Parker, Michael T., United States Magistrate Judge
v.
WAYNE FARMS, L.L.C., et al. DEFENDANT(S)
EULA M. KEYES, et al. PLAINTIFF(S)
v.
WAYNE FARMS, L.L.C., et al. DEFENDANT(S)
Counsel
Seth M. Hunter, Seth M. Hunter, Attorney & Counselor at Law, PLLC, Hattiesburg, MS, William S. Hommel, Jr.—PHV, Pro Hac Vice, William S. Hommel, Jr., PC, Tyler, TX, for Plaintiff April Agee.Seth M. Hunter, Seth M. Hunter, Attorney & Counselor at Law, PLLC, Hattiesburg, MS, William S. Hommel, Jr., William S. Hommel Jr., PC, Tyler, TX, for Plaintiffs Cassillie Allen, Derrick L. Burber, Paula M. Bass, Chris Hood, Pamela Owens, Eddie D. Thomas, Toretha Franklin, Veronica M. McClaney.
Robert Joseph Camp, Pro Hac Vice, The Cochran Firm, Birmingham, AL, Roman Ashley Shaul, Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., Montgomery, AL, Seth M. Hunter, Seth M. Hunter, Attorney & Counselor at Law, PLLC, Hattiesburg, MS, William S. Hommel, Jr.—PHV, William S. Hommel, Jr., PC, Tyler, TX, for Plaintiffs John O. Arrington, Evelyn Ducksworth, Sandra Portis Ducksworth, Dorothy J. Harris, Vervonda Johnson, Mary Helen Keys, Ta'Shannon Lockhart, Marcus D. Amos, Daniel M. Banks, Debra Beal, DeJuan S. Blakley, Sandra Bryant, Wanda Jean Byrd, Adrian Clark, Eric D. Coleman, Jimmy J. Cook, Jabalja K. Cooley, Rudolph Cooper, Tressie R. Curry, James Dace, III, Tywanna L. Dean, Celia A. Dear, Roberta Delarosa, Adrea L. Dotson, Derell A. Ducksworth, Milton Ducksworth, Harrison Lee Evans, Jr., Mary T. Forrest, Bobby D. Gray, Leslie B. Hayes, Janet M. Haynes, Mae R. Hinton, Lewis Jones, Reada Fay Jones, Sadie M. Jones, Joshua Alan Laper, Donald McCormick, Jr., Darell L. McClendon, Edna R. Medina, Jeraldine Murray, Sandra D. Nixon, Lessie Mae Norsworthy, Simone L. Pickett, Rebecca C. Ross, Latoya M. Sargent, Nictika Slaton, Michelle Snow, James Spann, Henry O. Stevens, April Lynette Taylor, Linda A. Taylor, Rashauna Terrell, Morgan Thomas, Amanda Tillery, Rufus L. Tolbert, Mattie Washam, Larry J. Williams.
Robert Joseph Camp, Pro Hac Vice, The Cochran Firm, Birmingham, AL, Mike Espy, Mike Espy, PLLC, Jackson, MS, Roman Ashley Shaul, Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C., Montgomery, AL, Seth M. Hunter, Seth M. Hunter, Attorney & Counselor at Law, PLLC, Hattiesburg, MS, William S. Hommel, Jr.—PHV, William S. Hommel, Jr., PC, Tyler, TX, for Plaintiffs Terry Barnes, Ezra J. Beason, Annette Bennett, Sevetrium Brown, Rose M. Clayton, Kimberly N. Collier, Chunda Conway, Jennifer Davis, Eric Drummond, Kwanika Drummond, Enos Ray Ducksworth, William Dexter Durr, Necole Graves, Valerie D. Griffith, Erica Hailes, Betty J. Hamilton, David Earl Harris, Elbert Harris, Rhonda Hall, Mark A. Holder, Jr., Michael N. Jackson, Henry Lee Johnson, Roderick A. Johnson, Alexis Jones, Benetta Jones, Betina Jones, Joseph D. Jones, Joshua L. Jones, Lee Keyes, Tonkia L. Lancaster, Baby Ruth Maye, Misty McCarty, Sonja McDonald, Dorothy N. Milsap, Letris M. Moore, Elarrius Nelson, Kirby Newton, LaShondra Partin, Oriental Phillips, Michael Scott, Annie Ruth Smith, Derrick Smith, Brandon Spencer, Mary Jo Strong, Dov Terrell, Isadore Bilbrew, Andrew Brown, Antonio Clark, Marcal Collins, Margaret D. Collins, Joseph Davis, Anita Hare, Betty L. Harper, Margie Nell Harper, Victor Hopkins, Shinonni Horne, Tammy R. Ivory, Belinda G. Johnson, Joel M. Jordan, Stadalis Jordan, Tressie Jordan, Titeshia Loper, Ericka Mayfield, Charles Demond McDougle, Sharon McDougle, Victory L. McDougle, Anthony J. Moffett, Dannie Nickelson, Tasha R. Owens, Diane Denise Pickering, Temeka Porter, Bobbie Jean Pruitt, Terrace T. Sims, Debbie E. Thomas, Mark Anthony Thomas, David Wallace, Proter Washington, Nicole Allen, Dominique Arrington, Silverio Atriano, Debora A. Barnett, Dexter Barnett, Jerline Barnett, Paula Bass, Dianne A. Berry, Carmeletta Bishop, Dan A. Blakely, Victoria D. Breland, Melissa Carmichael, Sarah A. Carmichael, Shalanda S. Carter, Willie J. Carter, Keshia L. Causey, Michael Clark, Tiffany D. Cole, La'Darius Cooley, Betty Cooper, Willie Cunningham, Brandon L. Dunning, Willie J. Evans, Maricco D. Everett, Amerial F. Glenn, Kimika Glispy, Dennis Hales, Earnestine Hales, O'Daniel Hardy, Tyrone Harris, Christine Hatten, Donna N. Hawthorne, Ceretha Henderson, Cyrus B. Howard, Daniel Hudnall, Roderick Johnson, Tenika Johnson, Willie D. Kirksey, Brandon Lacey, Santonio Loper, Lucille Lott, Dave Lowery, Rico Lynch, Lakya Malley, Carlos McCormick, Latiria McLaughlin, Annette McLeod, Edward C. Morgan, Makeita Morgan, Cecelia Newell, Roderick J. Percy, Jr., Kolya L. Pickens, Mekka Pickens, Darolyn Pickering, Renee Pickering, Roy R. Plummer, Earnest R. Powe, Kennesha Pugh, Jessica Russell, Larry L. Sumlin, Demetrius A. Thompson, Vincent E. Townsend, Elizabeth Velor, Keonta R. Wash, Barbara Westbrook, Wallace Owens, Kevin D. Jones, Regiel Jones, Jackie Keyes, Twonda Langston, Robert Lard, Michael Lewis, Jason Aldridge, Randy Arrington, Samantha Arrington, Hollis E. Ashley, Jr., Carolyn Barboza, Ashley Barnes, Alexis Barnes, Carcy E. Baylor, Kayla M. Blackwell, Kitrina Bounds, Gloria W. Buxton, Shinie Carter, Amelia Cousey, Bonnie E. Clark, Keitrich Coleman, Tracy Coleman, Josette Collins, Willie Collins, Derrick Cooley, Annie M. Cunningham, Shakita W. Currie, Jeffrey Dawkins, Antonio Drummond, Brent Ellis, Alexis Evans, Gerald Pierce, Jorge A. Pinera, Jerimon Rogers, Terrance Rogers, Victoria Ruffin, Tyiesha Russell, Corey L. Smith, Evelyn A. Stokes, Andramache Thames, Vanessa Thames, Sherika Williamson, Lavaris Evans, Jeremy Frazier, Patricia Heidelberg, John Henry, Annie B. Herrington, James A. Herrron, Latasha Higgins, Sarah Hopkins, Virgil Levon Hosey, Lahoma House, Gregory T. Johnson, Melissa Magee, Legar Martin, Kenya McGrifff, Yvonne L. McCurtis, Mary Owens, Mary M. Barnes, Annie Faye Bender, Darron L. Bonner, Deborah E. Bonner, Viron Bonner, Krystal Bowens, Wanda N. Brown, Albert Carmichael, Joyedell Allen Caver, Christopher O. Crosby, Sidney L. Crumbley, Michael Ellis, Tonya Everett, Linda Faulkner, Sam Eskar Hales, Chris Home, Angela House, Anthony E. Jones, Michael E. Jones, Alanda Leggins, Debra Magee, Aldolph Martin, Tracey R. McCarty, Bobby D. McDonald, Charles H. McDonald, Lenelle Moody, Cornelius Newsome, Dorothy N. Norwood, William Plummer, Sidney Sanders, Vonda Tatum, Virginia Williams, Janice Denise Brown, Anthony K. Bridges, Shayelo Clayton, Harvey T. Cooley, Lori F. Cooley, Jennifer Cooper, Naomi M. Hasbrough, Raymond Hawthorne, Richard L. McCray, Brandi Nichole McDonald, Travis Nichols, Shirley Pickering, Aaron Posey, Michelle Simmons, Melissa Jean Adams-Dunston, Christine Bender, Linda Brown, Lakeshia Cooley, Maricka Gandy, Willie F. Harvey, Johnny Irby, Willie R. Jasper, Evelyn Clyton Plummer, Darian M. Rogers, Bobby Stevens, June M. Thornton, Jacqueline Denise Young, Samantha A. Young, Kennedy A. Bolton, Vanilla C. Bounds, Janet Evans, Valerie K. McDougle, Alfreda S. Page, Xavier Sims, Shawn Woodard, Sr., Darreus Clayton, Shandreka Bolton, Earline Carmichael, Daphne Edwards, Temeka Jones, Kevin L. Moncrief, Daryl Lamont Ulmer, Terry W. Smith.
Mike Espy, Mike Espy, PLLC, Jackson, MS, Richard B. Celler, Morgan & Morgan, PA, Fort Lauderdale, FL, for Plaintiffs Eula M. Keyes, Kenyattie Gardner, Sherica Williams.
E. Russell Turner, R. Pepper Crutcher, Jr., Anne Harlan Latino, Balch & Bingham LLP, Jackson, MS, for Defendant(s)
ORDER DENYING MOTION FOR SANCTIONS
Pursuant to paragraph 4 of Pretrial Order No. 2 [ecf doc. 22 in 2:07-md-1872], plaintiffs were to serve their initial disclosures by July 15, 2008.[2] On August 7, 2008, having received no initial disclosures, defendant moved [ecf doc. 29 in 2:07-md-1872] to amend Pretrial Order No. 2 to grant plaintiffs an extension until August 15 to serve their initial disclosures. By Order dated September 5, 2008 [ecf doc. 35 in 2:07-md-1872], the court granted in part and denied in part defendant's motion to amend and extended the deadline for serving initial disclosures and responding to standard discovery to October 1, 2008. To date, 117 of the 210 plaintiffs designated for initial disclosures in this action have failed to provide them, and 137 of the 166 plaintiffs designated to respond to standard discovery have failed to do so.
An initial matter, plaintiffs argue that the motion should be denied because defendant failed to submit a Good Faith Certificate as required by Local Rule 37.1.[3] This argument is unavailing. The purpose of Rule 37.1 is “to encourage parties to confer between or among themselves and to avoid using the limited time and resources of the Court on routine discovery disputes.” Vineyard Development Co. v. Rogers, 1997 WL 450052, at * 1 (S.D. Miss. Aug. 5, 1997). As outlined above, however, the parties have been conferring on the issue of discovery for several months, both with and without the court's involvement. In the September 2008 Joint Status Report, Wayne Farms stated that it would be seeking dismissal of those plaintiffs who had not made required initial disclosures and who had not responded to the standard discovery requests. After the October 1 deadline had passed, defense counsel contacted plaintiffs' counsel via email and requested that they agree to dismiss those plaintiffs who had not provided initial disclosures or who had still not responded to standard discovery. See ecf. docs. 55-2, 55-3, 56-2, 56-3. Plaintiffs did not respond. Thus, there was no need for defendant to file a Good Faith Certificate, as plaintiffs were on notice that defendant would be seeking the relief sought herein, and it was clear that plaintiffs “ha[d] neither the intention to cooperate with [defendant]...nor the desire to conserve the resources [of] the Court.” Vineyard Development, 1997 WL 450052, at * 2.
*2 At any rate, even if the Good Faith Certificate should have been filed along with the instant motions, this court “has the authority and jurisdiction to consider the motion[s]” without it, as the Local Rules “are not jurisdictional in nature, and the Court is free to rule on motions not served in precise compliance with them.” Vineyard Development, 1997 WL 450052, at * 1. Therefore, the court will now turn to the merits of the motions.
This court has broad discretion to exercise its various sanctioning powers. Topalian v. Ehrman, 3 F.3d 931, 934 (5th Cir. 1993); see also Shipes v. Trinity Indus., 987 F.2d 311, 323 (5th Cir. 1993) (“The imposition of [discovery] sanctions is a matter of discretion for the district court.”) (citation omitted). Rule 16(f)(1)(C) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that “the court may issue any just orders, including those authorized by Rule 37(b)(2)(A)(ii)-(vii), if a party or its attorney...fails to obey a scheduling or other pretrial order.” Rule 37(b)(2)(A)(v) permits a court to issue such orders “as are just” to sanction a party who fails to obey an order to provide or permit discovery, including dismissing the action in whole or in part. To support the severest sanctions under Rule 37(b) - the dismissal of a case - the Fifth Circuit has generally required the following findings: bad faith or willful conduct accompanied by a clear record of delay or contumacious conduct; that the violation be attributable to the client instead of the attorney; that the violating party's misconduct cause substantial prejudice to the opposing party; and that less drastic sanctions would not substantially achieve the desired deterrent effect. See FDIC v. Conner, 20 F.3d 1376, 1380 (5th Cir. 1994).
These plaintiffs have clearly violated this court's orders regarding responding to standard discovery (as well as with respect to initial disclosures). A troubling pattern of conduct appears to be developing on the part of plaintiffs with respect to their discovery obligations, causing the court to call into question whether some of the plaintiffs truly desire to proceed with their claims.
Nevertheless, dismissal with prejudice is a “draconian remedy” and a “remedy of last resort.” Merritt v. United Parcel Serv., Inc., 2008 WL 160702, at * 2 (S.D. Miss. Jan. 15, 2008) (citing Conner, supra). With that in mind, based on the above factors the court does not find that dismissal of the 137 plaintiffs who have failed to respond to standard discovery is warranted at this time, as they have not yet exhibited the degree of delay or contumacious conduct necessary to justify dismissal of their claims. Nor does the court believe it appropriate yet to bar any evidence from these plaintiffs. Accordingly, the Motion for Sanctions will be denied, and plaintiffs will be given one final opportunity - until November 17, 2008 - to serve their responses to defendant's standard discovery requests. Plaintiffs are strongly cautioned that if they fail to comply with this deadline, the issue of sanctions will be revisited. Finally, the court finds that defendant's request for attorney's fees should be denied.
IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that defendant's Motion for Sanctions [41] is denied, and that plaintiffs' deadline for responding to defendant's standard discovery requests is extended until November 17, 2008.
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED THAT defendant's request for attorney's fees is denied.
*3 SO ORDERED this 6th day of November, 2008.
Footnotes