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`IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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`FOR THE DISTRICT OF DELAWARE
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`::
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`::
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`VB ASSETS, LLC,
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`Plaintiff,
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`v.
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`: C. A. No. 19-1410-MN
`:
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`AMAZON.COM, INC., AMAZON.COM
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`LLC, AMAZON WEB SERVICES, INC.,
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`A2Z DEVELOPMENT CENTER, INC.,
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`D/B/A LAB126, RAWLES LLC, AMZN
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`MOBILE LLC, AMZN MOBILE 2 LLC,
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`AMAZON.COM SERVICES, INC. F/K/A
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`AMAZON FULFILLMENT SERVICES,
`INC, and AMAZON DIGITAL SERVICES :
`LLC,
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`::
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`:
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`Defendants.
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`ORDER GOVERNING PATENT MEDIATION
`CONFERENCES AND MEDIATION STATEMENTS
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`THIS ORDER CONTAINS IMPORTANT INFORMATION WHICH SHOULD
`BE READ BY COUNSEL PRIOR TO PREPARATION OF A MEDIATION
`STATEMENT.
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`At Wilmington this 23rd day of October, 2020.
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`IT IS ORDERED that:
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`MEDIATION CONFERENCE
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`1.
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`A mediation conference is scheduled for Tuesday, September 14, 2021
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`beginning at a.m. All required participants (see ¶ 2) are to report at this time to Courtroom
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`2B and to remain available until excused by the Court. Dress for the mediation is
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`business casual. It is counsel’s responsibility to inform Judge Thynge’s Chambers
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`Case 1:19-cv-01410-MN Document 59 Filed 10/23/20 Page 2 of 6 PageID #: 1359
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`should this matter settle prior to the mediation.
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`(a)
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`For any authorized email communications between Chief Magistrate
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`Judge Thynge and counsel/parties, Judge Thynge’s Judicial Administrator shall be copied.
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`REQUIRED PARTICIPANTS
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`2.
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`Each party must be represented at the mediation conference by the following
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`required participants: (a) trial counsel; (b) counsel who is/are familiar with the case; and
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`(c) the party/parties and/or decisionmaker(s) of the parties, who must have full authority
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`to act on behalf of the parties, including the authority to negotiate a resolution of the matter
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`and to respond to developments during the mediation process. Full authority means that
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`those participants on behalf of a party should be able to make independent decisions and
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`have a knowledge or understanding of
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`the dispute and/or
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`the business
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`objectives/operations of their company to generate and consider solutions and/or to be
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`able to address the negotiation dynamics in mediation. It is not just settlement authority,
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`that is, to make an offer or to accept an amount.
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`In-person attendance at the mediation conference by those participants
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`described herein is required unless otherwise authorized by the Court. Any request to
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`modify this requirement shall be made in writing to the Chief Magistrate Judge, with a copy
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`to all counsel or pro se parties, if applicable, no later than fourteen (14) days before the
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`mediation conference.
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`CONTACT INFORMATION FOR REQUIRED PARTICIPANTS
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`3.
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`(a)
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`No later than the date on which mediation statements are due
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`(see ¶ 4 below), counsel shall provide to the court in a writing separate from the mediation
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`2
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`Case 1:19-cv-01410-MN Document 59 Filed 10/23/20 Page 3 of 6 PageID #: 1360
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`statement, by Hand Delivery, not by email, for each attorney who will be attending the
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`mediation conference: (i) a direct dial telephone work number, (ii) a cell or home telephone
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`number, and (iii) an electronic mail address where the attorney can be regularly reached.
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`Unrepresented parties shall provide at least one of these three forms of contact
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`information.
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`EXCHANGE OF LIST OF PARTICIPANTS ATTENDING MEDIATION
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`(b)
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`No later than the date on which the mediation statements are due
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`(see ¶ 4 below), counsel shall submit a list of all participants, including attorney and non-
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`attorney representatives, who will be attending the mediation on behalf of their party, to the
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`opposing party or parties.
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`CONFIDENTIAL MEDIATION STATEMENTS
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`4.
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`On or before Tuesday, August 31, 2021 by no later than 12:00 Noon, AN
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`ORIGINAL and ONE COPY of a confidential mediation statement containing all of the
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`information required by ¶ 6 shall be submitted ONLY to the Magistrate Judge. The
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`mediation statements shall not be filed with the Clerk's Office, nor emailed to Chambers
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`without permission, but shall be delivered to the Clerk’s Office in an envelope addressed
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`to Chief U. S. Magistrate Judge Mary Pat Thynge and marked “CONFIDENTIAL
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`MEDIATION STATEMENT.” The statements shall not be exchanged among the parties
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`or counsel (unless the parties so desire), shall not be provided to the trial judge, and shall
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`not become part of the record in this matter. Mediation statements shall NOT be
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`electronically filed since they are not part of the Court record.
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`5.
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`The mediation statements may be in memorandum or letter form. They must
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`3
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`Case 1:19-cv-01410-MN Document 59 Filed 10/23/20 Page 4 of 6 PageID #: 1361
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`be double-spaced, single-sided, in no less than a 12-point font, with the following page
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`limitations: Plaintiff’s submission is limited to no more than twenty (20) pages; Defendants’
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`single submission shall be limited to no more than twenty (20) pages. PAGES MUST BE
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`NUMBERED.
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`6.
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`The mediation statements must contain each of the following headings and
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`must contain a discussion of each of the topics described below:
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`a)
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`“The Parties”: provide a description of who the parties are, their
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`relationship, if any, to each other, and by whom each party is represented, including the
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`identity of all individuals who will be participating on behalf of a party during the mediation
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`conference.
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`b)
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`“Factual Background”: provide a brief factual background, clearly
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`indicating which material facts are not in dispute and which material facts remain in
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`dispute.
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`c)
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`“Summary of Applicable Law”:
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` provide a brief summary of the law,
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`including applicable statutes, cases and standards. Copies of any unreported decisions
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`(including decisions from this jurisdiction) that counsel believes are particularly relevant
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`should be included as exhibits (see ¶ 7).
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`d)
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`“Honest Discussion of Strengths and Weaknesses”: provide an
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`honest discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the party's claims and/or defenses.
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`e)
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`“Settlement Efforts”: provide a brief description of prior settlement
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`negotiations and discussions, including the most recent offers or demands exchanged
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`between the parties and the reasons for rejection, and the party's assessment as to why
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`4
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`Case 1:19-cv-01410-MN Document 59 Filed 10/23/20 Page 5 of 6 PageID #: 1362
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`settlement has not been reached.
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`f)
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`“Settlement Proposal”: describe the party's proposed term(s) for a
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`resolution, including the rationale for the settlement proposal(s). Identify the essential
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`terms for settlement, if any. Further, identify any interests or issues not directly involved
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`in this matter that may frustrate or further settlement. If the party has any suggestions as
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`to how the Court may be helpful in reaching a resolution, such suggestions should also
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`be described.
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`g)
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`“Fees and Costs”: list separately each of the following: (i) attorneys’
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`fees and costs incurred to date; (ii) other fees and costs incurred to date; (iii) good faith
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`estimate of additional attorneys’ fees and costs to be incurred if this matter is not settled;
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`and (iv) good faith estimate of additional other fees and costs to be incurred if this matter
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`is not settled.
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`In addition to the required topics described above, and provided that the
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`mediation statement complies with the page limit stated above, counsel are encouraged
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`to address any other matter they believe may be of assistance to the Court.
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`7.
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`Crucial or pertinent documents may be submitted as exhibits to the mediation
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`statement. Counsel are cautioned to limit such exhibits. Exhibits must be tabbed.
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`CONFIDENTIALITY
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`8.
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`The contents of the mediation statements and the mediation conference
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`discussions, including any resolution or settlement, shall remain confidential, shall
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`not be used in the present litigation nor any other litigation (whether presently
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`pending or filed in the future), and shall not be construed as nor constitute an
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`5
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`Case 1:19-cv-01410-MN Document 59 Filed 10/23/20 Page 6 of 6 PageID #: 1363
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`admission. Breach of this provision shall subject the violator to sanctions.
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`EX PARTE CONTACTS
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`9.
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`Before, during, and after the scheduled mediation conference, the Court may
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`find it necessary and useful to communicate with one or more parties outside the presence
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`of the other party or parties.
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`REQUEST FOR WIFI ACCESS
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`10. WiFi Access: The WiFi login and password will be provided on the morning
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`of the mediation. Please do not call chambers to request this information ahead of
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`time.
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`OBLIGATION OF GOOD FAITH PARTICIPATION
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`11.
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`The required participants shall be available and accessible throughout the
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`mediation process. The parties' full and good faith cooperation with the mediation process
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`is required. In particular, both the lawyers and the party representatives are expected to
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`be fully prepared to participate. All participants are encouraged to keep an open mind in
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`order to reassess their previous positions and to find creative means for resolving the
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`dispute.
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`AVOIDANCE OF SANCTIONS
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`12.
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`All counsel are reminded of their obligations to read and comply with
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`this Order. Delaware counsel are reminded of their obligations to inform out-of-state
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`counsel of this Order. To avoid the imposition of sanctions, counsel shall advise the Court
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`immediately of any problems regarding compliance with this Order.
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`/s/ Mary Pat Thynge
`Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Pat Thynge
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`6
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