United States of America ex rel. Toni S. Lee, et al. v. Barco Uniforms, Inc., et al.

Summary

This is a scheduling order issued by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California in a qui tam action against Barco Uniforms, Inc. and other defendants. It establishes service, discovery, expert disclosure, motion, settlement, and pretrial procedures, including a fact-discovery deadline of July 10, 2026, and a motions deadline of December 14, 2026.

Holdings

1. The court may issue a scheduling order without consulting counsel at a scheduling conference when the circumstances permitted under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 16(b)(1)(B) are present.
2. No further service, joinder of parties, or amendment of pleadings was permitted without leave of court and a showing of good cause under the scheduling order.
3. Discovery disputes, including motions to compel, were referred to the assigned magistrate judge under the court's procedures, and the magistrate judge's written ruling would be subject to district-court modification only if clearly erroneous or contrary to law.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the court should issue a case schedule under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 16(b) without first conducting a scheduling conference.
2. How service of process, amendment of pleadings, joinder, discovery, motion practice, settlement, and pretrial proceedings should be managed in the action.
3. What showing is required to modify the scheduling order or obtain reconsideration of a magistrate judge's discovery ruling.

Disposition

other