Pignatelli v. Pacific Indemnity Company

Background

The court was notified that Federico Pignatelli and The Pignatelli Trust, as plaintiffs, and Pacific Indemnity Company, as defendant, had reached an agreement through mediation resolving all issues.

Court’s Orders

The court canceled all previously scheduled conferences and other deadlines. It dismissed the case with prejudice and without costs, including attorneys’ fees, to either party. The clerk was directed to terminate all open motions and close the case.

The court allowed the parties to apply to reopen the case within 30 days. Any such application had to show good cause for keeping the case open despite the settlement. The court stated that a request filed after 30 days or without a showing of good cause could be denied on that basis alone.

The parties could also ask the court to retain jurisdiction—meaning continuing authority—to enforce their settlement agreement. To do so, they had to submit the settlement agreement under Rule 7.A of the court’s Individual Practices and request an order expressly retaining jurisdiction, all within the same 30-day period.

Disposition

Judge Valerie Caproni dismissed the case with prejudice and without costs, including attorneys’ fees, and directed that the case be closed. The order does not decide the underlying merits of the parties’ dispute.