FIRST:

Thank you very much for the TABLE you keep about the activities relating to the 19 (32-34) DEFENDANTS SEVRED... It should be added to the DD section for all to follow...

SECOND:

When a complaint is filed the PLAINTIFF is given time to SERVE it upon defendants. There are RULES of Court allowing time for SERVICE. Then the case is set before the Judge the case is assigned to, (usually 30-90 days after FILING), for a Status conference to assure orderly movement of the case on the Court's Calendar..

When the Summons is served upon defendants they have 30 days to file an ANSWER. A defendant can ask for extension of time in a pro forma by just filing a COURT provided form where they check issues that such as my client is out of the Country, etc., which will extend their time to ANSWER in 30 day increments, up to 60 days. After that counsel have to file a MOTION and appear in Court, providing good cause for further extentions...

Another way to seek extentions is to contact Plaintiff Lawyer and have them GIVE you and extention by filing the forms for a Joint Motion with the Court asking for the extention...

The only difference between the two ways to get extention to ANSWER is the fact that in the latter example the parties are "TALKING WITH EACH OTHER" already.

In either case the appearance before the Judge within 30-90 days for a status conference is mandatory unless the parties file MOTION for further extentions giving goo reasons, ( like settlement negotiations) to remove the case from the Court Calendar...

So, of the five names you list the defense counsel called EDIG counsel for an Extention. Does that mean they are talking "settlement"?, may be. But you can't be sure unless further Motion is filed with the Court asking for further time extention in those cases. Thus documents 53 and 59 may give you a clue...

Gil...