Reported / Citable
Background
Lauren Gammage sued Boundless Network, Inc., individually and on behalf of other similarly situated persons. The docket-control order does not describe the underlying claims or the alleged facts.
District Judge Alan D Albright referred the case to Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower under the Western District of Texas local rules.
The Court’s Holding
The court issued a docket-control order under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 16(b) and 26(f). It directed the parties to confer and file both a joint proposed scheduling and discovery plan and a completed version of the court’s standard scheduling order by August 17, 2026.
The order requires a substantive, good-faith Rule 26(f) conference addressing claims and defenses, settlement and alternative dispute resolution, initial disclosures, discovery, and electronically stored information. If the parties have no scheduling disputes, the court will enter the scheduling order.
Key Takeaways
- This was a case-management order, not a ruling on the merits of Gammage’s claims.
- The parties must propose discovery and trial deadlines by August 17, 2026.
- Discovery disputes referred to Magistrate Judge Hightower must be presented through ordinary federal and local-rule motion practice.
Why It Matters
The order starts formal case management and places the initial responsibility on counsel to develop a cooperative discovery plan. It also flags the court’s expectations on electronic discovery, non-boilerplate objections, deposition conduct, and prompt notice of settlement.