(PC) Cortinas v. Vasquez

District Court, E.D. California·Decided May 11, 2022·No. 1:19-cv-00367·Unknown

Opinion

LARRY WILLIAM CORTINAS, Case No. 1:19-cv-00367-JLT-SKO (PC)

Plaintiff, ORDER DENYING REQUEST FOR v. SUBPOENA DUCES TECUM (Doc. 100)

VASQUEZ, et al., ORDER DENYING EX PARTE REQUEST Defendants. FOR SERVICE OF SUBPOENA DUCES TECUM FOR RECORDS AND DENYING REQUEST TO REOPEN DISCOVERY (Doc. 111)

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S RENEWED REQUEST FOR DISCOVERY (Doc. 112)

Plaintiff, Larry William Cortinas, is proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis in this civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983. This matter is currently scheduled for an evidentiary hearing on August 2, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. Pending before the Court are three requests by Plaintiff concerning discovery he contends is necessary and relevant to the evidentiary hearing. On April 4, 2022, Plaintiff filed an “Ex Parte Request for Subpoena Duce[s] Tecum for April 19, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. upon the Corcoran Appeals Coordinator D. Gore Jr. Records Only Request” (“Request”) (Doc. 100). The Court construed Plaintiff’s filing as a request for issuance of a subpoena to D. Gore Jr., to produce documents at the evidentiary hearing, and in an order issued April 8, 2022, Defendants were directed to file a response to Plaintiff’s request no later than April 15, 2022. (Doc. 105.) On April 15, 2022, Defendants filed their response. (Doc. 109.) On April 29, 2022, Plaintiff filed a reply. (Doc. 113.) Before filing his reply, on April 18, 2022, Plaintiff also filed an “Ex Parte Request for Service of Subpoena Duce Tecum for Records in Preparation of Evidentiary Hearing Scheduled for June 22, 2022, or Opening of Discovery for the Hearing on a Limited Scope until May 30, 2022” (Doc. 111) and a document titled “Plaintiff Renews His Request for Discovery as the Evidentiary Hearing Has Been Moved to June 22, 2022. Said Order was Denied April 4, 2022” (Doc. 112). For the reasons stated below, the Court denies Plaintiff’s requests. A. Request Filed April 4, 2022 (Doc. 100) i. Plaintiff’s Request As he has done previously, Plaintiff seeks records from D. Gore, Jr., Appeals Coordinator, regarding a physical and sexual assault of April 30, 2018. (Doc. 100 at 1.) Plaintiff contends “all communications,” including “all E-mails … and interviews . . . The timing of those materials and how and when they were gathered.” (Id.) Plaintiff states the records are “essential to [his] ability to show that CDCR made the administrative remedy unavailable” by withholding a “response for 16 months.” (Id.) Plaintiff contends officials “intentionally used an CDCR 1824 form as an appeal and never addressed sergeant Vasquez’s threat to kill” Plaintiff and his family. (Id.) Plaintiff “believe[s] that E-mails will reveal exactly how dirty this appeal process was made in an effort to protect” corrupt CDCR officers; he contends “Defendants have lied to their attorney from the beginning.” (Id at 2.) Plaintiff concludes the issuance of the subpoena “will force their hand in this issue.” (Id.) // ii. Defendants’ Response Defendants contend the Court should deny Plaintiff’s request because (1) the documents are not relevant to whether the appeals process was unavailable, (2) defense counsel has already agreed to provide Plaintiff with certain documents via informal discovery, and (3) Defendants intend to call the current Appeals Coordinator to testify at the evidentiary hearing and Plaintiff will be afforded an opportunity to cross-examine at that time. (Doc. 109.) As to Defendants’ first basis for denial of the request, Defendants contend the documents are not relevant because Defendants provided Plaintiff with notices informing him of delay during the period in question, and, therefore, remedies remained available despite the reason for delay. (Id. at 3.) Defendants acknowledge Plaintiff contends he never received notices of delay, but contend Plaintiff’s requests for the issuance of a subpoena are not relevant because they simply speculate regarding the reason for the delay. (Id.) Defendants contend the “only dispute is whether Plaintiff received the notices prison officials sent him informing him of the delay.” (Id.) Defendants further contend they have “already provided evidence that the appeal response was delayed,” citing to their statement of undisputed facts in support of the motion for summary judgment. (Id. at 3-4.) Defendants also assert Plaintiff’s request for “’E-Mails’” is disproportionate to the needs of the case considering the burden outweighs the likely benefit – as such a request would “require identifying custodians, requesting their electronic emails, and reviewing emails for potentially responsive information and privileged materials.” (Id. at 4.) As to Defendants’ second contention, defense counsel has already agreed to provide Plaintiff with certain documents via informal discovery, if available and not otherwise privileged. (Doc. 109 at 4.) As to Defendants’ third basis for denial of the request, Defendants contend Plaintiff’s request is unnecessary because Plaintiff will have an opportunity to cross-examine the Appeals Coordinator at the evidentiary hearing. (Doc. 109 at 4.) iii. Plaintiff’s Reply In his reply, Plaintiff contends the records he seeks are necessary and proposes an in information necessary to impeach and or dispute the records which the appeal coordinator who ‘DID NOT’ prepare the records at issue can only testify as to what is in the computer…Not to the materials that were used to prepare the appeal.” (Id.) He further contends the current Appeals Coordinator cannot “testify to E-MAILS related to” his appeal “and the other attempted cancelled appeals which were appealed.” (Id.) Plaintiff contends Defendants’ claims that they followed procedures, particularly “title 15 section 3084.9 subsection 5 & 6” are incorrect because those sections “clearly state that after 180 days or 160 days of exceptional delays . . . the appeals is considered DENIED and claimant should proceed to the next Level.” (Id at 1-2.) In his supporting points and authorities, Plaintiff contends that “when the coordinator failed to ensure that their notices were received VIA LEGAL MAIL … or even U.S. MAIL they failed to provide[] proper notification.” (Doc. 113 at 2.) Plaintiff contends Defendants “failed to allow the administrative appeal regarding the sexual assault to be filed [M]ay 1, 2018” and “[t]hey turned a 1824 A.D.A. complaint into a grievance . . when it clearly states NOT AN APPEAL on the form.” (Id.) Plaintiff states: I believe there are E-MAIL(S) and other records which will prove that C.D.C.R. was well aware of the problem. .and entered into a cover up mode of protection for the defendants. . . ONLY THE SUBPOENA’D duces Tecum record will force this to the LIGHT. . . Which will prove the availability of the administrative remedy was not available. . . INTENTIONALLY. . therefore the motion for plaintiff must be granted to ensure JUSTICE and the TRUTH come to light. (Id. at 2.) Plaintiff also objects to Defendants’ response because Plaintiff did not receive it until April 22, 2022, at 4 p.m. and believes it to be “yet another attempt to sandbag” him. (Doc. 113 at 3.) Plaintiff repeats his contentions that the requested documentation is relevant, that if there is a question as to relevance the documents can be reviewed in camera, that the materials “are necessary to impeach the appeal coordinator and go directly to the unavailability of exhaustion of the administrative remedy,” and that the present coordinator “WILL NOT HAVE DIRECT KNOWLEDGE,” “WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TELL US HOW, WHEN, WHY THE appeal was st exact same worded document…,” leaving Plaintiff “unable to impeach” the Appeals Coordinator. (Id. at 3-4.) iv. Analysis The documents Plaintiff seeks are not relevant because the availability of the administrative remedy can be resolved at the evidentiary hearing without additional documentation. Plaintiff’s c

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