Motion to Set Hearing — U.S. Navy SEALs 1-3, et al. v. Lloyd J. Austin, III, et al.

Source document: Motion to Set Hearing — U.S. Navy SEALs 1-3, et al. v. Lloyd J. Austin, III, et al.; document type: Plaintiffs' Motion to Set Hearing, 4 pages (motion + certificate of conference + certificate of service).

Full text

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS
FORT WORTH DIVISION

U.S. NAVY SEALs 1-3; on behalf of
themselves and all others similarly situated;
U.S. NAVY EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE
DISPOSAL TECHNICIAN 1, on behalf of
himself and all others similarly situated; U.S.
NAVY SEALS 4-26; U.S. NAVY SPECIAL
WARFARE COMBATANT CRAFT
CREWMEN 1-5; and U.S. NAVY DIVERS
1-3,

Plaintiffs,

v.

LLOYD J. AUSTIN, III, in his official
capacity as United States Secretary of
Defense; UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE; CARLOS
DEL TORO, in his official capacity as
United States Secretary of the Navy,

Defendants.

Case No. 4:21-cv-01236-O

MOTION TO SET HEARING

Plaintiffs respectfully move this Court to set a hearing on either February 28, 2022 or
March 1, 2022 on the pending motions. In support of this Motion, Plaintiffs state the following:
1.
Plaintiffs propose that the Court set a hearing for either February 28, 2022 or March
1, 2022 on the following pending motions:
a. Plaintiffs’ Motion for Class Certification (Dkt. 89);
b. Plaintiffs’ Motion for Classwide Preliminary Injunction (Dkt. 104);
c. Defendants’ Motion for Stay Pending Appeal (Dkt. 85);
d. Plaintiffs’ Motion for Order to Show Cause (Dkt. 95).
Case 4:21-cv-01236-O   Document 112   Filed 02/09/22    Page 1 of 4   PageID 3314
Case 4:21-cv-01236-O   Document 112   Filed 02/09/22    Page 1 of 4   PageID 3314

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2.
According to the Local Rules of this Court and the Court’s February 7 Order,
Plaintiffs’ Motion for Classwide Preliminary Injunction and Motion for Class Certification will be
fully briefed by February 28, 2022 and March 1, 2022, respectively. If either of these hearing dates
work for the Court’s schedule, Plaintiffs are willing to file their reply briefs before the hearing
date.
3.
Plaintiffs believe that setting one hearing for these pending motions will allow the
consideration of Plaintiffs’ request for classwide preliminary relief to be heard expeditiously,
minimize travel for both parties’ counsel, and ensure that all relevant evidence is presented at one
hearing.
4.
If the Court grants Plaintiffs’ Motion for Order to Show Cause (Dkt. 95) or believes
that a hearing on the motion is necessary, Plaintiffs believe that matter should be heard on the same
day as Defendants’ Motion for Stay Pending Appeal (Dkt. 85), as they are related. Plaintiffs
propose that these pending motions be heard on the same day as the hearing on Plaintiffs’ Motion
for Classwide Preliminary Injunction and Motion for Class Certification, as they will both be fully
briefed before the proposed hearing dates.
5.
On February 8, Plaintiffs’ counsel conferred with Defendants’ counsel before filing
this Motion to ascertain whether Defendants are opposed or unopposed. Defendants’ counsel is
available on the dates proposed but is opposed to any hearing on the pending motions. See Cert.
of Conf., infra p. 4.
WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs respectfully request that the Court grant this Motion and set a
hearing on February 28, 2022 or March 1, 2022.

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Respectfully submitted this 9th day of February, 2022.

KELLY J. SHACKELFORD
   Texas Bar No. 18070950
JEFFREY C. MATEER
   Texas Bar No. 13185320
HIRAM S. SASSER, III
   Texas Bar No. 24039157
DAVID J. HACKER
   Texas Bar No. 24103323
MICHAEL D. BERRY
   Texas Bar No. 24085835
JUSTIN BUTTERFIELD
   Texas Bar No. 24062642
Danielle A. Runyan *
  New Jersey Bar No. 027232004
Holly M. Randall *
  Oklahoma Bar No. 34763
FIRST LIBERTY INSTITUTE
2001 W. Plano Pkwy., Ste. 1600
Plano, Texas 75075
Tel: (972) 941-4444
jmateer@firstliberty.org
hsasser@firstliberty.org
dhacker@firstliberty.org
mberry@firstliberty.org
jbutterfield@firstliberty.org
drunyan@firstliberty.org
hrandall@firstliberty.org

JORDAN E. PRATT
   Florida Bar No. 100958*  **
FIRST LIBERTY INSTITUTE
227 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20003
Tel: (972) 941-4444
jpratt@firstliberty.org

*Admitted pro hac vice
** Not yet admitted to the D.C. Bar, but
admitted to practice law in Florida. Practicing
law in D.C. pursuant to D.C. Court of
Appeals Rule 49(c)(8) under the supervision
of an attorney admitted to the D.C. Bar.
/s/ Heather Gebelin Hacker
HEATHER GEBELIN HACKER
   Texas Bar No. 24103325
ANDREW B. STEPHENS
   Texas Bar No. 24079396
HACKER STEPHENS LLP
108 Wild Basin Road South, Suite 250
Austin, Texas 78746
Tel.: (512) 399-3022
heather@hackerstephens.com
andrew@hackerstephens.com

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

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CERTIFICATE OF CONFERENCE
Plaintiffs’ counsel conferred with Defendants’ counsel on February 8, 2022 “to determine
whether the motion is opposed.” L.R. 7(a). Defendants’ counsel asked that this statement be
included as Defendants’ “position”:
Defendants do not believe a hearing is necessary on any pending motions.  If the
Court deems a hearing necessary on Plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction
or motion for class certification, Defendants are available on February 28 or March
1 for a hearing on those motions.  Defendants oppose combining any hearing on
Defendants’ motion to stay, as briefing has been completed on that motion and
resolution of that motion is of the utmost urgency.  Likewise, there is no reason for
the Court to wait until the end of the month to deny Plaintiffs’ motion to show
cause.
/s/ Heather Gebelin Hacker

HEATHER GEBELIN HACKER

Counsel for Plaintiffs

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I hereby certify that on February 9, 2022, I electronically filed the foregoing document
through the Court’s ECF system, which automatically notifies counsel of record for each party.
/s/ Heather Gebelin Hacker

HEATHER GEBELIN HACKER

Counsel for Plaintiffs

Case 4:21-cv-01236-O   Document 112   Filed 02/09/22    Page 4 of 4   PageID 3317
Case 4:21-cv-01236-O   Document 112   Filed 02/09/22    Page 4 of 4   PageID 3317

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