Malikalalou, Inc. ( 2021 )

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 IN THE MATTER OF MALIKALALOU, INC., Case No.: 20cv1693-H(MSB) owner of a 2008 Privilege 45’ catamaran 12 sailing vessel named “Malikalalou”, HIN # ORDER: 13 JMA90C10K708, her engine, tackle, apparel, appurtenances, etc., for (1) GRANTING IN PART JOINT MOTION 14 Exoneration from or Limitation of TO CONTINUE [ECF NO. 35] 15 Liability. AND 16 17 (2) ISSUING AMENDED SCHEDULING ORDER REGULATING DISCOVERY AND 18 OTHER PRETRIAL PROCEEDINGS 19 20 21 On October 19, 2021, the parties filed a “Joint Motion to Extend Scheduling Order 22 Regulating Discovery and Other Pretrial Proceedings.” (ECF No. 35.) They ask the Court 23 to continue all remaining deadlines by sixty days. (Id. at 2.) In support, the parties state 24 that they “are presently engaged in settlement negotiations[,]” and “[a]n extension 25 should be granted in order to conserve resources of the parties to continue settlement 26 efforts.” (Id.) The parties further list their proposed dates. (Id. at 2-3.) 27 Having considered the joint motion and finding good cause, the Court GRANTS IN 2 Pretrial Proceedings [ECF No. 27] as follows: 3 1. A telephonic attorneys-only Case Management Conference is set for 4 November 15, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. Plaintiff’s counsel is to arrange and initiate the 5 conference call. The telephone number for Judge Berg’s chambers is (619) 557-6632. 6 2. The parties must designate their respective experts in writing by 7 December 21, 2021. The parties must identify any person who may be used at trial to 8 present evidence pursuant to Rules 702, 703 or 705 of the Federal Rules of Evidence. 9 This requirement is not limited to retained experts. The date for exchange of rebuttal 10 experts must be by January 4, 2022. Written designations must include the name, 11 address and telephone number of the expert and a reasonable summary of the 12 testimony the expert is expected to provide. The list must also include the normal rates 13 the expert charges for deposition and trial testimony. 14 3. By February 1, 2022, each party must comply with the disclosure provisions 15 in Rule 26(a)(2)(A) and (B) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. This disclosure 16 requirement applies to all persons retained or specially employed to provide expert 17 testimony, or whose duties as an employee of the party regularly involve the giving of 18 expert testimony. Except as provided in the paragraph below, any party that fails to 19 make these disclosures will not be permitted to use evidence or testimony not disclosed 20 at any hearing or at the time of trial, absent substantial justification. Additionally, the 21 Court may impose sanctions as permitted by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37(c). 22 4. Any party must supplement its disclosure regarding contradictory or 23 rebuttal evidence under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a)(2)(D) by February 15, 24 2022. 25 5. All parties must complete all expert discovery by March 15, 2022. The 26 parties must comply with the same procedures set forth in the paragraph governing fact 27 discovery. 2 Court may result in the sanctions provided for in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 37, 3 including prohibition on the introduction of experts or other designated matters in 4 evidence. 5 7. All other pretrial motions must be filed by April 19, 2022. Counsel for the 6 moving party must obtain a motion hearing date from the law clerk of the judge who 7 will hear the motion. The time between the date you request a motion date and the 8 hearing date may vary from one district judge to another. Please plan accordingly. 9 Failure to make a timely request for a motion date may result in the motion not being 10 heard. Motions in limine are to be filed as directed by the Court. 11 8. A Mandatory Settlement Conference shall be conducted on July 13, 2022, 12 at 9:30 a.m., in the chambers of Magistrate Judge Michael S. Berg located at 221 West 13 Broadway, second floor, San Diego, CA 92101. All discussions at the Mandatory 14 Settlement Conference will be informal, off the record, privileged, and confidential. 15 Counsel for any non-English speaking party is responsible for arranging for the 16 appearance of an interpreter at the conference. 17 a. Personal Appearance of Parties Required: All named parties, party 18 representatives, including claims adjusters for insured defendants, as well as the 19 principal attorney(s) responsible for the litigation, must be present in person and legally 20 and factually prepared to discuss and resolve the case. Counsel appearing without their 21 clients (whether or not counsel has been given settlement authority) will be cause for 22 immediate imposition of sanctions and may also result in the immediate termination of 23 the conference. 24 b. Full Settlement Authority Required: A party or party representative 25 with full settlement authority1 must be present at the conference. Retained outside 26 27 2 representative who has the authority to negotiate and enter into a settlement. A 3 government entity may be excused from this requirement so long as the government 4 attorney who attends the Mandatory Settlement Conference has (1) primary 5 responsibility for handling the case, and (2) authority to negotiate and recommend 6 settlement offers to the government official(s) having ultimate settlement authority. 7 c. Confidential Settlement Statements Required: On or before 8 July 6, 2022, the parties shall submit directly to Magistrate Judge Berg’s chambers (via 9 hand delivery or by e-mail to the Court at efile_berg@casd.uscourts.gov), confidential 10 settlement statements. The statements are limited to ten (10) pages, plus an additional 11 ten (10) pages of exhibits. Each party’s settlement statement must outline (1) the 12 nature of the case and the claims, (2) position on liability or defenses; (3) position 13 regarding settlement of the case with a specific demand/offer for settlement, and 14 (4) any previous settlement negotiations or mediation efforts. The Mandatory 15 Settlement Conference statement must not merely repeat what was contained in the 16 Early Neutral Evaluation conference brief or any earlier settlement brief. The 17 settlement statement must specifically identify what the discovery process revealed 18 and the effect that the evidence has on the issues in the case. To the extent specific 19 discovery responses, portions of deposition testimony, or expert reports are pertinent 20 to the Court’s evaluation of the matter, these documents must be attached as exhibits. 21 Evidence supporting or refuting either party’s claim for damages must also be identified 22 and included as an exhibit. 23 24 25 acceptable to the parties. Heileman Brewing Co. v. Joseph Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648, 653 (7th Cir. 1989). The person needs to have “unfettered discretion and authority” to change the settlement position of a 26 party. Pitman v. Brinker Int’l, Inc., 216 F.R.D. 481, 485–86 (D. Ariz. 2003). The purpose of requiring a person with unlimited settlement authority to attend the conference contemplates that the person’s 27 view of the case may be altered during the face to face conference. Id. at 486. A limited or a sum 2 statement is submitted, then the reasons as to why a demand or offer cannot be made 3 must be stated. Further, the party must explain when they will be in a position to state 4 a demand or offer. General statements such as a party will “negotiate in good faith” is 5 not a specific demand or offer. The settlement statement should be submitted 6 confidentially and need not be shared with other parties. 7 d. Requests to Continue a Mandatory Settlement Conference: 8 Any request to continue the Mandatory Settlement Conference, or request for relief 9 from any of the provisions or requirements of this Order, must be sought by a written 10 application. Absent good cause, requests for continuances will not be considered 11 unless submitted in writing no fewer than seven (7) calendar days prior to the 12 scheduled conference. 13 If the case is settled in its entirety before the scheduled date of the conference, 14 counsel and any unrepresented parties must still appear in person, unless a written 15 joint notice confirming the complete settlement of the case is filed no fewer than 16 twenty-four (24) hours before the scheduled conference. 17 9. Counsel must file their memoranda of contentions of fact and law and take 18 any other action required by Civil Local Rule 16.1(f)(2) by July 18, 2022. 19 10. Counsel must comply with the pretrial disclosure requirements of Federal 20 Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a)(3) by July 18, 2022. Failure to comply with these disclosure 21 requirements may result in evidence preclusion or other sanctions under Federal Rule of 22 Civil Procedure 37. 23 11. Counsel must meet and take the action required by Civil Local Rule 24 16.1(f)(4) by July 25, 2022. At this meeting, counsel must discuss and attempt to enter 25 into stipulations and agreements simplifying the triable issues. Counsel must exchange 26 copies and/or display all exhibits other than those to be used for impeachment. The 27 exhibits must be prepared in accordance with Civil Local Rule 16.1(f)(4)(c). Counsel 1 || Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a)(3). Counsel must cooperate in the preparation of 2 ||the proposed pretrial conference order. 3 12. Counsel for plaintiff will be responsible for preparing the pretrial order and 4 || arranging the meetings of counsel pursuant to Civil Local Rule 16.1(f). By August 1, 5 || 2022, plaintiff’s counsel must provide opposing counsel with the proposed pretrial order 6 review and approval. Opposing counsel must communicate promptly with □□□□□□□□□□□ 7 counsel concerning any objections to form or content of the pretrial order. Both parties 8 must promptly attempt to resolve their differences, if any, concerning the order. 9 13. The proposed final pretrial conference order, including objections to any 10 || other parties’ Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(a)(3) pretrial disclosures must be 11 || prepared, served, and lodged with the assigned district judge by August 8, 2022 in the 12 || form prescribed in and in compliance with Civil Local Rule 16.1(f)(6). 13 14. ‘The final pretrial conference is scheduled on the calendar of the Honorable 14 || Marilyn L. Huff on August 15, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. 15 15. The parties must comply with case management orders set by the Court. 16 16. The Court will not modify the dates and times set forth in this order except 17 || for good cause shown. 18 17. Pursuant to Civil Local Rule 7.1(h), briefs or memoranda in support of or in 19 || opposition to any pending motion must not exceed twenty-five (25) pages in length 20 || without leave of a district court judge. Reply memorandum must not exceed ten (10) 21 || pages without leave of a district court judge. Briefs and memoranda exceeding ten (10) 22 || pages in length must have a table of contents and a table of authorities cited. 23 IT IS SO ORDERED. 24 ||Dated: October 20, 2021 _ = _ 2 FF Honorable Michael S. Berg United States Magistrate Judge 27 28