LL, yes the Court ordered both Parties to attend the settlement conference in Doc 303 but only after both Parties requested the conference. The first paragraph of Doc 297 reads,

“The parties, digEcor, Inc., e.Digital Corporation, William Blakeley and Fred Falk, through their counsel, hereby stipulate and move the Court for an order permitting the parties to participate in a settlement conference conducted by Magistrate Judge David Nuffer, as soon as his schedule, and that of the parties, will conveniently allow.”

I remember either sunpoop or trillium once reporting that Robert Putnam said EDIG has always been receptive of settlement talks with digEcor but that digEcor’s terms were unreasonable. Things seem to have changed for digEcor on 24 Nov 08 as seen in Doc 294 when they withdrew their motion to quash the notices of depositions and associated subpoenas issued by EDIG to Wolf Electronix, Triad Systems Engineering and DeCuir, Inc. and withdrew their request for a Protective Order to bar the discovery sought by EDIG in those subpoenas.

Given BOW's reported ego and stubbornness, why would digEcor withdraw their motions and request a settlement conference one week later in Doc 297 unless digEcor’s position has weakened?