Reported / Citable
Background
Cassandra King Garner sued Securian Financial Group, Inc. in the Western District of Texas. The opinion does not describe the substance of Garner’s claims or Securian’s defenses.
District Judge Alan D. Albright referred the case to Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower under the court’s local rules. At this early stage, the magistrate judge issued a docket control order under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 16(b) and 26(f).
The Court’s Holding
The court ordered the parties to confer under Rule 26(f) and, by September 28, 2026, file both a joint proposed scheduling and discovery plan and a completed version of the court’s standard scheduling-order form. If no disputes remain over the proposed schedule, the court will enter the scheduling order.
The order requires a substantive, cooperative discussion of claims and defenses, settlement and alternative dispute resolution, initial disclosures, discovery sequencing, and electronic-discovery issues. It also directs the parties to use ordinary motion practice under the Federal and local rules for discovery disputes before the magistrate judge.
Key Takeaways
- This was a case-management order, not a ruling on the merits of either party’s claims.
- The parties must submit their joint scheduling materials by September 28, 2026.
- The court cautioned against boilerplate discovery objections and improper speaking objections during depositions.
Why It Matters
The order establishes the framework for discovery and pretrial management in the case. It underscores the court’s expectation that counsel address electronic discovery, disclosures, settlement, and scheduling in good faith before seeking judicial intervention.