P.B. v. Burke County Public Schools Board of Education et al

Filing 78

ORDER that the parties in the above-referenced civil actions shall conduct a joint mediation session on or before April 15, 2014. (See Order for Further Details)Signed by District Judge Martin Reidinger on 03/04/2014. (Pro se litigant served by US Mail.)(thh)

THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA
ASHEVILLE DIVISION

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In re: Burke County Public Schools )
Board of Education Litigation.
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_______________________________ )

Civil Case Nos.
1:12-cv-00334-MR-DLH
1:13-cv-00204-MR-DLH
1:13-cv-00227-MR-DLH
1:13-cv-00278-MR-DLH
1:13-cv-00279-MR-DLH
1:13-cv-00300-MR-DLH

THIS MATTER is before the Court sua sponte.
These civil actions are currently pending before the undersigned. All
six actions involve claims against the Burke County Public Schools Board
of Education for various violations of the Educational Amendments of 1972,
20 U.S.C. § 1981, et seq. (Title IX) and the Fourteenth Amendment to the
United States Constitution pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 arising from
Defendant Michael Alexander’s alleged sexual abuse of the minor Plaintiffs
while they were students in the Burke County school system.
At the February 28, 2014 hearing on the motion for summary
judgment filed in Civil Case No. 1:12-cv-00334, the parties expressed their
belief that a joint mediation of these civil actions would be beneficial. While
these actions are at various stages of litigation, the Court finds that it would

be in the interests of justice and judicial economy for the parties to these
actions to engage in a joint mediation.
The Court notes that attorney C. Frank Goldsmith, Jr. has served as
a mediator in Civil Case No. 1:12-cv-00334, and has been designated to
serve as mediator in Civil Case No. 1:13-cv-00204.

At the summary

judgment hearing, the parties expressed their willingness to have Mr.
Goldsmith serve as the mediator for the joint mediation.
Accordingly, IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that the parties in the
above-referenced civil actions shall conduct a joint mediation session on or
before April 15, 2014.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that attorney C. Frank Goldsmith, Jr. is
hereby appointed to serve as the mediator for this joint mediation session.
This appointment is without prejudice to the parties in Civil Case Nos. 1:13cv-00227,

1:13-cv-00278,

1:13-cv-00279,

and

1:13-cv-00300

from

designating another mediator in the event that the joint mediation is not
successful and the parties desire to pursue additional mediation in their
individual cases.

Signed: March 4, 2014

IT IS SO ORDERED.

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