Opinion

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 LONGBRIDGE FINANCIAL, LLC, a Case No.: 3:24-cv-01730-DMS-VET Delaware limited liability company, 12 ORDER GRANTING JOINT Plaintiff, 13 MOTION TO (1) EXTEND v. FACT DISCOVERY DEADLINE 14 FROM FEBRUARY 9, 2026 TO MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, 15 FEBRUARY 23, 2026, AND (2) INC., a Delaware corporation; REVIEW EXTEND ALL RELATED PRE- 16 COUNSEL LLC, a California limited TRIAL DEADLINES BY 21 DAYS liability company; ADVISORY 17 INSTITUTE, LLC, a Delaware limited [ECF No. 70] 18 liability company; and DOES 1 through 100, inclusive, 19 Defendants. 20 21 Before the Court is the parties’ Joint Motion to (1) Extend Fact Discovery Deadline 22 From February 9, 2026 to February 23, 2026, and (2) Extend All Related Pre-Trial 23 Deadlines by 21 Days, to Enable the Parties to Finalize the Terms of a Settlement 24 Agreement. ECF No. 70 (“Joint Motion”). Therein, the parties request to extend the fact 25 discovery deadline from February 9, 2026 to February 23, 2026 and extend all remaining 26 case deadlines by twenty-one (21) days. Id. at 2. They represent that good cause warrants 27 the extensions because the parties need additional time to finalize the terms of a long-form 28 1 settlement agreement that will resolve all claims and issues in this case. Id. at 2. This is the 2 parties’ second request to extend discovery. See ECF No. 65. 3 Based on a review of the Joint Motion and the record, and good cause appearing, the 4 Court GRANTS the parties’ request to extend fact discovery and unexpired case deadlines. 5 The parties are advised that further extensions are strongly disfavored absent new and 6 compelling facts. Further, the parties SHALL file a Notice of Settlement confirming that 7 the parties reached a settlement and when they anticipate finalizing the settlement. 8 I. AMENDED SCHEDULING ORDER 9 The Court ISSUES the following Amended Scheduling Order: 10 1. All unexpired case deadlines set forth in the Court’s Scheduling Order, dated 11 June 9, 2025, are hereby VACATED. See ECF Nos. 46, 66, 67. 12 2. All fact discovery shall be completed by all parties by February 23, 2026. 13 “Completed” means that all discovery under Fed. R. Civ. P. 30–36, and discovery 14 subpoenas under Fed. R. Civ. P. 45, must be initiated a sufficient period of time in advance 15 of the cut-off date, so that it may be completed by the cut-off date, taking into account the 16 times for service, notice, and response as set forth in the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 17 Counsel shall promptly and in good faith meet and confer regarding all discovery disputes 18 in compliance with Local Rule 26.1(a). The Court expects counsel to make every effort to 19 resolve all disputes without court intervention through the meet and confer process. If the 20 parties reach an impasse on any discovery issue, counsel shall follow the procedures 21 governing discovery disputes set forth in Judge Torres’ Civil Chambers Rules. A failure 22 to comply in this regard will result in a waiver of a party’s discovery issue. Absent an 23 order of the Court, no stipulation continuing or altering this requirement will be 24 recognized by the Court. 25 3. The parties shall designate their respective experts in writing by February 26, 26 2026. The parties must identify any person who may be used at trial to present evidence 27 pursuant to Fed. R. Evid. 702, 703 or 705. This requirement is not limited to retained 28 experts. The parties shall designate rebuttal experts in writing by March 12, 2026. The 1 written expert designations shall include the name, address and telephone number of the 2 expert and a reasonable summary of the testimony the expert is expected to provide, 3 including any summary of facts and opinions required by Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(2)(C). The 4 designations shall also include the normal rates the expert charges for deposition and trial 5 testimony. 6 4. By April 9, 2026, each party shall comply with the disclosure provisions in 7 Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(2)(A) and (B). This disclosure requirement applies to all persons 8 retained or specially employed to provide expert testimony, or whose duties as an employee 9 of the party regularly involve giving expert testimony. Any party that fails to make these 10 disclosures shall not, absent substantial justification, be permitted to use evidence or 11 testimony not disclosed at any hearing or at the time of trial. In addition, the Court may 12 impose sanctions as permitted by Fed. R. Civ. P. 37(c). 13 5. Any party shall supplement its disclosure regarding contradictory or rebuttal 14 evidence under Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(2)(D) and 26(e) by April 23, 2026. 15 6. All expert discovery shall be completed by all parties by May 26, 2026. The 16 parties shall comply with the same procedures set forth in the paragraph governing fact 17 discovery. 18 7. Failure to comply with any other discovery order of the Court may result in 19 the sanctions provided for in Fed. R. Civ. P. 37, including a prohibition on the introduction 20 of experts or other designated matters in evidence. 21 8. A Mandatory Settlement Conference (“MSC”) shall be conducted by Zoom 22 video conferencing on May 29, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. before Magistrate Judge Valerie E. 23 Torres.1 24 25 26 1 Counsel may request the MSC be converted to an in-person appearance through a joint 27 call or email to Judge Torres’ Chambers (efile_torres@casd.uscourts.gov). Counsel 28 must meet and confer prior to making such a request. 1 a. The following are mandatory procedures to be followed in preparation for 2 the MSC. Absent express permission from this Court, counsel must timely comply with 3 the dates and deadlines herein. Questions regarding the MSC or the mandatory guidelines 4 set forth herein may be directed to Judge Torres’ Chambers at (619) 557-6384. 5 b. Full Settlement Authority Required. Pursuant to Local Rule 16.1.c.1, all 6 parties, party representatives, including claims adjusters for insured parties, and the 7 principal attorney(s) responsible for the litigation must participate in the MSC.2 This 8 appearance must be made with full and complete authority to negotiate and enter into a 9 binding settlement.3 Counsel for a government entity is excused from this requirement if 10 the government attorney who participates in the MSC (i) has primary responsibility for 11 handling the case, and (ii) may negotiate settlement offers that the attorney is willing to 12 recommend to the government official having ultimate settlement authority. 13 c. Confidential Settlement Brief. No later than seven (7) calendar days 14 before the MSC, each party must lodge a Confidential Settlement Brief by email to 15 efile_torres@casd.uscourts.gov. The Confidential Settlement Brief should not exceed ten 16 (10) pages, excluding exhibits, and must be formatted according to the requirements of 17 Local Rule 5.1(a). Parties attaching exhibits must attach only the relevant pages of multi- 18 page exhibits and must highlight the relevant portions. 19 20 2 The attendance requirement includes parties that are indemnified by others. Any 21 deviation from this Order requires prior Court approval. 22 3 Full authority to settle means that the individuals at the MSC are authorized to fully explore settlement options and to agree at that time to any settlement terms acceptable 23 to the parties. Heileman Brewing Co., Inc. v. Joseph Oat Corp., 871 F.2d 648, 653 (7th 24 Cir. 1989). Party participants need 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, 25 485-486 (D. Ariz. 2003). One of the purposes of requiring a person with complete 26 settlement authority to attend the conference is that the person’s view of the case may be altered during the face-to-face conference. Id. at 486. Limited or sum certain 27 authority is not adequate. Nick v. Morgan’s Foods, Inc., 270 F.3d 590, 595-597 (8th 28 Cir. 2001). 1 d. Contents of Settlement Brief. All Confidential Settlement Briefs shall 2 include the content specified in the Court’s Chambers Rules, available at 3 https://www.casd.uscourts.gov/Judges/torres/docs/Civil%20Chambers%20Rules.pdf. 4 e. Procedure for Zoom Videoconference. No less than two (2) business 5 days prior to the MSC, the Court will email counsel of record an invitation with the Zoom 6 meeting information. Participants can join the Zoom video conference by following the 7 ZoomGov Meeting hyperlink or using the meeting ID and password provided. Each 8 participant should plan to join the Zoom video conference at least five (5) minutes before 9 the start of the MSC. Counsel is responsible for ensuring their clients can participate in the 10 MSC. All participants must display the same level of professionalism and attention during 11 the MSC as if they were attending in person (e.g., not be driving while speaking to the 12 Court, or otherwise distracted). 13 9. All pre-trial motions must be filed by June 25, 2026. Counsel for the moving 14 party must obtain a motion hearing date from the law clerk of the judge who will hear the 15 motion. The period of time between the date you request a motion date and the hearing 16 date may vary from one district judge to another. Please plan accordingly. Failure to make 17 a timely request for a motion date may result in the motion not being heard. Motions in 18 limine are to be filed as directed in the Local Rules, or as otherwise set by the district judge. 19 10. Counsel shall file their Memoranda of Contentions of Fact and Law and take 20 any other action required by Local Rule 16.1(f)(2) by September 11, 2026. 21 11. Counsel shall comply with the pre-trial disclosure requirements of Fed. R. 22 Civ. P. 26(a)(3) by September 11, 2026. Failure to comply with these disclosure 23 requirements could result in evidence preclusion or other sanctions under Fed. R. Civ. P. 24 37. 25 12. Counsel shall meet and take the action required by Local Rule 16.1(f)(4) by 26 September 18, 2026. At this meeting, counsel shall discuss and attempt to enter into 27 stipulations and agreements resulting in simplification of the triable issues. Counsel shall 28 exchange copies and/or display all exhibits other than those to be used for impeachment. 1 The exhibits shall be prepared in accordance with Local Rule 16.1(f)(4)(c). Counsel shall 2 note any objections they have to any other parties’ Pretrial Disclosures under Fed. R. Civ. 3 P. 26(a)(3). Counsel shall cooperate in the preparation of the proposed pretrial conference 4 order. 5 13. Counsel for plaintiff will be responsible for preparing the pretrial order and 6 arranging the meetings of counsel pursuant to Civil Local Rule 16.1(f). By September 25, 7 2026, plaintiff’s counsel must provide opposing counsel with the proposed pretrial order 8 for review and approval. Opposing counsel must communicate promptly with plaintiff’s 9 counsel concerning any objections to form or content of the pretrial order, and both parties 10 shall attempt promptly to resolve their differences, if any, concerning the order. 11 14. The Proposed Final Pretrial Conference Order, including objections to any 12 other parties’ Fed. R. Civ. P. 26(a)(3) Pretrial Disclosures shall be prepared, served, and 13 lodged with the assigned district judge by October 2, 2026, and shall be in the form 14 prescribed in and comply with Local Rule 16.1(f)(6). 15 15. The final Pretrial Conference is scheduled on the calendar of the Honorable 16 Dana M. Sabraw on October 9, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. 17 16. The trial is scheduled to start on November 9, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. before the 18 Honorable Dana M. Sabraw. 19 17. The parties must review the chambers rules for the assigned district judge and 20 magistrate judge. 21 18. A post-trial settlement conference before a magistrate judge may be held 22 within 30 days of verdict in the case. 23 19. The dates and times set forth herein will not be modified except for good 24 cause shown. 25 / / / 26 27 / / / 28 20. Briefs or memoranda in support of or in opposition to any pending motion 2 not exceed twenty-five (25) pages in length without leave of a district court judge. No 3 ||reply memorandum shall exceed ten (10) pages without leave of a district court judge. 4 || Briefs and memoranda exceeding ten (10) pages in length shall have a table of contents 5 a table of authorities cited. 6 IT IS SO ORDERED. | A 7 Sa 7 Dated: February 3, 2026 Honorable Valerie E. Torres United States Magistrate Judge 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28