Republic of Turkey v. Christie's Inc. et al

Filing 368

ORDER. On July 28, 2020, the parties submitted a joint letter requesting that commencement of the trial in this matter be rescheduled to early February. Dkt. No. 367. The Court is willing to adjourn commencement of the trial due to the challenges pos ed by the COVID-19 public health crisis, and the Court would make every effort to try the case at the requested time in February. But because there are a number of trials that will need to be rescheduled, the Court will prioritize in-person criminal trials once those are safely feasible. As a result, the Court cannot guarantee that the trial in this matter will take place in early February, as the parties request, and as further set forth in this Order. The parties are hereby ORDERED to meet, confer, and submit a joint letter to the Court indicating their preference on how to proceed by August 12, 2020. SO ORDERED. (Signed by Judge Alison J. Nathan on 7/29/2020) (rjm)

Case 1:17-cv-03086-AJN-SDA Document 368 Filed 07/29/20 Page 1 of 1

7/29/20

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK

Republic of Turkey,
Plaintiff,
17-cv-3086 (AJN)
–v–
ORDER
Christie’s Inc., et al.,
Defendants.

ALISON J. NATHAN, District Judge:
On July 28, 2020, the parties submitted a joint letter requesting that commencement of
the trial in this matter be rescheduled to early February. Dkt. No. 367. The Court is willing to
adjourn commencement of the trial due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 public health
crisis, and the Court would make every effort to try the case at the requested time in February.
But because there are a number of trials that will need to be rescheduled, the Court will prioritize
in-person criminal trials once those are safely feasible. As a result, the Court cannot guarantee
that the trial in this matter will take place in early February, as the parties request.
An alternative to the parties’ proposal is to maintain the November 2, 2020 start date and
to use a secure video conferencing platform to conduct the bench trial remotely. Indeed, courts
in this district have already successfully conducted remote bench trials. See Ferring Pharm. Inc.,
et al. v. Serenity Pharm. LLC, et al. (Case No. 17-cv-9922-CM-SDA, S.D.N.Y.); SEC v.
Paulsen, Case (Case No. 18-cv-6718-PGG, S.D.N.Y.); Financial Guaranty Insurance Company
v. The Putnam Advisory Company, LLC (Case No. 12-cv-7372-LJL-KNF, S.D.N.Y.).
The parties are hereby ORDERED to meet, confer, and submit a joint letter to the Court
indicating their preference on how to proceed by August 12, 2020.

SO ORDERED.
Dated: July _____, 2020
29
New York, New York

__________________________________
ALISON J. NATHAN
United States District Judge