Silvious v. RR Donnelley & Sons
Filing
53
MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by District Judge Michael F. Urbanski on 8/29/11. (kld)
IN TH E UNITED STA TES DISTR I C OU RT
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FO R TH E W ESTERN D I
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M EM O M NDU M O PINION
Pl ntf ,Ow en F.Sivi l ,f l t sac i on N ovem ber9,2010 alegi vi a i
ai if
l ous l ied hi ton
l ng oltons
oft Am ercanswih D i ltesA c Thi m ater i cur enty bef e t cour on def
he
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t sabiii
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or he
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RR D onneley & Sons'm oton t di isand f sanctons. On J y 1l,20l1,def
l
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endantRR
D onnele & Sons pl ntf ' em pl
ly
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oyer,fl a m oton t di i underFeder Rul ofCi l
ied
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Pr e r 4lb)an 37( , s etngpl niffiedt c ywihhi dic r o iainsa
oc due ( d b)a s ri aitf al o ompl t s sovey blg to nd
f l t obey a di
aied o
scover or . ' D ef
y der
endantalo as t coul t i posem onet y sanctons
s ks he
'om
t
ar
i
agai tt pl ntf Becaus pl ntf i pr
ns he ai if.
e ai if s oceedi pr se,t courtisued an or on J y 12,
ng o
he
s
der ul
20l1 purua tt Rosbor v. rion,5 F.d309(t Ci.1 ) a sngpl nifofte
, s n o e o Gars 28 2
4h r 975, dvii aitf h
def
endant' m oton t di i and f s i
s i o sm ss
or anctons. The J y 12,20l1or s at t ti pl ntf
ul
der t es ha f ai if
doesnotr pond t t def
es
o he endant spl ngs t cour w ilass e t he hasl ti er ti
' eadi , he
t l um hat
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t cas and/ agr w ih t def
he e
or ees t he endant spl ngsand f t i cat Si pl ntf doesnot
' eadi
urher ndi es kf ai if
fl s e r
ie om esponse w ihi t 21day perod,t courtm ay dim ist case f f l e t
t n he
i he
s s he
or aiur o
ay rod s ase nd antf s aie o ie epons
Pr ecut ' ( . 48. The21d pe i ha p s d a pli ifha f ld t fl ar s e.
os e.' Dkt # )
Th , fnda tsmotont dimisa f snci i rpef a j c ton.
us dee n ' i o s s nd or a tons s i or dudiai
' The orgi ls ta s na e t o a tona de e nt .Howe , hes de end t fl d am o i n t
i na ui l o m d ' ddii l f nda s
w
ver t e f an s ie
to o
dim isf fiur t saeacl m whiht c r grntd b or dae Fe uay l 20ll
s s or al e o tt ai
c he ou t a e y der td br r 0,
.
I
A sa r tofpl ntf ' f l e t obey a cour or ,or ng hi t appearf a
esul
ai ifs aiur o
t der deri
m o
or
deposii def
ton, endanthasm oved t dim ispl ntf compl ntand f s i
o s s ai ifs
ai
or anctons. Def
endant
sat i ism oton t dim i t ,s equentt a conver aton w ih pl ntf on M a 27,20ll
t es n t
i o s ss hat ubs
o
s i
t ai if
y
s
chedulng a deposton f June 23,2011,def
i
ii or
endanthasr ved no f hercom m uni i
ecei
urt
caton
fom t pl ntf . Def
r he ai if
endanthasm ade muli e atem pt t r
tpl t
s o each t pl ntf ,i udi phone
he ai if ncl ng
cals voi ais and e- ais. W hen a f iy em er
l , cem l
m l
am l
gency necesst t r
ia ed eschedulng t J 23,
i he une
2011 deposii da e,def
ton t
endantatempt sever tm est cont pl ntf . However pl ntf
t
ed
al i
o
act ai if
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di notr ur any ofdef
d
et n
endant scals ore- ais. Def
' l
m l
endantse ,by certfed m ai,an am ended
nt
ii
l
notce ofdeposii f Jul 6,20l1. H owever,due t def
i ton or y
o endant si lt t cont tt
' nabiiy o
ac he
pl ntf ,def
ai if endantbecam e concer t tpl ntf w oul notappearf t r chedul
ned ha ai if
d
or he es
ed
deposton.
ii
O n June 29,2011,def
endantfl a m oton t compelpl ntf t appearf t J y 6,
ied
i o
ai if o
or he ul
2011 deposii l ism oton,def
ton. n t
i
endantw r e ûdef
ot G endanthasr
epeat y atem pt t
edl t ed o
com m uni e w ih and confr pl ntf ' a t
cat t
im ai ifs tendance a hi deposton t ough t ephone
t s
ii hr
el
me sge a e l, tt dae(.)ha rcevednoc nfr to fom pli if.. ( .
sa s nd mais bu o t .. s e i
o imain r
antf..' Dkt#
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Folow i a t ephone hearng,t cour i ued an or on J y 1,201l gr i
l ng el
i he
t ss
der ul
antng
def
endant' m oton t com peland or i pl ntf t appearf hi deposton on J y 6,20ll
s i o
derng ai if o
or s
ii
ul
i Hars
n rionbur Vigi a2 ( t #43. Furhe,t c ur' ac ompan ngme a um
g, r ni. Dk. ) t r he o ts c
yi
mornd
opi on i or ed t pl ntf t i he di notappearf t deposton,he coul be s i
ni nf m he ai if hat f
d
or he
ii
d anctoned
up t and i udi dim i alofhi case.The mem or
o
ncl ng s ss
s
andum opi on sat i bol t ace:
ni t ed n d ypef
2 The c tc muni a e n i e oft J y 1, 1t e
our om
c t d otc
he ul 20l elphonehea i t pl i ifby t e
rng o antf elphonean ed
m a l Howe r pl i tf di n a ea .
i.
ve , a n if d ot pp r
Pl ntf i her W A RN ED t f l e t compl w ih t r r ent oft or
ai if s eby
hat aiur o
y t he equiem s he der
may l t t i
ead o he mposton ofs i i udi t awar t t def
ii
anctons ncl ng he
d o he endantofcoss and
t
a t ney' f and di i aloft cas
tor s ees
sm ss
he e.
( . 44,p. ) Pl n ifdi n a a f rhi J y6,20llde iin a t ha f ldt
Dkt #
2. aitf d ot ppe r o s ul
posto nd hus s aie o
obe t cour' Jul l,201l or
y he
ts y
der.
Dee n a srst tûg l ntf' a tonsa di cinsha ca e t Dee n a
fnda t set ha ûplai ifs ci n na to ve usd he fnda t nd
t Courtt wase val e tm e and ot r our . And gi t appr
he
o
t
uabl i
her es ces
ven he
oachi dicover
ng s
y
deadlnes Pl ntf ' conducthasr
i , ai ifs
ender i vit l i pos bl f t Def
ed t rualy m si e or he endantt pr l
o opery
de e t cli as e td a i ti byt epl n if' ( . 50, 7. l a tont t
f nd he ams s re gans t h aitf. Dkt # p. ) n ddii o he
'
s i ofdi i al def
ancton
sm ss , endantaskst courtt or m onet y s i agai tt pl ntf
he
o der
ar anctons
ns he ai if
t com pens et def
o
at he endantf cos s i i r asa diec r ul oft pl ntf sf l et
or t t ncur ed
r t es t he ai if aiur o
a pea f t de ii De e nts eksat n y' f esa c t i t a ntof$371 44.
p r or he poston. f nda e
tor e s e nd oss n he mou
, 4.
11
A c ant ma be dim is purua t Rul 4lb) of t Fe r lRuls ofCi l
ompli
y
s sed s nt o e (
he de a
e
vi
Pr
ocedur f f l t pr ecut and/ f l e t com pl w ih or s of t court Balar v.
e or aiure o os e
or aiur o
y t der
he
. ld
Ca lon,8 F. 93 ( h Ci.1 ) c r.de e 493 U. 1 4 ( 990 .l c nsde i whehe
rs 82 2d 4t r 989 , e t nid
S. 08 1 ) n o i rng t r
t dimisa a tonpurua tt Rul 4lb ,hec tmus co i rf f t s ()t de e
o s s n ci
s n o e () t our t nsde our acor: l he gre
ofpl ntf rs i lt i f lngt rs
ai ips eponsbiiy n aii o epond;( t a
2) he moun ofprj diet t dee a ;()
t eu c o he fnd nt 3
t hit y o t pl ntf i pr e di i a dltr ma r a ( t e se eofls
he sor f he ai if n oc e ng n iaoy nne; nd, 4) he xitnc
es
dr si s nci o he t n dimis l Da sv.W ila ,588 F. 6 ( h Ci.1 ) Th
a tc a tons t r ha s s a . vi
lims
2d 9 4t r 978 . e
dit i cour has cl aut iy t dim i a pl ntf s cas i appr i e cas
s rct
t
ear hort o s ss
ai if'
e n
oprat
es. Li v.
nk
W a s R. Co. 3 U. 626,62 ( 962 (d-e a ho iy ofa f de a ti c tt dimisa
ba h R. , 70 S.
9 1 ) 4-h ut rt
l
e r l ral our o s s
plitf a to wih prj c be a e of hi fiur t pos c t c nno srousy be
anifs cin t eudie c us
s al e o r e ue a t e i l
dou ed.)
bt ' .
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3
Defnda as mo t dimispl ntfsc mpl ntu rRul 37( whihprvi s
e nt lo ves o s s ai if o ai nde e b) c o de ,
i per i par,t i a part f l t obey an or t pr de orper i di cover tt cour
n tnent t hat f
y ais o
der o ovi
mt s
y, khe
t
ma ma s hor r i rgadt t f lr asaej t'i l ng,i e ala dimisl The
y ke uc des n e r o he aiue r us,'ncudi ntr i, s sa.
Fourh Cicui has devel
t r t
oped a f - tt tf det m i ng appr i e s i underRul
ourpar es or er ni
oprat anctons
e
3 (T) c tmus deemi ()wheh t no c yigpat a tdi ba fih,( t
7. $ he our t tr ne 1 terhe n-ompl n ry ce n d at 2) he
(
a un ofprj cet tno mpla ec usdt a ves r ()t n df rdeernc o t
mo t eudi ha nco inc a e he d ray,3 he ee o tre e f he
pa tc a s 'ofn c ince a ( )whehe l sdr si s nc inswoul h vebe n
riulr ol on- ompla , nd 4
t
t r es a tc a to
da
e
efci 'An ronv. d.orAd nc nt l F.d500, 4( hCi.1 ) Be a e
fe tve. des Foun f va eme , 55 3
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50 4t r 998 . c us
t l s andar f dim isal underRul 37 f f l et conduc di
he egal t
d or s s s
e or aiur o
t scover i vit l
y s rualy
i calt t tf di i al f f l e t pr ecut t courtw ilcom bi isanal soft
denti o ha or sm ss s or aiur o os e, he
l
ne t
ysi he
ques i whet di i ali appr i e underRul 37 and 41. See Carerv.Uni siy of
ton
her sm ss s
oprat
es
t
ver t
W e tVixi aSyse 23 F. 400,1 W L 1 31a * ( t Ci.1 )( publs d
s r ni t m,
3d
994
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opi on)($ l alsa r f dimisl unde Rul 37i vit lyt smeast tfr
ni ( eg tndad or s sas r e s rual he a
The
ha o
dimis l f rf iu et pr ec t u rRul 41'
s s as o al r o os u e nde e .)
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l t pr entcas t pl ntf i pr
n he es
e, he ai if s oceedi
ngrr se s he i entr y r ponsi e f hi
/ o s iel es
bl or s
actons.I i s el t ough pl ntf negl ,and nott ofan ator
i
t s ol y hr
ai ips
ect
hat
t ney,t he has not
hat
r ponded t def e couns ' com m uni i at pt hasf l t a end hi deposton and
es
o ens
els
caton tem s,
aied o tt
s
ii
hasnotfl a r
ied espons t t def
e o he endantsm oton t dim i ,i s t oft cour' Ros o
'
i o s ss n pie he
ts ebor
3
eover pl ntf f l e t pr de deposton t i ony
Notce r r ng hi t r pond. M or
i equii
m o es
fs aiur o ovi
ii estm
, ai i
h d a dteaton,fusrt dee n ' a lt t deen t c e a h prjdie t
as elye h ci r taed fnda ts bii o f d he as, nd as eu c d he
y
3 Bohted fn a ta dtec ut a eatmpe t c nath janifb u igtetlp o en mb r
t h eed n n h o rh v te td o o tc te litf y sn h ee h n u e
a da desitdo panifspedig , swel sb emal Th panl i rso sbefr rvdigtec ut
n d rs lse n lit la n s a la y - i. e litf s ep n il o jo i n h o r
f
f
a o p sn c u s l t u d td c na t n o main.Rue 1 ( ) f h l c l ue frt eUn tdS ae Ditit
nd p o ig o n e wi p ae o tc i f r to
h
l 1a o t e o a r ls o h l tts src
è
Cour f t W e t r Diti tofVigi apr de t ta l e di a motonsfl d by tpr s Itga mus
t or he s e n s rc
r ni ovi s ha l pl a ngs nd i ie
o e ii nt t
con a n a a e swhe e n i e c b s r e on s h p s and at l ph e numbe whe e s h pe s c be
t i n ddr s
r otc an e e v d uc eron
e e on
r r uc r on an
r a hed ora me s ge l f.
ec
s a et
ton ai if' aiur o de he der
def ndant4 I addii , pl ntf sf l e t abi by t or s oft sCourti behavi t
e
. n
hi
s
or hat
war ant det r
r s er ence.W hiepr s ltgant ar entted t s e def ence f om cours,t ar
l o e ii s e il o om
er
r
t hey e
s jc t t smetmer quie t a rs c frc tor r a ot rltga t, t ut
ube t o he a i e r mens nd epe t o our des s he ii ns wiho
whihefci j di a a nitainwoul b i sbl Balr v.Cars 88 F. a 9 ,
c fe tve u cil dmi srto
d e mposi e. lad
lon, 2 2d t 6*
s eas Za z v. u erCounv, F.Sup 1 71 1 ( D. 1 )(û#7r?s
e lo c ek Fa qui
t 764
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ltgant ar noti m une f om any sa i by vit oft rsat al
ii s e
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r
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es
doub ta rr s ltga t a es j c t a a al pprpraesnci f tei mic uc.)
t h t / e ii ns r ube t o ny nd la o it a tons or h r sond t'.
'
Thus,t cour concl
he
t
udest pl ntf hasabandoned t sl s t
he ai if
hi aw ui.
Def
endantaskst cour t i pos a m onet y sancton on t pl ntf i addii t
he
to m e
ar
i
he ai if n
ton o
dim i i hi l s t H owever t pl ntf hasr es ed t t cour t he i unabl t
s ssng s aw ui.
, he ai if
epr ent o he
t hat s
eo
p t c t oft es pr e di sa ha onl $ 0 i c s ori as vi orc c ng
ay he oss h e oc e ng nd s y 200.0 n a h n a ngs he ki
a c t ( t# 1) OnNove er1 201 t coute trda ode grntngpli ifs
c oun. Dk. .
mb 0, 0 he r nee n r r a i antf'
motonfrla t pr e di or
i o e ve o oc e nf mapau rs ( . 3. Thus i i amoneaype t
pei. Dkt# )
,mposng
tr nal
y
agai tt pl ntf woul be ofdubi val l appear t e i no s i l s s et
ns he ai if
d
ous ue. t
s her s ancton es ever han
dim i alw hi coul efec i y be depl
s ss
ch
d f tvel
oyed agai tpl ntf .
ns ai if
Ac or n y,de e nt moto t dim ispurua tt Rul 4l b)a d Rul 37 b)i
c digl f nda ' in o s s s n o e ( n
s
e ( s
gr ed, H owever def
ant
, endants m oton f s tonsi deni
'
i or anc i s
ed.
l1
1
A ss outabove,a r ew oft r d i cat t def
et
evi
he ecor ndi es hat endantsm oton t dim is
'
i o s s
s d be gr ed and t pl ntf com pl nts d be dim i ed f f l e t pr
houl
ant
he ai ips
ai houl
s ss or aiur o osecut and
e
f l e t obey a cour or .
aiur o
t der
Fort er a ons t de en ntsmotont dimis( t #49)i GRANTED,
hes e s ,he f da ' i o s s Dk .
s
def
endant' m oton f s i i D EN I and pl ntf s com pl nti dim i s w ihout
s i or anctons s
ED,
ai if
ai s s s ed t
4 Dic v r i tic s coe o Au ut2 2 1 .( t5 , .l)
so ey n hs ae lsd n g s 6, 0 1 Dk. 0 p .
5
peu c f fiur t pr e t p s an t Rul 41b)oft Fed r RulsofCi lPr e r
rj die or al e o oscue uru to e (
he eal e
vi oc due
a f f l et c mpl wih ac to de pu s an t Rul 37( )oft Fe r Rulso Ci l
nd or aiur o o y t our r r r u t o e b he de al e f vi
Pr
ocedure.
TheCl k i diect t send a copy oft sM em or
er s r ed o
hi
andum Opi on and accompanyi
ni
ng
Or t pl ntf and a1 couns ofr d.
der o ai if
1
el ecor
Ent ed: Augus 29,20l1
er
t
/ '#: A-& /.X
+/ z O #
Mi
chaelF.U r
banski
Unied St t D it i J
t
a es s rct udge
6
'
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