Henault, et al v. American Foam Co., et al

Filing 1172

ORDER granting (1128) Motion for Settlement; Granting (1136) Motion for Settlement; Granting (1138) Motion for Settlement; Granting (1139) Motion for Settlement; Granting (1145) Motion for Settlement; Granting (1149) Motion Approve "Good Faith&q uot; Settlement; Adopting Report and Recommendations re (1163); Adopting Errata Report and Recommendations re (1169) in case 1:03-cv-00483-L-DLM; Granting (1993) Motion for Settlement; Granting (2000) Motion for Settlement; Granting (2001) Motion for Settlement; Granting (2003) Motion for Settlement; Granting (2004) Motion for Settlement; Granting (2009) Motion for Settlement; Granting (2013) Motion Approve "Good Faith" Settlement; Adopting Report and Recommendations re (2028) Report and Recommendations; Adopting Errata Report and Recommendations re (2034) in case 1:04-cv-00312-L-DLM. So Ordered by Judge Ronald R Lagueux on 9/15/09. (Farrell Pletcher, Paula)

UNITED STATES D I S T R I C T COURT FOR THE D I S T R I C T OF RHODE ISLAND

ALBERT L . GRAY, A d m i n i s t r a t o r , e t a l . , Plaintiffs ,

v.
J E F F R E Y DERDERIAN, e t a l . , Defendants.

C.A . No. 04-312L

ESTATE OF JUDE B. HENAULT, e t a l . , Plaintiffs,
v.

C . A . N o . 03 - 4 8 3 L

AMERICAN FOAM CORPORATION, e t a l . , Defendants.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

R e : REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION - SEVEN DEFENDANTS' MOTIONS TO APPROVE SETTLEMENTS, DATED AUGUST 1 4 , 2 0 0 9

R o n a l d R. L a g u e u x , S e n i o r U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t J u d g e . The Report and Recommendation issued by Magistrate Judge David L. Martin, dated August 14, 2009, i s hereby accepted and a d o p t e d i n i t s e n t i r e t y , p u r s u a n t t o 28 U . S . C .
§

636(b} (I) .

The

Errata Sheet issued by Magistrate Judge Martin on September 3, 2009 , i s incorporated therein. The Report and Recommendation ("R

& R") concerns the proposed settlements of seven defendants or
d e f e n d a n t g r o u p s : I } M c L a u g h l i n & M o r a n , I n c . ; 2} L u n a T e c h , I n c . ; 3) the "Jack Russell Defendants," i . e . , Jack Russell, Jack

Russell T o u r i n g , I n c . , P a u l W o o l n o u g h , M a n i c M u s i c M a n a g e m e n t , Inc . , Knight Records, Inc . , Mark Kendall, David F i l i c e and Eric Po w e r s ; 4) the "LIN Television Defendants," i . e . , Brian Butler,

TVL B r o a d c a s t i n g , I n c . , STC B r o a d c a s t i n g , I n c . , L I N T e l e v i s i o n C o r p . , L I N TV C o r p o r a t i o n , TVL B r o a d c a s t i n g o f R h o d e I s l a n d , L L C . ; 5) D a n i e l B i e c h e l e ; 6) Jeffrey Derderian, Michael High Tech Special Effects, Inc.

D e r d e r i a n , a n d DERCO, LLC; a n d 7)

The l i s t e d Defendants each seek an order finding t h a t the settlement that each has reached with the Plaintiffs represents "a j u d i c i a l ly approved good-faith settlement," as required by Rhode I s l a n d Gen. Laws
§§

10-6-7 and 10-6-8.

No o b j e c t i o n s w e r e

filed to these motions, and, consequently, no hearing has taken place . However, Magistrate Judge Martin has undertaken an

extensive analysis of the legal issues posed by these motions, considering the appropriate standard for evaluating good faith, as well as the prope r allocation of the burden of proof. In

addition, Magistrate Judge Martin has thoroughly reviewed and detailed the settlement negotiations and settlement figures, and has found that each settlement represents "a non-collusive agreement which has been negotiated, bargained for, and agreed to at a rm's length and in good faith." seven settlements is $54,813,218 .82. F o l l o w i n g t h e i s s u a n c e o f t h e R & R, the parties had ten Civ. P. 72(b). No The combined t o t a l of the

d a y s t o f i l e o b j e c t i o n s , p u r s u a n t t o F e d . R.

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objections b e i n g f i l e d ,

t h e R & R, a l o n g w i t h t h e E r r a t a S h e e t ,

are hereby accepted and adopted in full.

·~ a~e~~ Ro~a l d R . L
Date:

Senior United States District Judge

't//r/o r

So Ordered:

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