Thornton v. Valor Technical Cleaning, LLC

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF OHIO
WESTERN DIVISION
DARRYLTHORNTON, on behalf
of himself and those similarly
situated,
Plaintiffs,
V.
VALOR TECHNICAL CLEANING,
LLC,
Defendant.
Case No. 3:25-cv-385
JUDGE WALTER H. RICE
ORDER SUSTAINING IN PART AND OVERRULINGIN PART
DEFENDANT'S EMERGENCY MOTION TO STAY (DOC. #16)
On March 3, 2026, Defendant Valor Technical Cleaning, LLC ("Defendant")
filed a Motion to Transfer Venue, Doc. #14, and an Emergency Motion to Stay
Discovery, Doc. #16. The following day, March 4, 2026, Plaintiff Darryl Thornton
("Plaintiff") filed a Motion for Leave to File first Amended Complaint. Doc. #18. Two
days later, March 6, 2026, Plaintiff filed a response in opposition to Defendant's
Emergency Motion to Stay Discovery. Doc. #19.
Given the parties' competing motions (the motion to transfer and the motion
to amend complaint), both of which are currently pending, it seems prudent to this
Court to permit a limited stay of discovery pending resolution of the motions. Yet,
the Court is also cognizant that if Defendant's motion to transfer is ultimately
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sustained, some discovery will yet be necessary. In other words, it is possible that
there is a subset of discoverable information that will be required if this case is
transferred and a separate subset of information that is discoverable because the
case is located in this district but may not be discoverable if this case were in the
district of Colorado. For example, identifying potential members of a class would
likely need to happen regardless of whether this case is tried in Ohio or Colorado.
To that end, the Court will sustain Defendant's Emergency Motion to Stay
Discovery to the extent that the discovery would be rendered unnecessary in the
event this case is transferred. However, if the discovery relates to information that
would be necessary even if the case is transferred, that discovery should continue
to be exchanged and is not stayed by this Order. With those conditions set forth,
Defendant's Emergency Motion to Stay, Doc. #16, is SUSTAINED IN PART and
OVERRULED IN PART.
Date: March 1Z, 2026
LJ^	'cuUrsr- fe^ .. t'
(Reviewed by Judge Rice prior to
electronic signature being affixed)
WALTER H. RICE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
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