Raudez v. SSMB Pacific Holding Company, Inc.
- Nathanael Cousins
- 5:19-cv-02755
- U.S. District Court · Northern District of California
- 2
In Raudez v. SSMB Pacific Holding Company, Inc., Judge Cousins approved the settlement and dismissed the case with prejudice.
Jeremy Raudez and SSMB Pacific Holding Company, Inc.; the case was closed under their settlement, with each side responsible for its own fees and costs except as provided in the settlement agreement.
What happened
Raudez v. SSMB Pacific Holding Company, Inc. involved Jeremy Raudez’s claims that his employer wrongfully terminated him, failed to provide breaks, and failed to pay wages. One claim was under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
The parties asked the court to dismiss the entire case under a written settlement and release. The court found that the settlement fairly and reasonably resolved a genuine dispute and approved the parties’ request.
Judge Nathanael M. Cousins dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning the case was closed and could not be brought again. Each side was ordered to pay its own fees and costs, except as provided in the settlement agreement, and the clerk was directed to terminate the case.
The detailed version
- Raudez v. SSMB Pacific Holding Company, Inc. · No. 5:19-cv-02755
- Nathanael Cousins
- Apr. 6, 2020
Background
Jeremy Raudez sued SSMB Pacific Holding Company, Inc. over alleged wrongful termination, failure to provide breaks, and failure to pay wages. The opinion states that Raudez worked as a counterman for NorCal Kenworth/SSMB Pacific Holding Company, Inc. and was terminated on January 11, 2019. The case was first filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court and then transferred to federal court. One claim arose under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The court stated that federal jurisdiction existed because the case involved a federal statutory claim and the parties consented to a magistrate judge’s jurisdiction.
Settlement and dismissal request
The parties submitted a written settlement agreement and release, along with a stipulation seeking dismissal of the entire action with prejudice. Under the stipulation, each side would bear its own fees and costs. Because the case included FLSA claims, the court reviewed whether the settlement was a fair and reasonable resolution of a genuine dispute. The court also found that the compensation to Raudez’s counsel, Frank Mayo, was appropriate based on counsel’s skill, experience, and documented work. The opinion does not state the settlement amount.
Ruling
The court approved the stipulated dismissal and dismissed the case with prejudice. It ordered each side to bear its own fees and costs except as specified in the settlement agreement, and instructed the clerk to terminate the case.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.