Lisitsa v. Young
- Rearden
- 1:16-cv-05903-JHR
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 21
In Lisitsa v. Young, Judge Rearden reassigned the case, kept prior deadlines in effect, and ordered a joint status letter within three weeks.
The order affects Valentina Lisitsa, pro se defendant John Bell Young, any counsel in the case, and the parties’ existing schedule and upcoming case-management obligations.
What happened
Lisitsa v. Young was reassigned to Judge Jennifer H. Rearden in the Southern District of New York. The order did not decide the parties’ claims or defenses.
The court kept all earlier orders, dates, and deadlines in effect. It adjourned previously scheduled appearances before the district judge, while conferences or arguments before or directed by a magistrate judge were to proceed as scheduled. The parties were ordered to file a joint letter within three weeks describing the case’s status, including the claims and defenses, jurisdiction, deadlines, motions, discovery, settlement discussions, and trial estimate.
Judge Rearden also directed the Clerk to mail the order and her practice rules to the pro se defendant, John Bell Young. This was a case-management order, not a ruling on the merits.
The detailed version
- Lisitsa v. Young · No. 1:16-cv-05903-JHR
- Rearden
- Mar. 1, 2023
Nature of the Order
The court issued a notice of reassignment and case-management instructions. It did not address the substance of Valentina Lisitsa’s claims or John Bell Young’s defenses.
Reassignment and Existing Schedule
The case was reassigned to Judge Rearden. Unless the court later orders otherwise, all prior orders, dates, and deadlines remain in effect. Any conference or oral argument before, or directed by, a magistrate judge will proceed as previously ordered. Previously scheduled appearances or conferences before the district judge were adjourned pending further notice.
Required Joint Status Letter
Within three weeks after the order was filed, the parties were ordered to submit a joint letter of no more than five double-spaced pages. The letter must provide, as relevant:
- The names and current contact information of counsel; - A brief description of the claims and principal defenses; - The basis for federal jurisdiction and venue, including required citizenship information for cases relying on diversity jurisdiction; - Existing deadlines and due dates; - Scheduled conferences or arguments that have not occurred; - Outstanding motions and the relief sought; - Any pending appeals; - The discovery completed and any essential remaining discovery; - The status of settlement discussions without stating exact offers or demands; - Whether the parties considered settlement conferences, mediation, or a private mediator; - An estimate of the trial length; and - Any other information that could help the court move the case forward, including any dispositive or novel issue.
If the case had already been settled or otherwise terminated, the parties did not need to submit the letter or appear if appropriate proof of termination was filed before the deadline.
Pro Se Defendant and Court Rules
The Clerk was directed to mail the order, Judge Rearden’s individual rules for civil cases, and her rules for civil pro se cases to pro se Defendant John Bell Young. The attached rules address communications with the court, filing papers, service, discovery disputes, motions, conferences, pretrial filings, electronic devices, sealed filings, protective orders, and default judgments. The rules state, among other things, that pro se parties must keep a current mailing address on file and generally must communicate with the court through the Pro Se Office rather than contacting chambers directly.
Disposition
The court ordered the reassignment-related procedures and the joint status letter. It did not grant or deny a merits motion, dismiss any claim, enter judgment, or determine the parties’ legal rights.
Read the full 21-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.