In the Matter of Court Approval of Confidential Settlement on Behalf of J.R., a minor

Filing 3

ORDER granting motion to seal, requiring supplemental statement regarding jurisdiction by 4/24/2017. Signed by District Judge James D. Peterson on 4/17/2017. (arw)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE WESTERN DISTRICT OF WISCONSIN

IN THE MATTER OF COURT APPROVAL OF
CONFIDENTIAL SETTLEMENT ON BEHALF OF
J.R., A MINOR

ORDER
17-cv-277-jdp

This case involves the settlement of a tort claim involving a minor, J.R. One of the
parties, United Air Lines, Inc., petitions the court to appoint a guardian ad litem for J.R. to
review the settlement and the related trust, to approve the settlement, and to allow the
settlement and trust documents to be filed under seal.
The motion to seal is granted.
I anticipate that I will grant the motion to appoint the GAL and hold a hearing on the
approval of the settlement and trust. But before I take any substantive action, I will require
United to verify that the court has subject matter jurisdiction. I infer that United invokes the
court’s diversity jurisdiction, but the petition does not indicate the citizenship of the parties.
Accordingly, I will require United to submit a supplemental statement to provide this
information and to state the basis of the court’s jurisdiction.
Once United makes this filing, and assuming the court has jurisdiction, I will appoint
Mr. Huibregtse as GAL and set a hearing. At the hearing, I will expect Mr. Huibregtse to
explain why the settlement and the terms of the trust are in J.R.’s interests. I note that
standards for distributions from the trust are quite restrictive, that the trust extends well
beyond J.R.’s minority, and that the powers of the trustee are extremely broad.

ORDER
IT IS ORDERED that:
1. The motion to seal is granted.
2. United Air Lines, Inc., may have until April 24, 2017, to file a supplemental
statement regarding the court’s jurisdiction.

Entered April 17, 2017.
BY THE COURT:
/s/
________________________________________
JAMES D. PETERSON
District Judge

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