Jones v. Regions Financial Corporation

Filing 20

ORDER approving settlement agreement and requiring parties to file proposed order for dismissal within ten days. Signed by Magistrate Judge John J. O'Sullivan on 12/8/2008. (lc2)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA CASE NO . 08-61502-CIV-SEITZ/O'SULLIVAN MICHELLE JONES, Plaintiff, v. REGIONS FINANCIAL CORPORATION, a foreign corporation, Defendant. ______________________________/ ORDER APPROVING SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT THIS MATTER came before the Court following the parties' notice of settlement and having conducted a fairness hearing concerning the settlement on December 8, 2008. THE COURT has heard from counsel and considered the terms of the Settlement Agreement, the pertinent portions of the record, and is otherwise fully advised in the premises. This case involves a claim for unpaid overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. §201, et seq ("FLSA"). In reviewing a settlement of an FLSA private claim, a court must "scrutiniz[e] the settlement for fairness," and determine that the settlement is a "fair and reasonable resolution of a bona fide dispute over FLSA provisions." Lynn Food Stores v. United States, 679 F.2d 1350, 1352-53 (11th Cir. 1982). A settlement entered into in an adversarial context where both sides are represented by counsel throughout litigation "is more likely to reflect a reasonable compromise of disputed issues." Id. The district court may approve the settlement in

order to promote the policy of encouraging settlement of litigation. Id. at 1354. In this case, there is a bona fide dispute over FLSA provisions, as evidenced by the claims alleged and defenses alleged in the pleadings. The Court has reviewed the terms of the Settlement Agreement including the amount to be received by the plaintiff and the attorney's fees and costs to be received by counsel and finds that the compromise reached by the parties is a fair and reasonable resolution of the parties' bona fide disputes. Accordingly, it is ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the parties' Settlement Agreement (including attorney's fees and costs) is hereby APPROVED. It is further ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that the parties shall file a proposed order for dismissal with the Court within ten (10) days of the date of this Order. DONE AND ORDERED, in Chambers, at Miami, Florida this 8th day of December, 2008.

JOHN J. O'SULLIVAN UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE Copies furnished to: U.S. District Judge Seitz All counsel of record

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