(PC) Lipsey, Jr. v. Depovic

District Court, E.D. California·Decided February 7, 2022·No. 1:18-cv-00767·Unknown

Opinion

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 11 CHRISTOPHER LIPSEY, JR., Case No. 1:18-cv-00767-JLT-HBK 12 Plaintiff, ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTIONS FOR JOINT DEPOSITION, STAY OF 13 v. DEPOSITION, SUBPOENA, IN CAMERA REVIEW, EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE 14 DR. DEPOVIC AND DR. GREWALL, ORDER, AND ADDITIONAL DISCOVERY 15 Defendants. (Doc. Nos. 65, 69, 70, 72, and 74) 16 17 Christopher Lipsey, Jr. (“Plaintiff”) is a state prisoner proceeding pro se and in forma 18 pauperis in this civil rights action filed under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Pending before the Court are 19 Plaintiff’s motion for a joint deposition and an emergency stay of the deposition; motion for a 20 subpoena and in camera review; motion for an in camera review; motion for an emergency 21 protective order; and a motion for additional discovery. (See Doc. Nos. 65, 69, 70, 72, and 74). 22 Defendants filed responses in opposition to the motions. (See Doc. Nos. 66 and 75). 23 On February 4, 2022, the undersigned held a telephonic hearing on Plaintiff’s motion for a 24 joint deposition and an emergency stay of the deposition; motion for a subpoena and in camera 25 review; motion for an in camera review; motion for an emergency protective order; and motion 26 for additional discovery. Plaintiff was provided notice and an opportunity to attend but did not 27 attend. “The litigation coordinator notified the court that Plaintiff would not appear for the 28 conference because the Plaintiff, who is in custody, was refusing to leave his cell.”. (Doc. No. 1 76). Plaintiff previously refused to attend another telephonic discovery conferences. (See Doc. 2 No. 51). For the reasons below, the Court denies Plaintiff’s motions. 3 APPLICABLE LAW AND ANALYSIS 4 A. Motion for a joint deposition and a stay of the deposition 5 On January 11, 2022, Plaintiff filed a motion requesting a joint deposition and an 6 emergency stay of Plaintiff’s properly noticed scheduled deposition.1 (Doc. No. 65). Defendants 7 filed their response in opposition on January 18, 2022. (Doc. No. 66). 8 Plaintiff’s instant motion was based on the belief that his deposition was scheduled for 9 January 18, 2022, and he needed more time to prepare his objections to potential questions and to 10 determine if his rules violation report is privileged. (See Doc. No. 65 at 1-2). Defendants argue 11 Plaintiff has no justification to seek a stay of the properly noticed deposition since he had 12 adequate time to research his objections and whether or not his rules violation report is privileged. 13 (See Doc. No. 66 at 2). Defendants also oppose Plaintiff’s request for a joint deposition because 14 Plaintiff did not provide any assurance that he will comply with Rule 30 of the Federal Rules of 15 Civil Procedure and bear the costs for recording the Defendants’ deposition testimony. (Id. at 2). 16 Finally, Defendants advise that Plaintiff’s deposition was scheduled for February 8, 2022, not 17 January 18, 2022. (Id. at 1). 18 In forma pauperis relief is governed and limited by 28 U.S.C § 1915. Inmates have a 19 constitutional right of access to the courts; however, an inmate’s constitutional right of access to 20 the courts does not impose “affirmative obligations on the States to finance and support prisoner 21 litigation.” Lewis v. Casey, 518 U.S. 343, 384 (1996). In forma pauperis status does not entitle a 22 plaintiff to a waiver of costs associated with depositions and other costs required to litigate a 23 claim. Love v. Brewer, 2021 WL 1022702, *1 (E.D. Cal. Mar. 17, 2021);see also Tedder v. Odel, 24 F.2d 210, 211-212 (9th Cir. 1989)(holding that 28 U.S.C § 1915 does not authorize a waiver of 25 witness fees that are tendered with subpoenas). The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure require the 26 party that is taking the deposition to bear the costs of the recording. Fed. R. Civ. P. 30(b)(3). 27 1 Plaintiff incorrectly asserted that he was scheduled to be deposed on January 18, 2022 by the Defendants. 28 (See Doc. No. 65 at 1). The Deposition is scheduled for February 8, 2022. (See Doc. No. 66 at 1). 1 In Tedder v. Odel, the appellant, a pro se and in forma pauperis plaintiff, mailed a 2 subpoena that did not have the necessary witness and mileage fees attached to the appellee. 890 3 F.2d at 211. Appellee received advice that service of the subpoena was improper and therefore 4 did not appear at trial. Id. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of the appellees 5 and held that the appellee’s failure to appear was not a basis for any liability. Id. at 210-211. 6 Appellant argued that the subpoena was not deficient because he was an in forma pauperis 7 plaintiff and exempted from the fee requirements. Id. at 211. The Ninth Circuit rejected 8 appellant’s argument, ruling that 28 U.S.C § 1915 does not authorize a waiver of witness fees that 9 are tendered with subpoenas. Id. at 211-212;see also Dixon v. Yist, 990 F.2d 478, 480 (9th Cir. 10 1993). 11 Plaintiff is not entitled to a joint deposition. If Plaintiff desires to depose the Defendants, 12 then Plaintiff must pay the costs for recording the Defendants’ depositions as required by Rule 13 30(b)(3) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. As ruled by the United States Supreme Court in 14 Lewis v. Casey, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Tedder, and this Court in Love, Plaintiff’s 15 in forma pauperis status does not authorize the waiver of any fees associated with recording 16 Defendants’ depositions. Plaintiff has other means available, such as filing interrogatories, to 17 obtain the information he would seek by deposing the Defendants. Plaintiff’s request to stay the 18 deposition is also denied. With nearly a month to prepare objections, there is no cause to issue a 19 stay in Plaintiff’s deposition. 20 B. Request for a subpoena 21 On January 20, 2022, Plaintiff filed a motion requesting this Court issue a subpoena to the 22 California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations for “grievances/complaints by prisoners 23 and/or citizens, fellow employees, employers, etc., relating to dereliction of duty, medical 24 malpractice (direction related to medication) and/or misconduct that would support an inference 25 of low moral, [sic] including; but not limited to criminal arrest (and/or conviction)” that were 26 filed against the Defendants. (See Doc. No. 69 at 2-3). Plaintiff also requested a subpoena for 27 “Health Care Department Operations Manual (HC) (DOM); California Correctional Health Care 28 Services (CCHCS), Inmate Medical Services Polices and Procedures; Mental Health Services 1 Delivery System (MHSDS) Program Guide; Correctional Treatment Center Policy Manual; 2 California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations (CDCR) Custody DOM Chapter one 3 Articles 18, 20 and Article 30, Chapter 5 Article 8, Chapter 8, Articles 40, 42 and 51 and Chapter 4 9 Article 2; 1824 Desk Reference Manual; Any studies, records, book(s) and documents 5 defendants intend on using or which their experts intend on using at the summary judgment 6 phase/stage and/or trial.” (See Doc. No. 69 at 3-4).

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