Stibor v. ESA Management, LLC et al

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
ROSS STIBOR,
Plaintiff,
v.
ESA MANAGEMENT, LLC,
Defendant.
Case No.: 25-cv-03787-JAH-JLB
ORDER GRANTING JOINT
MOTION TO MODIFY THE
SCHEDULING ORDER
[ECF No. 16]
Before the Court is a Joint Motion1 to Modify the Scheduling Order. (ECF No. 16.)
The parties seek to extend all pretrial dates and deadlines, including discovery and pretrial
motions, by approximately 60 days. (Id.) The Court held a Status Conference to address
the Joint Motion on March 19, 2026. 	(ECF No. 18.) 	Good cause appearing, the Joint
Motion is GRANTED, and the Scheduling Order (ECF No. 12) is modified as follows:
1. 	The Court understands that parties to litigation often enter into stipulations
that a trade secret or other confidential research, development, or commercial information
not be revealed or be revealed only in specified way. Any motion for a protective order
entering such stipulation(s) in this case shall be filed as a joint motion no later than
1 Per this District’s Local Rules, “[a]ny stipulation for which court approval is sought
must first be filed as a ‘joint motion.’” CivLR 7.2(b).
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April 28, 2026, and comply with § VI of Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt’s Civil
Chambers Rules. The parties may use Judge Burkhardt’s model protective order, which is
available on the Court’s website under her Chambers Rules.2
If the need for a protective order is not initially apparent to the parties and only
becomes apparent due to a later development in the case, the parties must seek leave to file
a late motion for protective order. 	Any such motion shall be supported by good cause,
which includes an explanation as to why the parties could not have anticipated the need for
a protective order.
2. 	Any motion to join other parties, to amend the pleadings, or to file additional
pleadings shall be filed by May 5, 2026.
3. 	All fact discovery shall be completed by all parties by September 8, 2026.
“Completed” means that all discovery under Rules 30-36 of the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure, and discovery subpoenas under Rule 45, must be initiated a sufficient period of
time in advance of the cut-off date, so that it may be completed by the cut-off date, taking
into account the times for service, notice and response as set forth in the Federal Rules of
Civil Procedure. 	All interrogatories, requests for admission, and document production
requests must be served by July 14, 2026.
Counsel shall promptly and in good faith meet and confer with regard to all
discovery disputes in compliance with Local Rule 26.1(a). 	The Court expects counsel
to make every effort to resolve all disputes without court intervention through the meet and
confer process. 	If the parties reach an impasse on any discovery issue, counsel shall file
an appropriate motion within the time limit and procedures outlined in the undersigned
magistrate judge’s chambers rules. 	A failure to comply in this regard will result in a
waiver of a party’s discovery issue. 	Absent an order of the court, no stipulation
continuing or altering this requirement will be recognized by the court.
2 	https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/Judges/burkhardt/docs/Burkhardt%20Model
%20Protective%20Order.docx
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Discovery disputes must be brought to the Court’s attention in the time and manner
required by § V of Judge Burkhardt’s Civil Chambers Rules. All discovery disputes must
be raised within 30 calendar days of the service of an objection, answer, or response
that becomes the subject of dispute, or the passage of a discovery due date without response
or production, and only after counsel (and any unrepresented parties) have met and
conferred to resolve the dispute. See J. Burkhardt Civ. Chambers R. § V.
4. 	The 	parties 	shall 	designate 	their 	respective 	experts 	in 	writing 	by
October 6, 2026. The parties must identify any person who may be used at trial to present
evidence pursuant to Rules 702, 703 or 705 of the Fed. R. Evid. This requirement is not
limited to retained experts. 	The date for exchange of rebuttal experts shall be by
October 20, 2026. The written designations shall include the name, address and telephone
number of the expert and a reasonable summary of the testimony the expert is expected to
provide. The list shall also include the normal rates the expert charges for deposition and
trial testimony.
5. 	By 	November 17, 2026, each party shall comply with the disclosure
provisions in Rule 26(a)(2)(A) and (B) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 	This
disclosure requirement applies to all persons retained or specially employed to provide
expert testimony, or whose duties as an employee of the party regularly involve the giving
of expert testimony. 	Except as provided in the paragraph below, any party that fails
to make these disclosures shall not, absent substantial justification, be permitted to
use evidence or testimony not disclosed at any hearing or at the time of trial. 	In
addition, the Court may impose sanctions as permitted by Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(c).
6. 	Any party shall supplement its disclosure regarding contradictory or rebuttal
evidence under Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(2)(D) by December 1, 2026.
7. 	All expert discovery shall be completed by all parties by December 29, 2026.
The parties shall comply with the same procedures set forth in the paragraph governing
fact discovery.
///
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8. 	Failure to comply with this section or any other discovery order of the court
may result in the sanctions provided for in Fed. R. Civ. P. 37, including a prohibition on
the introduction of experts or other designated matters in evidence.
9. 	A 	Mandatory 	Settlement 	Conference 	(“MSC”) 	will 	be 	held 	by 	video
conference3 on 	January 19, 2027, at 	1:45 PM before Magistrate Judge Jill L.
Burkhardt. Mandatory directions for participating in the MSC by video conference
are attached. The purpose of the MSC is to permit an informal, candid discussion between
the attorneys, parties, and the settlement judge of every aspect of the lawsuit in an effort to
achieve a mediated resolution of the case. 	All MSC discussions will be off the record,
privileged, and confidential. See CivLR 16.3(h).
Pursuant to Civil Local Rule 16.3, all party representatives and claims adjusters for
insured defendants with full and unlimited authority4 to negotiate and enter into a binding
settlement, as well as the principal attorney(s) responsible for the litigation, must be present
and legally and factually prepared to discuss and resolve the case at the MSC. In the case
of an entity, an authorized representative of the entity who is not retained outside counsel
must be present and must have discretionary authority to commit the entity to pay an
3 If any party believes the MSC is more likely to be successful if conducted in-person,
that party shall meet and confer on the issue with the other parties. 	After meeting and
conferring, and no later than 60 days before the MSC, the parties shall leave a joint
voicemail with chambers at (619) 557-6624 indicating which of the parties requests an in-
person MSC. In the voicemail, the parties shall leave three mutually available dates for a
telephonic status conference to discuss whether the MSC should be held in-person. 	The
final decision will be made by the Court.
4 	“Full authority to settle” means that the individuals at the settlement conference must
be authorized to fully explore settlement options and to agree at that time to any settlement
terms acceptable to the parties. Heileman Brewing Co., Inc. v. Joseph Oat Corp., 871 F.2d
648 (7th Cir. 1989). 	The person needs to have “unfettered discretion and authority” to
change the settlement position of a 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 includes that the person’s view of the case may be altered
during the face to face conference. 	Id. at 486. A limited or a sum certain of authority is
not adequate. Nick v. Morgan’s Foods, Inc., 270 F.3d 590, 595–97 (8th Cir. 2001).
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amount up to the amount of the Plaintiff’s prayer (excluding punitive damages prayers).
The purpose of this requirement is to have representatives present who can settle the case
during the course of the conference without consulting a superior.
Counsel for a United States government entity may be excused from this
requirement so long as the government attorney who attends the MSC conference (1) has
primary responsibility for handling the case, and (2) may negotiate settlement offers which
the attorney is willing to recommend to the government official having ultimate settlement
authority.
Failure to attend the MSC or obtain proper excuse will be considered grounds
for sanctions.
10. 	No later than 21 days before the MSC, the parties shall commence their
exchange of formal settlement proposals, as required by § III.A. of Judge Burkhardt’s Civil
Chambers Rules. No later than 14 days before the MSC, the parties shall meet and confer
in person or telephonically, as required by § III.B. of Judge Burkhardt’s Civil Chambers
Rules.
11. 	No later than January 11, 2027, counsel (and any unrepresented parties) shall
lodge 	confidential MSC statements with Judge Burkhardt’s chambers via e-mail at
efile_Burkhardt@casd.uscourts.gov. 	The parties’ MSC statements shall comply with §
III.C. of Judge Burkhardt’s Civil Chambers Rules.
12. 	All other pretrial motions must be filed by February 2, 2027. 	Counsel for
the moving party must obtain a motion hearing date from the law clerk of the judge who
will hear the motion. The period of time between the date you request a motion date and
the hearing date may vary from one district judge to another. 	Please plan accordingly.
Failure to make a timely request for a motion date may result in the motion not being heard.
Motions in limine are to be filed as directed in the Local Rules, or as otherwise set by the
district judge.
13. 	Despite the requirements of Local Rule 16.1(f)(2), neither party is required to
file a Memorandum of Contentions of Fact and Law at any time. The parties shall instead
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focus their efforts on drafting and submitting a proposed pretrial order by the time and date
specified by Local Rule 16.1(f)(6)(b).
14. 	Counsel shall comply with the pre-trial disclosure requirements of Fed. R.
Civ. P. 26(a)(3) by May 19, 2027. Failure to comply with these disclosure requirements
could result in evidence preclusion or other sanctions under Fed. R. Civ. P. 37.
15. 	Counsel shall meet and take the action required by Local Rule 16.1(f)(4) by
May 26, 2027. At this meeting, counsel shall discuss and attempt to enter into stipulations
and agreements resulting in simplification of the triable issues. Counsel shall exchange
copies and/or display all exhibits other than those to be used for impeachment. The exhibits
shall be prepared in accordance with Local Rule 16.1(f)(4)(c). 	Counsel shall note any
objections they have to any other parties’ Pretrial Disclosures under Fed. R. Civ. P.
26(a)(3). 	Counsel shall cooperate in the preparation of the proposed pretrial conference
order.
16. 	Counsel for plaintiff will be responsible for preparing the pretrial order and
arranging the meetings of counsel pursuant to Civil Local Rule 16.1(f). By June 2, 2027,
plaintiff’s counsel must provide opposing counsel with the proposed pretrial order for
review and approval. 	Opposing counsel must communicate promptly with plaintiff’s
attorney concerning any objections to form or content of the pretrial order, and both parties
shall attempt promptly to resolve their differences, if any, concerning the order.
17. 	The Proposed Final Pretrial Conference Order, including objections to any
other parties’ Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(3) Pretrial Disclosures shall be prepared, served and
lodged with the assigned district judge by June 9, 2027, and shall be in the form prescribed
in and comply with Local Rule 16.1(f)(6).
18. 	The final Pretrial Conference is scheduled on the calendar of the Honorable
John A. Houston on June 16, 2027 at 2:30 PM.
19. 	The parties must review the chambers’ rules for the assigned district judge
and magistrate judge.
///
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20. 	A post trial settlement conference before a magistrate judge may be held
within 30 days of verdict in the case.
21. 	The dates and times set forth herein will not be modified except for good cause
shown.
22. 	Briefs or memoranda in support of or in opposition to any pending motion
shall not exceed twenty-five (25) pages in length without leave of a district court judge.
No reply memorandum shall exceed ten (10) pages without leave of a district court judge.
Briefs and memoranda exceeding ten (10) pages in length shall have a table of contents
and a table of authorities cited.
23. 	Plaintiff’s counsel shall serve a copy of this order on all parties that enter this
case hereafter.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Dated: March 20, 2026
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Mandatory Directions for Zoom Video Conference Participation
1. 	The Court will use its official ZoomGov video conferencing account to hold
the MSC. 	IF YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH ZOOM: 	Zoom is available on
computers through a download on the Zoom website (https://zoom.us/meetings) or on
mobile devices through the installation of a free app.5 Joining a Zoom conference does not
require creating a Zoom account, but it does require downloading the .exe file (if using a
computer) or the app (if using a mobile device). Participants are encouraged to create an
account, install Zoom and familiarize themselves with Zoom in advance of the MSC.6
There is a cost-free option for creating a Zoom account.
2. 	Prior to the start of the MSC, the Court will e-mail each MSC participant an
invitation to join a Zoom video conference. Again, if possible, participants are encouraged
to use laptops or desktop computers for the video conference, as mobile devices often offer
inferior performance. 	Because Zoom may quickly deplete the battery of a participant’s
device, each participant should ensure that her or his device is plugged in or that a charging
cable is readily available during the video conference. 	Participants shall join the video
conference by following the ZoomGov Meeting hyperlink in the invitation. Participants
who do not have Zoom already installed on their device when they click on the
ZoomGov Meeting hyperlink will be prompted to download and install Zoom before
proceeding. 	Zoom may then prompt participants to enter the password included in the
invitation. All participants will be placed in a waiting room until the MSC begins.
3. 	Each participant should plan to join the Zoom video conference at least
5 minutes before the start of the MSC to ensure that the MSC begins on time.
4. 	Zoom’s functionalities will allow the Court to conduct the MSC as it
ordinarily would conduct an in-person MSC. That is, the Court will begin the MSC with
5 If possible, participants are encouraged to use laptops or desktop computers for the
video conference, as mobile devices often offer inferior performance.
6 	For 	help 	getting 	started 	with 	Zoom, 	visit: 	https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-
us/categories/200101697-Getting-Started
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all participants joined together in a main session. 	After an initial discussion in the main
session, the Court will divide participants into separate, confidential sessions, which Zoom
calls Breakout Rooms.7 In a Breakout Room, the Court will be able to communicate with
participants from a single party in confidence. Breakout Rooms will also allow parties and
counsel to communicate confidentially without the Court.
5. 	As previously stated, MSCs are confidential court proceedings. All attendees
must participate from a private and stable location where no individual who is not a party,
a party representative, or an attorney for a party can overhear the proceedings. 	All
attendees must be prepared to devote their full attention to the MSC as if they were
attending in person. This means that attendees must clear their schedules of all conflicts
for the entire period of the MSC.8 Attendees may not participate from a moving car or a
public space.
6. 	All participants are expected to display the same level of professionalism and
civility as they would at an in-person court proceeding. See CivLR 2.1; J. Burkhardt’s Civ.
Chambers R. § I.
///
7 	For more information on what to expect when participating in a Zoom Breakout
Room, visit: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115005769646
8 	MSCs are ordinarily scheduled for three hours but may last considerably longer.
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