Alberto Blanco Onofre, et al. v. Ford Motor Company, et al.

Summary

The United States District Court for the Southern District of California partially granted the parties’ joint motion to amend the scheduling order in this Ford Motor Company litigation. The court found good cause to extend discovery, expert-designation, motion, settlement, and pretrial deadlines, while reminding the parties to comply with the magistrate judge’s chambers rules for future continuance requests.

Holdings

1. The court may modify the scheduling order upon a showing of good cause, with diligence being the primary consideration under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 16(b)(4).
2. The court granted the joint motion in part and issued an amended scheduling order, while declining to approve the requested continuances as submitted because the motion was filed after the first affected deadline, lacked the required counsel declaration, and sought changes to pretrial dates before the district judge.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the parties established good cause to modify the scheduling order and extend discovery and pretrial deadlines.
2. Whether the joint motion should be granted despite being filed after the first affected deadline and failing to comply with the magistrate judge's chambers rules.

Disposition

other