Lister et al v. National Oilwell Varco, L.P.

Filing 22

ORDER entered DENYING Docket Entry No. 21- request for expedited consideration of the motion to sever. (Signed by Judge Lee H Rosenthal) Parties notified.(leddins, )

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
HOUSTON DIVISION
ROMEO LISTER, et al.,
Plaintiffs,
VS.
NATIONAL OILWELL VARCO, L.P.,
Defendant.

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CIVIL ACTION NO. H-11-0108

ORDER
In this employment discrimination case, National Oilwell Varco (“NOV”) has moved to
sever the claims asserted by the two remaining plaintiffs—Romeo Lister and Terrance
Williams—into separate civil actions. (Docket Entry No. 20.) NOV has also moved for expedited
consideration of its motion to sever, asking for a decision either in advance of a response or based
on a shortened time to respond. (Docket Entry No. 21.) NOV has not identified a sufficient basis
for such expediting. NOV argues that a prompt ruling on the motion to sever “will impact the scope
of discovery in this matter” and “is appropriate and necessary to establish the proper scope” of
Lister’s deposition, which is scheduled for May 2, “and [of] the depositions remaining to be taken
prior to the discovery deadline of May 10.” (Id. at 2–3.) With or without severance, the scope of
the remaining discovery, including the upcoming depositions, is defined by the claims Lister and
Williams have asserted. The motion for expedited consideration of the motion to sever, (Docket
Entry No. 21), is denied.

SIGNED on April 30, 2012, at Houston, Texas.
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Lee H. Rosenthal
United States District Judge