Martinez et al v. Schwarzenegger et al

Filing 461

ORDER by Judge Claudia Wilken Granting 458 Final Approval of Class Settlement. (ndr, COURT STAFF) (Filed on 5/23/2013)

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA
SAN FRANCISCO/OAKLAND DIVISION

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LYDIA DOMINGUEZ, et al.,
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Plaintiffs,
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v.
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WILL LIGHTBOURNE, et al.,
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Case No.: C 09-02306 CW
[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING
FINAL APPROVAL OF CLASS
SETTLEMENT
Date:
Time:
Courtroom:

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Plaintiffs PATSY MILLER, ALEX BROWN, by and through his mother and next friend

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Lisa Brown, DONNA BROWN, CHLOE LIPTON, by and through her conservator and next

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friend Julie Weissman-Steinbaugh, HERBERT M. MEYER, LESLIE GORDON, CHARLENE

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AYERS, WILLER BEATRICE SHEPPARD, ANDY MARTINEZ, and CAROLYN STWEART

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(collectively “Named Plaintiffs”) have filed, and State Defendants (Will Lightbourne and Toby

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Douglas) support, a Motion for Final Approval of Class Settlement (“Motion for Final Approval”).

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The Class Settlement Agreement, entered into by Named Plaintiffs, Union Plaintiffs (Service

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Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers, Service Employees International

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Union-United Long Term Care Workers, Service Employees International Union Local 521,

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Service Employees International Union California State Council, United Domestic Workers of

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[Proposed] Order Granting Final Approval of Class Settlement,
Case No. C 09-02306 CW

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America, AFSCME Local 3930, AFL-CIO, and California United Homecare Workers), and State

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Defendants, is attached to this order as Exhibit 1.

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Classes and subclasses in this case have previously been certified under Federal Rule of

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Civil Procedure 23(b)(2) and were amended in the order granting preliminary approval because of

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changed factual circumstances. On April 4, 2013, this Court granted preliminary approval to the

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Class Settlement Agreement and directed notice of the settlement, its terms, and the applicable

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procedures and schedules. A Fairness Hearing was held on May 23, 2013 to determine whether

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the Class Settlement Agreement should be granted final approval pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil

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Procedure 23(e) as fair, adequate, and reasonable. Class members were given an opportunity to

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comment on and object to the Class Settlement Agreement in writing and at that Fairness Hearing.

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Based on consideration of Plaintiffs’ moving papers, the arguments of counsel, the

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objections of class members, and the proceedings in this action to date, the Court hereby finds and

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concludes that:

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1. The Class Notice distributed to Class Members, pursuant to this Court’s prior order,

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was accomplished in all material respects and fully met the requirements of Federal

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Rule of Civil Procedure 23, due process, and any other applicable laws.

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2. The Class Settlement Agreement is fair, reasonable, and adequate in all respects. The

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Class Settlement Agreement provides meaningful relief and is reasonably related to the

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strength of Plaintiffs’ and class members’ claims given the risk, expense, complexity,

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and duration of further litigation. The Class Settlement Agreement is the result of

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arms-length negotiations between experienced counsel representing the interests of the

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Plaintiff Class and State Defendants, after thorough factual and legal investigation.

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3. The Court has reviewed and considered the objections of class members and finds that

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they do not raise concerns that warrant rejecting the Class Settlement Agreement. The

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Settlement Agreement is a reasonable compromise between the parties given the risks

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of further litigation and the harm that permanent reductions to IHSS provider wages

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[Proposed] Order Granting Final Approval of Class Settlement,
Case No. C 09-02306 CW

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would have potentially caused to all Class members in the affected counties if

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permitted to go into effect.

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IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

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1. The Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this litigation and all matters

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relating thereto, and over the Plaintiffs and Defendants. Venue is proper in the

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Northern District of California.

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2. Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(e), this Court grants final approval to

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the Class Settlement Agreement, incorporates the terms of the Class Settlement

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Agreement into this order as though fully set forth, and orders all parties to that

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Agreement (“Parties”) to perform all of their obligations thereunder.
3. This order and the Class Settlement Agreement are binding against the Parties, their

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successors in office, and their respective officers, agents, and employees, and all others

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acting in concert with them.

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4. Plaintiffs are bound by the Class Settlement Agreement not to bring or support any

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lawsuit challenging any provisions of the Class Settlement Agreement. The Class

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Settlement Agreement reserves, and does not waive, Plaintiffs’ right to challenge, on

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any ground including those previously asserted in this case, any of the following acts

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that may occur after this Agreement is signed: any state reductions in participation in

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IHSS wages and/or state approval of wage reductions in IHSS wages; any state

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reductions of IHSS hours, services, or eligibility other than those set forth in the

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Agreement; and any due process challenge to notices of action or provision of hearing

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rights in relation to IHSS service reductions, assessments, or reassessments other than

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those required by this Agreement.

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5. The Court retains exclusive and continuing jurisdiction over this case, the Named

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Plaintiffs, the Plaintiff Classes and Subclasses, and State Defendants for purposes of

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supervising and resolving issues relating to administration, implementation, and

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enforcement of the Class Settlement Agreement; resolving any disputes that may arise

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[Proposed] Order Granting Final Approval of Class Settlement,
Case No. C 09-02306 CW

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regarding the Class Settlement Agreement, its terms, or the enforcement thereof; and

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fashioning appropriate remedies for any violation of that Class Settlement Agreement.

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The Court’s jurisdiction shall expire 30 months after the date of the Centers for

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Medicare and Medicaid Services’ approval or disapproval of the “Assessment”

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described in Section VI of the Agreement.

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6. As set forth in Paragraph 30 of the Class Settlement Agreement, within 30 days of the

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date that the appeal in this case has been dismissed and the legislation attached as

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Exhibit A to the Agreement has been enacted, the parties shall file a Joint Notice and

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Request for Dismissal. At that time, this Court shall dismiss this case and enter final

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judgment with prejudice as to State Defendants, pursuant to the terms of the Class

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Settlement Agreement, while retaining jurisdiction to enforce the Agreement as set

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forth above.

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IT IS SO ORDERED:

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DATED: May 23 2013
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The Honorable Claudia Wilken
United States District Judge

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[Proposed] Order Granting Final Approval of Class Settlement,
Case No. C 09-02306 CW