Top Notch Solutions, Inc. et al v. Crouse and Associates Insurance Brokers, Inc. et al

Filing 62

MINUTE ORDER re parties' 61 Stipulation to Extend Trial Date and Related Deadlines: The Court declines to enter the proposed order continuing trial date; the current trial date and all related dates and deadlines are STRICKEN; on or before 3/30/2018 parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report. Authorized by Judge Thomas S. Zilly. (SWT)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
AT SEATTLE

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TOP NOTCH SOLUTIONS, INC.,
et al.,
Plaintiffs,

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C17-827 TSZ
v.
MINUTE ORDER
CROUSE AND ASSOCIATES
INSURANCE BROKERS, INC., et al.,

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Defendants.

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The following Minute Order is made by direction of the Court, the Honorable
Thomas S. Zilly, United States District Judge:
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(1)
The Court DECLINES to enter the proposed order continuing the trial date,
docket no. 61, that was submitted on January 24, 2018. On January 12, 2018, attorneys
Jack M. Lovejoy and Lawrence R. Cock filed a motion, docket no. 60, to withdraw as
counsel of record for defendant Pucin & Freidland, P.C. (“Pucin”). In their motion,
Messrs. Lovejoy and Cock indicated that their former firm (Cable, Langenbach, Kinerk
& Bauer, LLP) has ceased active operations and is winding down and that, because of a
break down in communications between the lawyers and their client (Pucin), their new
firm (CFL Law Group, LLP) does not intend to substitute as counsel for Pucin. Given
the pending motion to withdraw, which is currently noted for February 2, 2018, and the
apparent rift between Pucin and its attorneys, the Court cannot treat the document filed
on January 24, 2018, which was signed on behalf of Pucin by Messrs. Lovejoy and Cock,
as a stipulation of the parties.

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(2)
The docket in this matter reflects that plaintiff’s Third Amended
Complaint, docket no. 50, was filed on December 26, 2017, and that defendant McGriff,
22 Seibels & Williams, Inc. (“McGriff”), which was added as a party by such pleading, has
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MINUTE ORDER - 1

1 until February 5, 2018, to file a responsive pleading or motion. See Minute Order (docket
no. 58). In light of McGriff’s recent joinder and Pucin’s counsel’s pending motion to
2 withdraw, the Court concludes that September 24, 2018, is not a realistic trial date. The
current trial date and all related dates and deadlines are therefore STRICKEN. On or
3 before March 30, 2018, the parties shall meet and confer and file a Joint Status Report
concerning when they anticipate completing discovery and being prepared for trial in this
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(3)
record.

The Clerk is directed to send a copy of this Minute Order to all counsel of

Dated this 26th day of January, 2018.

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William M. McCool
Clerk

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s/Karen Dews
Deputy Clerk

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MINUTE ORDER - 2