Linson v. Klimek et al
Filing
24
AMENDED ORDER Granting Motion to Stay Discovery. Signed by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on 4/27/2017. (JLS)
FILED
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
APR 2 7 2017
DISTRICT OF SOUTH DAKOTA
SOUTHERN DIVISION
TODD D. LINSON,
Plaintiff,
4:16-CV-04167-RAL
-
AMENDED ORDER GRANTING
vs.
MOTION TO STAY DISCOVERY
JOSH KLIMEK, TAMMY DEJONG,
Defendants.
Plaintiff Todd D. Linson ("Linson") filed a pro se civil rights lawsuit
pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Doc. 1. This Court screened Linson's complaint,
directed service of his complaint, and requested that the parties file proposed
scheduling orders. Doc. 5; Doc 15. Defendants now move to stay discovery
until the court determines the issue of qualified immunity. Doc. 20.
Pursuant to Rule 26(c), "the court has discretion to stay discovery on
other issues until the critical issue has been decided." 8A Charles Alan Wright,
Arthur R. Miller, and Richard L. Marcus, Federal Practice and Procedure
§ 2040(3d ed.); Steinbuch v. Cutler, 518 F.3d 580, 588 (8th Cir. 2008)(citing
Lakin v. Prudential Sec., Inc., 348 F.3d 704, 713 (8th Cir. 2003)); see also
Maune v. Int'lBhd. ofElec. Workers, 83 F.3d 959, 963 (8th Cir. 1996)
(upholding the district court's granting of a party's request to stay discovery).
Because the qualified immunity issue may be dispositive, the court grants
defendants' motion to stay discovery.
Linson argues that the court should not grant the motion. He argues
that defendants are merely trying to stall the litigation by moving for a
protective order because they are not entitled to qualified immunity. Although
defendants could have responded to this Court's order or moved for a stay of
discovery in a more timely manner, whether defendants are entitled to
qualified immunity is unclear at this point. Linson also argues that this Court
denied defendants' defense of qualified immunity, but this is not correct.
Accordingly, it is ORDERED,
1. Defendants' motion to stay discovery (Docket 20) is granted.
Discovery will be stayed until the court determines the issue of
qualified immunity. If summary judgment is denied, the stay on
discovery will be lifted.
2. Defendants shall file their motion for summary judgment by May 25,
2017.
Dated April ^1*12017.
BY THE COURT:
ROBERTO A. LANGE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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