-BWC Silvious v. RR Donnelley & Sons, et al, No. 5:2010cv00116 - Document 53 (W.D. Va. 2011)

Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by District Judge Michael F. Urbanski on 8/29/11. (kld)

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IN TH E UNITED STA TES DISTR I C OU RT CT FO R TH E W ESTERN D I STR I O F VIRG INIA CT H ARR I NBURG DIVISI N SO O O W EN F.SI LVIO U S I I, Pl ntff ai i , l R D O NN ELLEY & SO NS, t D ef endant . ) ) ) ) Ci l ton No.5: 0c vi Ac i 1 v0011 6 ) ) ) ) ) M EM O M NDU M O PINION Pl ntf ,Ow en F.Sivi l ,f l t sac i on N ovem ber9,2010 alegi vi a i ai if l ous l ied hi ton l ng oltons oft Am ercanswih D i ltesA c Thi m ater i cur enty bef e t cour on def he i t sabiii t. s t s r l or he t endant RR D onneley & Sons'm oton t di isand f sanctons. On J y 1l,20l1,def l i o sm s or i ul endantRR D onnele & Sons pl ntf ' em pl ly , ai ifs oyer,fl a m oton t di i underFeder Rul ofCi l ied i o sm ss al es vi Pr e r 4lb)an 37( , s etngpl niffiedt c ywihhi dic r o iainsa oc due ( d b)a s ri aitf al o ompl t s sovey blg to nd f l t obey a di aied o scover or . ' D ef y der endantalo as t coul t i posem onet y sanctons s ks he 'om t ar i agai tt pl ntf Becaus pl ntf i pr ns he ai if. e ai if s oceedi pr se,t courtisued an or on J y 12, ng o he s der ul 20l1 purua tt Rosbor v. rion,5 F.d309(t Ci.1 ) a sngpl nifofte , s n o e o Gars 28 2 4h r 975, dvii aitf h def endant' m oton t di i and f s i s i o sm ss or anctons. The J y 12,20l1or s at t ti pl ntf ul der t es ha f ai if doesnotr pond t t def es o he endant spl ngs t cour w ilass e t he hasl ti er ti ' eadi , he t l um hat os nt es n t cas and/ agr w ih t def he e or ees t he endant spl ngsand f t i cat Si pl ntf doesnot ' eadi urher ndi es kf ai if fl s e r ie om esponse w ihi t 21day perod,t courtm ay dim ist case f f l e t t n he i he s s he or aiur o ay rod s ase nd antf s aie o ie epons Pr ecut ' ( . 48. The21d pe i ha p s d a pli ifha f ld t fl ar s e. os e.' Dkt # ) Th , fnda tsmotont dimisa f snci i rpef a j c ton. us dee n ' i o s s nd or a tons s i or dudiai ' The orgi ls ta s na e t o a tona de e nt .Howe , hes de end t fl d am o i n t i na ui l o m d ' ddii l f nda s w ver t e f an s ie to o dim isf fiur t saeacl m whiht c r grntd b or dae Fe uay l 20ll s s or al e o tt ai c he ou t a e y der td br r 0, . I A sa r tofpl ntf ' f l e t obey a cour or ,or ng hi t appearf a esul ai ifs aiur o t der deri m o or deposii def ton, endanthasm oved t dim ispl ntf compl ntand f s i o s s ai ifs ai or anctons. Def endant sat i ism oton t dim i t ,s equentt a conver aton w ih pl ntf on M a 27,20ll t es n t i o s ss hat ubs o s i t ai if y s chedulng a deposton f June 23,2011,def i ii or endanthasr ved no f hercom m uni i ecei urt caton fom t pl ntf . Def r he ai if endanthasm ade muli e atem pt t r tpl t s o each t pl ntf ,i udi phone he ai if ncl ng cals voi ais and e- ais. W hen a f iy em er l , cem l m l am l gency necesst t r ia ed eschedulng t J 23, i he une 2011 deposii da e,def ton t endantatempt sever tm est cont pl ntf . However pl ntf t ed al i o act ai if , ai if di notr ur any ofdef d et n endant scals ore- ais. Def ' l m l endantse ,by certfed m ai,an am ended nt ii l notce ofdeposii f Jul 6,20l1. H owever,due t def i ton or y o endant si lt t cont tt ' nabiiy o ac he pl ntf ,def ai if endantbecam e concer t tpl ntf w oul notappearf t r chedul ned ha ai if d or he es ed deposton. ii O n June 29,2011,def endantfl a m oton t compelpl ntf t appearf t J y 6, ied i o ai if o or he ul 2011 deposii l ism oton,def ton. n t i endantw r e ûdef ot G endanthasr epeat y atem pt t edl t ed o com m uni e w ih and confr pl ntf ' a t cat t im ai ifs tendance a hi deposton t ough t ephone t s ii hr el me sge a e l, tt dae(.)ha rcevednoc nfr to fom pli if.. ( . sa s nd mais bu o t .. s e i o imain r antf..' Dkt# ' Folow i a t ephone hearng,t cour i ued an or on J y 1,201l gr i l ng el i he t ss der ul antng def endant' m oton t com peland or i pl ntf t appearf hi deposton on J y 6,20ll s i o derng ai if o or s ii ul i Hars n rionbur Vigi a2 ( t #43. Furhe,t c ur' ac ompan ngme a um g, r ni. Dk. ) t r he o ts c yi mornd opi on i or ed t pl ntf t i he di notappearf t deposton,he coul be s i ni nf m he ai if hat f d or he ii d anctoned up t and i udi dim i alofhi case.The mem or o ncl ng s ss s andum opi on sat i bol t ace: ni t ed n d ypef 2 The c tc muni a e n i e oft J y 1, 1t e our om c t d otc he ul 20l elphonehea i t pl i ifby t e rng o antf elphonean ed m a l Howe r pl i tf di n a ea . i. ve , a n if d ot pp r Pl ntf i her W A RN ED t f l e t compl w ih t r r ent oft or ai if s eby hat aiur o y t he equiem s he der may l t t i ead o he mposton ofs i i udi t awar t t def ii anctons ncl ng he d o he endantofcoss and t a t ney' f and di i aloft cas tor s ees sm ss he e. ( . 44,p. ) Pl n ifdi n a a f rhi J y6,20llde iin a t ha f ldt Dkt # 2. aitf d ot ppe r o s ul posto nd hus s aie o obe t cour' Jul l,201l or y he ts y der. Dee n a srst tûg l ntf' a tonsa di cinsha ca e t Dee n a fnda t set ha ûplai ifs ci n na to ve usd he fnda t nd t Courtt wase val e tm e and ot r our . And gi t appr he o t uabl i her es ces ven he oachi dicover ng s y deadlnes Pl ntf ' conducthasr i , ai ifs ender i vit l i pos bl f t Def ed t rualy m si e or he endantt pr l o opery de e t cli as e td a i ti byt epl n if' ( . 50, 7. l a tont t f nd he ams s re gans t h aitf. Dkt # p. ) n ddii o he ' s i ofdi i al def ancton sm ss , endantaskst courtt or m onet y s i agai tt pl ntf he o der ar anctons ns he ai if t com pens et def o at he endantf cos s i i r asa diec r ul oft pl ntf sf l et or t t ncur ed r t es t he ai if aiur o a pea f t de ii De e nts eksat n y' f esa c t i t a ntof$371 44. p r or he poston. f nda e tor e s e nd oss n he mou , 4. 11 A c ant ma be dim is purua t Rul 4lb) of t Fe r lRuls ofCi l ompli y s sed s nt o e ( he de a e vi Pr ocedur f f l t pr ecut and/ f l e t com pl w ih or s of t court Balar v. e or aiure o os e or aiur o y t der he . ld Ca lon,8 F. 93 ( h Ci.1 ) c r.de e 493 U. 1 4 ( 990 .l c nsde i whehe rs 82 2d 4t r 989 , e t nid S. 08 1 ) n o i rng t r t dimisa a tonpurua tt Rul 4lb ,hec tmus co i rf f t s ()t de e o s s n ci s n o e () t our t nsde our acor: l he gre ofpl ntf rs i lt i f lngt rs ai ips eponsbiiy n aii o epond;( t a 2) he moun ofprj diet t dee a ;() t eu c o he fnd nt 3 t hit y o t pl ntf i pr e di i a dltr ma r a ( t e se eofls he sor f he ai if n oc e ng n iaoy nne; nd, 4) he xitnc es dr si s nci o he t n dimis l Da sv.W ila ,588 F. 6 ( h Ci.1 ) Th a tc a tons t r ha s s a . vi lims 2d 9 4t r 978 . e dit i cour has cl aut iy t dim i a pl ntf s cas i appr i e cas s rct t ear hort o s ss ai if' e n oprat es. Li v. nk W a s R. Co. 3 U. 626,62 ( 962 (d-e a ho iy ofa f de a ti c tt dimisa ba h R. , 70 S. 9 1 ) 4-h ut rt l e r l ral our o s s plitf a to wih prj c be a e of hi fiur t pos c t c nno srousy be anifs cin t eudie c us s al e o r e ue a t e i l dou ed.) bt ' . ' 3 Defnda as mo t dimispl ntfsc mpl ntu rRul 37( whihprvi s e nt lo ves o s s ai if o ai nde e b) c o de , i per i par,t i a part f l t obey an or t pr de orper i di cover tt cour n tnent t hat f y ais o der o ovi mt s y, khe t ma ma s hor r i rgadt t f lr asaej t'i l ng,i e ala dimisl The y ke uc des n e r o he aiue r us,'ncudi ntr i, s sa. Fourh Cicui has devel t r t oped a f - tt tf det m i ng appr i e s i underRul ourpar es or er ni oprat anctons e 3 (T) c tmus deemi ()wheh t no c yigpat a tdi ba fih,( t 7. $ he our t tr ne 1 terhe n-ompl n ry ce n d at 2) he ( a un ofprj cet tno mpla ec usdt a ves r ()t n df rdeernc o t mo t eudi ha nco inc a e he d ray,3 he ee o tre e f he pa tc a s 'ofn c ince a ( )whehe l sdr si s nc inswoul h vebe n riulr ol on- ompla , nd 4 t t r es a tc a to da e efci 'An ronv. d.orAd nc nt l F.d500, 4( hCi.1 ) Be a e fe tve. des Foun f va eme , 55 3 ' 50 4t r 998 . c us t l s andar f dim isal underRul 37 f f l et conduc di he egal t d or s s s e or aiur o t scover i vit l y s rualy i calt t tf di i al f f l e t pr ecut t courtw ilcom bi isanal soft denti o ha or sm ss s or aiur o os e, he l ne t ysi he ques i whet di i ali appr i e underRul 37 and 41. See Carerv.Uni siy of ton her sm ss s oprat es t ver t W e tVixi aSyse 23 F. 400,1 W L 1 31a * ( t Ci.1 )( publs d s r ni t m, 3d 994 920 t 2 4 h r 994 un ihe opi on)($ l alsa r f dimisl unde Rul 37i vit lyt smeast tfr ni ( eg tndad or s sas r e s rual he a The ha o dimis l f rf iu et pr ec t u rRul 41' s s as o al r o os u e nde e .) ' l t pr entcas t pl ntf i pr n he es e, he ai if s oceedi ngrr se s he i entr y r ponsi e f hi / o s iel es bl or s actons.I i s el t ough pl ntf negl ,and nott ofan ator i t s ol y hr ai ips ect hat t ney,t he has not hat r ponded t def e couns ' com m uni i at pt hasf l t a end hi deposton and es o ens els caton tem s, aied o tt s ii hasnotfl a r ied espons t t def e o he endantsm oton t dim i ,i s t oft cour' Ros o ' i o s ss n pie he ts ebor 3 eover pl ntf f l e t pr de deposton t i ony Notce r r ng hi t r pond. M or i equii m o es fs aiur o ovi ii estm , ai i h d a dteaton,fusrt dee n ' a lt t deen t c e a h prjdie t as elye h ci r taed fnda ts bii o f d he as, nd as eu c d he y 3 Bohted fn a ta dtec ut a eatmpe t c nath janifb u igtetlp o en mb r t h eed n n h o rh v te td o o tc te litf y sn h ee h n u e a da desitdo panifspedig , swel sb emal Th panl i rso sbefr rvdigtec ut n d rs lse n lit la n s a la y - i. e litf s ep n il o jo i n h o r f f a o p sn c u s l t u d td c na t n o main.Rue 1 ( ) f h l c l ue frt eUn tdS ae Ditit nd p o ig o n e wi p ae o tc i f r to h l 1a o t e o a r ls o h l tts src è Cour f t W e t r Diti tofVigi apr de t ta l e di a motonsfl d by tpr s Itga mus t or he s e n s rc r ni ovi s ha l pl a ngs nd i ie o e ii nt t con a n a a e swhe e n i e c b s r e on s h p s and at l ph e numbe whe e s h pe s c be t i n ddr s r otc an e e v d uc eron e e on r r uc r on an r a hed ora me s ge l f. ec s a et ton ai if' aiur o de he der def ndant4 I addii , pl ntf sf l e t abi by t or s oft sCourti behavi t e . n hi s or hat war ant det r r s er ence.W hiepr s ltgant ar entted t s e def ence f om cours,t ar l o e ii s e il o om er r t hey e s jc t t smetmer quie t a rs c frc tor r a ot rltga t, t ut ube t o he a i e r mens nd epe t o our des s he ii ns wiho whihefci j di a a nitainwoul b i sbl Balr v.Cars 88 F. a 9 , c fe tve u cil dmi srto d e mposi e. lad lon, 2 2d t 6* s eas Za z v. u erCounv, F.Sup 1 71 1 ( D. 1 )(û#7r?s e lo c ek Fa qui t 764 p. 0 , 077 E. Va. 991 t ( e J ltgant ar noti m une f om any sa i by vit oft rsat al ii s e m r ncton rue hei t us one....Ther i ...no es doub ta rr s ltga t a es j c t a a al pprpraesnci f tei mic uc.) t h t / e ii ns r ube t o ny nd la o it a tons or h r sond t'. ' Thus,t cour concl he t udest pl ntf hasabandoned t sl s t he ai if hi aw ui. Def endantaskst cour t i pos a m onet y sancton on t pl ntf i addii t he to m e ar i he ai if n ton o dim i i hi l s t H owever t pl ntf hasr es ed t t cour t he i unabl t s ssng s aw ui. , he ai if epr ent o he t hat s eo p t c t oft es pr e di sa ha onl $ 0 i c s ori as vi orc c ng ay he oss h e oc e ng nd s y 200.0 n a h n a ngs he ki a c t ( t# 1) OnNove er1 201 t coute trda ode grntngpli ifs c oun. Dk. . mb 0, 0 he r nee n r r a i antf' motonfrla t pr e di or i o e ve o oc e nf mapau rs ( . 3. Thus i i amoneaype t pei. Dkt# ) ,mposng tr nal y agai tt pl ntf woul be ofdubi val l appear t e i no s i l s s et ns he ai if d ous ue. t s her s ancton es ever han dim i alw hi coul efec i y be depl s ss ch d f tvel oyed agai tpl ntf . ns ai if Ac or n y,de e nt moto t dim ispurua tt Rul 4l b)a d Rul 37 b)i c digl f nda ' in o s s s n o e ( n s e ( s gr ed, H owever def ant , endants m oton f s tonsi deni ' i or anc i s ed. l1 1 A ss outabove,a r ew oft r d i cat t def et evi he ecor ndi es hat endantsm oton t dim is ' i o s s s d be gr ed and t pl ntf com pl nts d be dim i ed f f l e t pr houl ant he ai ips ai houl s ss or aiur o osecut and e f l e t obey a cour or . aiur o t der Fort er a ons t de en ntsmotont dimis( t #49)i GRANTED, hes e s ,he f da ' i o s s Dk . s def endant' m oton f s i i D EN I and pl ntf s com pl nti dim i s w ihout s i or anctons s ED, ai if ai s s s ed t 4 Dic v r i tic s coe o Au ut2 2 1 .( t5 , .l) so ey n hs ae lsd n g s 6, 0 1 Dk. 0 p . 5 peu c f fiur t pr e t p s an t Rul 41b)oft Fed r RulsofCi lPr e r rj die or al e o oscue uru to e ( he eal e vi oc due a f f l et c mpl wih ac to de pu s an t Rul 37( )oft Fe r Rulso Ci l nd or aiur o o y t our r r r u t o e b he de al e f vi Pr ocedure. TheCl k i diect t send a copy oft sM em or er s r ed o hi andum Opi on and accompanyi ni ng Or t pl ntf and a1 couns ofr d. der o ai if 1 el ecor Ent ed: Augus 29,20l1 er t / '#: A-& /.X +/ z O # Mi chaelF.U r banski Unied St t D it i J t a es s rct udge 6 '

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