Issuing or filing party: Minnesota District Court, Seventh Judicial District
Case number: 56-CV-25-198
Document index: 232
Order and filing date: October 27, 2026
Related hearing: October 1, 2026 review hearing
Document type: Order directing mediation, removing previous trial settings, and permitting confidential filings
Result: Mediation ordered by January 15, 2027; previous trial settings removed; specified confidential filings permitted.
Primary issue: Further settlement efforts, the trial calendar, and the confidential filing of Indexes 227 and 228.
Length: 2 original pages; complete order

About this document

This order was entered in Precision Locating, LLC and Arvig Enterprises, Inc. v. Martin D. Starkebaum, Otter Tail County Court File No. 56-CV-25-198. It followed the October 1 review hearing concerning the parties’ inability to finalize the written terms of a tentative agreement reached at the August 18 pretrial.

What the record shows

The court directed the parties to complete mediation by January 15, 2027, removed prior trial settings, and stated that a new pretrial would address the remaining motions if mediation failed. It also permitted Indexes 227 and 228 to be filed confidentially. The order did not dismiss the case or decide the remaining merits motions.

Document access and page references

The PDF is the complete two-page court order, unchanged. PDF pages 1 and 2 correspond to the original pages. The extracted text below follows those pages.

Open or download the PDF.

Related Justice-Denied reporting

Before a Jury Hears the Facts follows the case’s procedural course and changed trial setting. One Day in Starkebaum and Years in Stevenson examines the separate September confidentiality response and the later October ruling.

Read the extracted text transcript

Accessible document transcript

[Original PDF page 1 | PDF page 1]
State of Minnesota District Court
County of Otter Tail Seventh Judicial District
Court File Number: 56-CV-25-198
Case Type: Civil

Order

Precision Locating, LLC, Arvig Enterprises, Inc,
Plaintiff
vs.
Martin D Starkebaum,
Respondent

The above-entitled matter came before the undersigned Judge of District Court, for a
review hearing on October 1, 2026, at the Otter Tail County Courthouse, via remote technology.
The hearing was held due to the party’s inability to memorialize, in writing, the tentative
agreement reached at the August 18, 2026, Pretrial. Plaintiffs are represented by Kurt Erickson,
and Colin Abress, who were present. Defendant is represented by John Ella, who was present
with respondent, Martin Starkebaum.

Findings of Fact

1. The Court, without detailing any of the settlement terms/negotiations that took place on
August 18, 2026, believes that an addition Mediation session between the parties is
appropriate. The Court finds that given the tentative agreement resources are better
dedicated to attempting to finalize the settlement language. A good faith effort is expected
of both parties at mediation.
2. The parties shall complete mediation by January 15, 2027. The parties shall immediately
notify the Court of the outcome of mediation.
3. If mediation is unsuccessful in reaching a resolution, the Court will set the matter back on
for Pretrial where the remaining motions will be addressed.
4. Further a motion was filed at Index 226, requesting that Index numbers 227 and 228 be
filed as confidential. The Court finds that request appropriate.

[Original PDF page 2 | PDF page 2]
Order

It is hereby ordered:
1. The parties shall participate in mediation as stated above.
2. Any previous Trial setting will be removed from the calendar, with a Pretrial setting to be
determined later if mediation is unsuccessful.
3. Index 227 and 228 shall be allowed to be filed as confidential.
By the Court:

Kevin M. Miller
Judge of District Court
Date: October 27, 2026