Richardson v. US Department of Labor et al
Filing
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ORDER granting Defendants' 35 Motion to Stay Discovery. The stay on discovery shall remain in effect at least until the District Court issues a final ruling on the motion to dismiss that is currently pending. The Court also sua sponte note s that plaintiff's response to the motion to dismiss is untimely. See Dkt. 42 . However, the Court will accept the brief as timely filed on this occasion. The Clerk's Office shall renote the motion to dismiss (Dkt. 36 ) for consideration on 5/13/2022. Signed by Judge J Richard Creatura.(MW) (cc: Plaintiff via USPS)
Case 2:20-cv-00923-LK Document 43 Filed 05/09/22 Page 1 of 2
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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON
AT TACOMA
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FREDERICK W. RICHARDSON,
Plaintiff,
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v.
US DEP’T OF LABOR, et al.,
Defendants.
CASE NO. 2:20-cv-00923-LK
ORDER GRANTING STAY OF
DISCOVERY, ACCEPTING
UNTIMELY RESPONSIVE BRIEF,
AND RENOTING MOTION TO
DISMISS
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This matter is before the Court on referral from the District Court and on defendants’
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motion requesting that discovery be stayed until the Court has resolved their pending motion to
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dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. Dkt. 35.
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Defendants assert that discovery is not necessary for plaintiff to respond to their motion
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to dismiss. See Dkt. 35, at 1. Since defendants filed their motion, plaintiff has filed a response
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to the motion to dismiss that includes extensive evidentiary attachments. Dkt. 42. Moreover, he
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has not shown that the matters he identified as topics for discovery in his response to the motion
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to stay would impact the issue raised in the motion to dismiss—whether claims of mishandling
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ORDER GRANTING STAY OF DISCOVERY,
ACCEPTING UNTIMELY RESPONSIVE BRIEF, AND
RENOTING MOTION TO DISMISS - 1
Case 2:20-cv-00923-LK Document 43 Filed 05/09/22 Page 2 of 2
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and failing to respond to his various letters and requests amount to a cognizable claim of
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violation of procedural due process that can be brought in this Court. See Laub v. U.S. Dep’t of
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Interior, 342 F.3d 1080, 1093 (9th Cir. 2003) (internal citation omitted) (“[A] refusal to grant
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discovery to establish jurisdiction is not an abuse of discretion when ‘it is clear that further
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discovery would not demonstrate facts sufficient to constitute a basis for jurisdiction[.]’”).
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Therefore, the Court will grant the request to stay discovery. The stay on discovery shall
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remain in effect at least until the District Court issues a final ruling on the motion to dismiss that
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is currently pending. See Dkt. 36. At that time, if the District Court does not address the issue in
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its ruling, then plaintiff can move to lift the stay, if appropriate.
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The Court also sua sponte notes that plaintiff’s response to the motion to dismiss is
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untimely. See Dkt. 42. However, the Court will accept the brief as timely filed on this occasion.
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In the future, plaintiff shall review the Court’s local civil rules (see Local Civil Rule 7) and shall
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ensure compliance with the Court’s deadlines when filing briefs or other documents.
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Finally, because the Court is accepting the untimely responsive brief, the Court will also
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extend the deadline for defendants to file a reply brief in support of their motion to dismiss. The
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reply brief is due on or before May 13, 2022. The Clerk’s Office shall renote the motion to
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dismiss (Dkt. 36) for consideration on May 13, 2022. As noted above, the motion to stay
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discovery (Dkt. 35) is granted.
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Dated this 9th day of May, 2022.
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A
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J. Richard Creatura
Chief United States Magistrate Judge
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ORDER GRANTING STAY OF DISCOVERY,
ACCEPTING UNTIMELY RESPONSIVE BRIEF, AND
RENOTING MOTION TO DISMISS - 2
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