(PC) Bouie v. Smith

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 10 DIRK JAONG BOUIE, JR., No. 2:18-cv-2040 KJM AC P Plaintiff, v. ORDER OSCAR SMITH, et al., Defendants. 16 Plaintiff, a state prisoner proceeding pro se with a civil rights action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983, has filed requests for a settlement conference, ECF No. 32, and appointment of an expert witness, ECF No. 33. In regard to the request for a settlement conference, this case was referred to the court’s Post-Screening ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) Project on October 14, 2020. ECF No. 21. However, counsel for defendants requested permission to opt out of the Project on December 15, 2020, ECF No. 25, and their request was granted, ECF No. 26. Plaintiff’s request to set a settlement conference as part of the Post-Screening ADR Project will therefore be denied. With respect to plaintiff’s request for an expert witness, Federal Rule of Evidence 706 authorizes the appointment of a neutral expert witness, with…