Makah Indian Tribe v. Exxon Mobil Corporation et al, No. 2:2024cv00157 - Document 46 (W.D. Wash. 2024)

Court Description: ORDER granting Parties' 20 Stipulated MOTION Regarding Briefing Schedule. Plaintiff's Motion to Remand shall be filed within 45 days of the filing of the Parties' 20 Stipulated Motion. Defendants' opposition shall be filed within 45 days of Plaintiff's Motion. Any Reply shall be filed within 30 days of Defendants' Opposition. No Defendant is required to file an Answer or Motion to Dismiss or otherwise respond to the Complaint before the Court's order on Plaintiff's Motion to Remand. Signed by Judge Jamal N Whitehead. (KRA)

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Makah Indian Tribe v. Exxon Mobil Corporation et al Doc. 46 The Honorable Jamal N. Whitehead 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 9 WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON 10 AT SEATTLE 11 MAKAH INDIAN TRIBE, 12 Plaintiff, 13 v. Case No. 2:24-cv-157 14 18 EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION, EXXONMOBIL OIL CORPORATION, BP P.L.C., BP AMERICA INC., CHEVRON CORPORATION, CHEVRON USA, INC., SHELL PLC, SHELL OIL COMPANY, CONOCOPHILLIPS, CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY, PHILLIPS 66, and PHILLIPS 66 COMPANY, 19 Defendants. 15 16 17 STIPULATED MOTION AND ORDER REGARDING BRIEFING SCHEDULE Noted for February 9, 2024 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 STIPULATED MOTION AND ORDER RE BRIEFING SCHEDULE - 2:24cv-157 GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP 333 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90071-3197 213.229.7000 Dockets.Justia.com 1 RECITALS 2 3 4 Plaintiff, the Makah Indian Tribe (“Plaintiff”), and Defendants BP America Inc., Chevron Corporation, Chevron U.S.A. Inc., Exxon Mobil Corp., ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, Shell Oil Company, ConocoPhillips, ConocoPhillips Company, Phillips 66, and Phillips 66 Company, (collectively, “De- 5 6 7 8 fendants”) (Plaintiff and Defendants are collectively referred to herein as “the Parties”), hereby stipulate and agree to the following schedule for briefing of Plaintiff’s anticipated motion to remand, and Defendants’ anticipated motions to dismiss. WHEREAS, on December 20, 2023, Plaintiff filed a complaint against 12 Defendants 1 in the 9 10 Superior Court of the State of Washington in and for the County of King, No. 23-2-25216-1-SEA; 11 WHEREAS, on February 6, 2024, Defendants Chevron Corporation and Chevron U.S.A. Inc., 12 with the consent of all properly named and served Defendants, timely removed this action from the 13 14 Superior Court to this Court; 15 WHEREAS, Plaintiff intends to file a Motion to Remand, which Defendants intend to oppose; 16 WHEREAS, Defendants also intend to file threshold motions, including, but not limited to, 17 Motions to Dismiss pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6), and certain Defendants object to the exercise 18 of personal jurisdiction, and intend to file Motions to Dismiss pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(2), 19 12(b)(4), and/or 12(b)(5) (collectively “Motions to Dismiss”); 20 WHEREAS, the Parties agree it would be more efficient for the Parties and the Court for De21 22 23 fendants to file Motions to Dismiss or other responses to the Complaint after Plaintiff files a Motion to Remand and the Court enters an Order finally resolving any such motion; 24 25 26 27 28 1 In addition to the Defendants signing this stipulation, the complaint also names foreign entities BP p.l.c. and Shell p.l.c., which Plaintiff represents were served with the summons and complaint on February 9, 2024, as defendants. Plaintiff agrees that BP p.l.c.’s and Shell p.l.c.’s deadlines shall be no earlier than the deadlines applicable to Defendants set forth herein. GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP STIPULATED MOTION AND ORDER RE BRIEFING SCHEDULE 2:24-cv-00157 1 333 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90071-3197 213.229.7000 1 WHEREAS, based on good-faith discussions among the Parties’ counsel, informed by their 2 experience in addressing these issues in similar cases in other courts, the Parties respectfully submit 3 that the interests of justice and efficient consideration by this Court can best be achieved by setting a 4 briefing schedule as set forth below; 5 6 WHEREAS, the Parties have conferred and agree that it would serve the interests of judicial 7 efficiency and save time and resources to continue the Case Management Conference and related dead- 8 lines until a time following the Court’s decision on Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand; 9 10 11 WHEREAS, the Parties recognize that the Court may not be able to enter an order reflecting the below stipulated briefing schedule before Defendants’ current deadline to respond to the Complaint, and the Parties therefore agree to abide by the terms of this Stipulated Motion irrespective of whether 12 13 14 the Court is able to act before that time; WHEREAS, this Stipulated Motion does not operate as an admission of any factual allegation 15 or legal conclusion and is submitted subject to and without waiver of any right, defense, affirmative 16 defense, claim, or objection, including lack of subject matter jurisdiction, or lack of personal jurisdic- 17 tion, insufficient process, or insufficient service of process; 18 STIPULATED MOTION 19 NOW THEREFORE, the Parties hereby agree and stipulate, and respectfully move the Court 20 21 22 to enter an order, as follows: 1. Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand shall be filed within 45 days of the filing of this Stipulated 23 Motion. Defendants’ opposition shall be filed within 45 days of Plaintiff’s Motion. Any Reply shall 24 be filed within 30 days of Defendants’ Opposition. 25 26 2. No Defendant is required to file an Answer or Motion to Dismiss or otherwise respond to the Complaint before the Court’s order on Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand. 27 28 GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP STIPULATED MOTION AND ORDER RE BRIEFING SCHEDULE 2:24-cv-157 2 333 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90071-3197 213.229.7000 1 2 3 3. If the Court denies Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand, the Defendants will file any Motions to Dismiss within 60 days of an Order denying the Motion to Remand. The Parties will also promptly meet and confer regarding an appropriate briefing schedule and plan for Oppositions and Replies and 4 page limits for Motions to Dismiss briefing and will endeavor to jointly submit a proposal to the Court 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 within 10 days of the Court’s order denying Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand. If the Parties are not able to agree on a proposed briefing schedule, they will submit separate proposals to the Court. 4. In the event the Court denies Defendants’ Motions to Dismiss, in whole or in part, De- fendants’ answers shall be due within 60 days of the Court’s denial of the last of the Motions. 5. If the Court grants Plaintiff’s Motion to Remand, the Parties agree to abide by the same schedule in state court: Defendants will file any Motions to Dismiss within 60 days of the action being 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 remanded to state court, and the Parties will promptly meet and confer and endeavor to propose a briefing schedule and plan for those motions within 10 days of the remand order taking effect. 6. Defendants reserve the right to seek an extension of time to respond to the Complaint and the Parties reserve the right to request that the Court stay proceedings. 7. The deadline to serve Rule 26(a) Initial Disclosures and the issuance of a Rule 16(b) Scheduling Order shall be stayed until after the Court has ruled on the Motion to Remand. 19 8. Defendants do not, by agreeing to the procedures herein to have the Court consider and 20 21 adjudicate the Motion to Remand prior to any further proceedings, waive their objections to personal 22 jurisdiction, insufficient process, or insufficient service of process. Plaintiff agrees that it will not assert 23 in federal or state court that there has been any waiver of personal jurisdiction because of the Parties’ 24 agreement to have the Court consider and adjudicate the Motion to Remand prior to the filing of Mo- 25 tions to Dismiss. 26 27 28 GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP STIPULATED MOTION AND ORDER RE BRIEFING SCHEDULE 2:24-cv-157 3 333 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90071-3197 213.229.7000 1 2 3 9. The deadlines of foreign defendants BP p.l.c. and Shell p.l.c. to file an Answer or Mo- tion to Dismiss or otherwise respond to the Complaint shall be no earlier than the deadlines applicable to Defendants set forth herein. 4 Counsel certifies that this memorandum contains 978 words, in compliance with the Local Civil 5 6 7 Rules. Dated February 9, 2024. 8 SHER EDLING LLP 9 By: /s/ Corrie J. Yackulic 17 Corrie J. Yackulic, WSBA No. 16063 Victor M. Sher (pro hac vice forthcoming) Matthew K. Edling (pro hac vice forthcoming) Katie Jones (pro hac vice forthcoming) 100 Montgomery St., Ste. 1410 San Francisco, CA 94104 Tel: (628) 231-2500 Fax: (628) 231-2929 Email: corrie@sheredling.com vic@sheredling.com matt@sheredling.com katie@sheredling.com 18 DRUMMOND WOODSUM & MACMAHON 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 24 ORRICK, HERRINGTON & SUTCLIFFE LLP By: s/Robert M. McKenna Robert M. McKenna (WSBA No. 18327) rmckenna@orrick.com Mark S. Parris (WSBA No. 13870) mparris@orrick.com Andrew Cook (WSBA No. 34004) andrew.cook@orrick.com 401 Union Street, Suite 3100 Seattle, WA 98101 Telephone: 206.839.4300 Facsimile: 206.839.4301 GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP Theodore J. Boutrous, Jr. (pro hac vice forthcoming) tboutrous@gibsondunn.com Andrea E. Neuman (pro hac vice forthcoming) aneuman@gibsondunn.com William E. Thomson (pro hac vice forthcoming) wthomson@gibsondunn.com Joshua D. Dick (pro hac vice forthcoming) jdick@gibsondunn.com 333 South Grand Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90071 Telephone: 213.229.7000 Facsimile: 213.229.7520 Kaighn Smith Jr. (pro hac vice forthcoming) 84 Marginal Way, Suite 600 Portland, ME 04101 Tel: (207) 253-0559 Email: ksmith@dwmlaw.com Attorneys for Plaintiff Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe Attorneys for Defendants Chevron Corporation and Chevron U.S.A. Inc. 25 26 27 28 GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP STIPULATED MOTION AND ORDER RE BRIEFING SCHEDULE 2:24-cv-157 4 333 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90071-3197 213.229.7000 1 BYRNES KELLER CROMWELL LLP STOEL RIVES LLP 2 By: s/ Bradley S. Keller Bradley S. Keller, WSBA #10665 By: s/ Joshua B. Selig Joshua B. Selig, WSBA #39628 1000 Second Avenue, 38th Floor Seattle, WA 98104 Tel: (206) 622-2000 Fax: (206) 622-2522 Email: bkeller@byrneskeller.com jselig@byrneskeller.com By: s/ Vanessa Soriano Power Vanessa Soriano Power, WSBA No. 30777 vanessa.power@stoel.com Rachel H. Cox, WSBA No. 45020 rachel.cox@stoel.com STOEL RIVES LLP 600 University Street, Suite 3600 Seattle, WA 98101 Telephone: (206) 624-0900 3 4 5 6 7 ARNOLD & PORTER KAYE SCHOLER LLP 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Nancy G. Milburn (pro hac vice forthcoming) Diana E. Reiter (pro hac vice forthcoming) 250 West 55th Street New York, NY 10019-9710 Tel.: (212) 836-8383 Fax: (212) 715-1399 Email: nancy.milburn@arnoldporter.com Email: diana.reiter@arnoldporter.com PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON LLP Theodore V. Wells, Jr. (pro hac vice forthcoming) Daniel J. Toal (pro hac vice forthcoming) Yahonnes Cleary (pro hac vice forthcoming) Caitlin E. Grusauskas (pro hac vice forthcoming) 1285 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10019-6064 Tel.: (212) 373-3000 Fax: (212) 757-3990 Email: twells@paulweiss.com Email: dtoal@paulweiss.com Email: ycleary@paulweiss.com Email: cgrusauskas@paulweiss.com John D. Lombardo (pro hac vice forthcoming) 777 South Figueroa Street, 44th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90017-5844 Tel.: (213) 243-4000 Fax: (213) 243-4199 Email: john.lombardo@arnoldporter.com Jonathan W. Hughes (pro hac vice forthcoming) Three Embarcadero Center, 10th Floor San Francisco, CA 94111-4024 Tel.: (415) 471-3100 Fax: (415) 471-3400 Email: jonathan.hughes@arnoldporter.com Attorneys for Defendant BP America Inc. 20 21 Attorneys for Defendants EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION and EXXONMOBIL OIL CORPORATION 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP STIPULATED MOTION AND ORDER RE BRIEFING SCHEDULE 2:24-cv-157 5 333 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90071-3197 213.229.7000 1 CORR CRONIN LLP SUMMIT LAW GROUP, PLLC 2 By: s/ Timothy A. Bradshaw Timothy A. Bradshaw, WSBA No. 17983 Jeff Bone, WSBA No. 43965 Victoria E. Ainsworth, WSBA No. 49677 1015 Second Avenue, Floor 10 Seattle, WA 98104-1001 (206) 625-8600 Phone (206) 625-0900 Fax tbradshaw@corrcronin.com jbone@corrcronin.com tainsworth@corrcronin.com By: s/ Alexander A. Baehr Alexander A. Baehr, WSBA No. 25320 alexb@summitlaw.com s/ Molly J. Gibbons Molly J. Gibbons WSBA #58357 mollyg@summitlaw.com 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 WILMER CUTLER PICKERING HALE AND DORR LLP LATHAM & WATKINS LLP Nicole C. Valco (pro hac vice forthcoming) nicole.valco@lw.com Katherine A. Rouse (pro hac vice forthcoming) kathrine.rouse@lw.com 505 Montgomery St., Suite 2000 San Francisco, CA 94111-6538 Telephone: (415) 391-0600 Attorneys for Defendants Phillips 66 and Phillips 66 Hallie B. Levin (pro hac vice forthcom- Company ing) 7 World Trade Center 250 Greenwich Street New York, NY 10007 K&L GATES LLP Telephone: (212) 295-6710 Facsimile: (212) 230-8888 By: s/ Kari L. Vander Stoep Email: hallie.levin@wilmerhale.com Kari L. Vander Stoep, WSBA # 35923 925 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2900 Matthew T. Martens (pro hac vice forthSeattle, Washington 98104-1158 coming) Tel: +1 206 623 7580 2100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Fax: +1 206 623 7022 Washington, DC 20037 Email: kari.vanderstoep@klgates.com Telephone: (202) 663-6921 Facsimile: (202) 663-6363 KELLOGG, HANSEN, TODD, Email: matthew.martens@wilFIGEL & FREDERICK, P.L.L.C. merhale.com David C. Frederick (pro hac vice forthcoming) Robert Kingsley Smith (pro hac vice James M. Webster, III (pro hac vice forthcoming) forthcoming) Daniel S. Severson (pro hac vice forthcoming) 60 State Street Daren G. Zhang (pro hac vice forthcoming) Boston, MA 02109 1615 M Street, N.W., Suite 400 Telephone: (617) 526-6759 Washington, D.C. 20036 Facsimile: (617) 526-5000 Telephone: (202) 326-7900 Email: robert.smith@wilmerhale.com Facsimile: (202) 326-7999 Email: dfrederick@kellogghansen.com Email: jwebster@kellogghansen.com Attorneys for Defendants Conocophillips and Email: dseverson@kellogghansen.com Conocophillips Company Email: dzhang@kellogghansen.com 25 Attorneys for Shell USA, Inc. (f/k/a Shell Oil Company) 26 27 28 GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP STIPULATED MOTION AND ORDER RE BRIEFING SCHEDULE 2:24-cv-157 6 333 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90071-3197 213.229.7000 1 ORDER 2 3 4 For the reasons above, and finding good cause, the Court hereby grants the Parties’ stipulated motion. It is so ordered. 5 6 A 7 Jamal N. Whitehead United States District Judge 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP STIPULATED MOTION AND ORDER RE BRIEFING SCHEDULE 2:24-cv-157 7 333 SOUTH GRAND AVENUE, LOS ANGELES, CA 90071-3197 213.229.7000

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