Plaintiffs Bartell Ranch and Edward Bartell (“Bartell Plaintiffs”) and Federal Defendants

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the United States Bureau of Land Management and Ester M. McCullough (“Defendants”) hereby

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move to stay briefing on Bartell Plaintiffs’ Motion/Petition for Attorneys’ Fees under the Equal

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Access to Justice Act (“EAJA”) to allow for settlement discussions on the motion to proceed.

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Bartell Plaintiffs filed their motion/petition for attorneys’ fees under EAJA on November

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10, 2023. Defendants’ response is therefore due November 24, 2023. Bartell Plaintiffs and

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Defendants desire an amicable resolution of Bartell Plaintiffs’ EAJA motion. Bartell Plaintiffs’

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motion is a “placeholder” designed to satisfy the EAJA motion deadline while allowing the parties

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to negotiate over fees. See Greenpeace v. Stewart, No. 17-35945, 2020 WL 2465321, *4-5 (9th

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Cir. Commissioner, May 12, 2020) (approving use of EAJA placeholder motion).

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Bartell Plaintiffs and Defendants will quickly engage in negotiations to try and resolve

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Bartell Plaintiffs’ EAJA motion. While negotiations are ongoing Bartell Plaintiffs and Defendants

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propose to stay all briefing. In the event that settlement negotiations are unsuccessful, Bartell

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Plaintiffs and Defendants will inform the Court and file a joint schedule which would allow Bartell

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Plaintiffs to amend its EAJA motion, submit supporting evidence, and create a briefing schedule.

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Bartell Plaintiffs and Defendants move the Court for an order finding:

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1. That briefing on Bartell Plaintiffs’ EAJA motion is stayed;

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2. Bartell Plaintiffs and Defendants will submit a status report updating the Court on the

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progress of EAJA negotiations within 60 days of the Court’s order on this Joint Motion;

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and

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3. If settlement is unsuccessful, Bartell Plaintiffs and Defendants will file a joint schedule for

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Bartell Plaintiffs to amend their EAJA motion, submit additional supporting evidence, and

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creating a briefing schedule.

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Respectfully submitted this 13th day of November, 2023.
/s/ Dominic M. Carollo
DOMINIC M. CAROLLO (Or. Bar. No. 093057)
Pro Hac Vice
[e-mail]
Carollo Law Group LLC
Mail: P.O. Box 2456
Roseburg, OR 97470
Office: 2315 Old Highway 99 South
Roseburg, OR 97471
Ph: [phone]
Of Attorneys for Plaintiffs

O. Kent MAHER (Nev. Bar No. 316)
[e-mail]
PO Box 130
33 W Fourth Street
Winnemucca, Nevada 89446
Ph: (775) 623-527
Of Attorneys for Plaintiffs

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/s/ Michael K. Robertson
Michael K. Robertson (DC Bar 1017183)
Trial Attorney, U.S. Department of Justice, Natural Resources Section
P.O. Box 7611
Washington, D.C. 20044-7611
202-305-9609
[e-mail]
Attorney for Federal Defendants

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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

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I hereby certify that on November 13, 2023 I filed the foregoing JOINT MOTION BY

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BARTELL PLAINTIFFS AND FEDERAL DEFENDANTS FOR STAY OF BRIEFING

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OF BARTELL PLAINTIFFS’ EAJA MOTION using the United States District Court

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CM/ECF, which caused all counsel of record to be served electronically.

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/s/Dominic Carollo___________
DOMINIC M. CAROLLO (Or. Bar No. 093057)
[Pro Hac Vice]

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Attorneys for Plaintiffs

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IT IS SO ORDERED.

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November 13, 2023
DATED: _________________

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________________________________
CHIEF U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE
MIRANDA M. DU

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