GOSSETT v. JIUDICY INC

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF GEORGIA
VALDOSTA DIVISION
SUSAN GOSSETT, 	:
:
Plaintiff, 	:
:
v. 	: 	CASE NO.: 7:24-CV-00067 (WLS)
:
JIUDICY INC d/b/a 	:
LABOR FINDERS, 	:
:
Defendant. 	:
:
:
ORDER
Before the Court is Plaintiff’s Motion for Leave to Allow Lead Counsel to Appear
Remotely at the June 30, 2026, pretrial conference (“the Motion”) (Doc. 35). Plaintiff seeks
leave for lead counsel to appear remotely at the pretrial conference because Plaintiff’s local
counsel will appear in person at the conference, Plaintiff’s lead counsel lives in North Carolina,
and the cost of travel would impose an unnecessary financial burden on Plaintiff. (Doc. 35 ¶¶
2–4). The Court notes that Plaintiff timely filed the Motion ahead of the scheduled conference.
It has long been the Court’s practice to require in-person attendance at hearings.
Although accommodations were necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Court has
returned to its longstanding practice of requiring in-person attendance absent a showing of
extraordinary circumstances. The Court finds Counsel’s proffered reasons insufficient to show
such extraordinary circumstances. Costs related to litigation are typical and not extraordinary.
Counsel who practice outside of Georgia who choose to practice in this Court routinely travel
to Albany to attend hearings in person, and the Court sees no reason to treat Counsel in this
case differently. Accordingly, the Motion (Doc. 35) is DENIED.
Case 7:24-cv-00067-WLS Document 36 Filed 06/22/26 Page 1 of 2

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However, the Court is willing to change the time and/or date of the conference to
accommodate Counsel, if they timely make a written request.
SO ORDERED, this 22nd day of June 2026.
/s/ W. Louis Sands
W. LOUIS SANDS, SR. JUDGE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
Case 7:24-cv-00067-WLS Document 36 Filed 06/22/26 Page 2 of 2