As We Indicated -- We Now Await A Redacted Pre-Trial Order Copy, By Joint Submission -- But With A Potential 2024 Trial Date... It May Slip To November 2023.

This morning's court-filed mail in the name spat offers us proof that our concerns are being addressed. Just not as swiftly as would obtain, under Chicago's local federal rule book. We will be reasonably patient, since it is now clear a trial date cannot feasibly be set before late in 2024 (due to the court's own quite bustling-and-busy docket).

In any event, it is good to see that the parties are mindful that the fourth estate has a right to see this document in redacted form -- as do. . ."we, the people". After all, this is certainly a multi-billion dollar bit of federal litigation, involving two premier multinational life science companies:

. . .Dear Judge Hammer:

We represent Plaintiffs in this matter. Together with counsel for Defendant, we write to request an extension of the time to file redacted copies and a motion to seal associated with the proposed Final Pretrial Order filed on September 25, 2023 (ECF No. 227) and the anticipated Final Pretrial Order that the Court will enter after the Final Pretrial Conference, currently scheduled for November 21, 2023.

Under the local rules, the redacted copy of the proposed Final Pretrial Order and a motion to seal are due on October 10, 2023. The parties are conferring about what portions of this document are confidential and require additional time to discuss redactions. In addition, considering the order that the Court will enter after the Final Pretrial Conference will implicate the identical confidential material, we respectfully request permission to file a consolidated motion to seal to cover both documents two weeks after the Court enters the Final Pretrial Order.

If this request is agreeable to the Court, we respectfully request Your Honor endorse this letter below as “So Ordered” and have it placed on the docket.

We appreciate the Court’s attention to this matter.

Respectfully,

/s/ Cynthia S. Betz
Cynthia S. Betz. . . .

Smiling now -- it seems the message was. . . received. Onward, to opera tomorrow night -- and TedTalks, tonight.

नमस्ते