Opinion
1:22-cv-9179-GHW
12-06-2022
DENETTE J. LIGON, Individually and as the representative of a class of similarly situated persons, Plaintiff, v. PAULA DEEN VENTURES, LLC, Defendant(s).
ORDER
GREGORY H. WOODS, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE
To conserve resources, to promote judicial efficiency, and in an effort to achieve a faster disposition of this matter, it is hereby ORDERED that the parties must discuss whether they are willing to consent, under 28 U.S.C. § 636(c), to conducting all further proceedings before the assigned Magistrate Judge.
If both parties consent to proceed before the Magistrate Judge, counsel for the defendant must, within two weeks of the date of this order file on ECF a fully executed Notice, Consent, and Reference of a Civil Action to a Magistrate Judge form, a copy of which is attached to this order (and also available at https://nysd.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/2018-06/AQ-3.pdf). The executed form should be filed on ECF as a “Proposed Consent to Jurisdiction by U.S. Magistrate Judge,” and be described using the “Proposed Consent to Jurisdiction by U.S. Magistrate Judge” filing event in accordance with ECF Rule 13.27. If die Court approves that form, all further proceedings will than be conducted before die assigned Magistrate Judge rather than before me. Any appeal would be taken directly to die United States Court of Appeals for die Second Circuit, as it would be if die consent form were not signed and so ordered.
If either party does not consent to conducting all further proceedings before die assigned Magistrate Judge, die parties must file a joint letter, within two weeks of the date of this order advising die Court that die parties do not consent, but without disclosing the identity of the party or parties who do not consent. The parties are free to withhold consent without negative consequences.
SO ORDERED.