Mejia Mendez v. Sweet Sam's Baking Company LLC
- Stewart Aaron
- 1:18-cv-09910
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In Mejia Mendez v. Sweet Sam’s Baking Company LLC, Judge Aaron required the parties to justify their Fair Labor Standards Act settlement before court review.
The plaintiffs and defendants in the case, who were required to submit a joint letter or motion and supporting settlement materials.
What happened
Mejia Mendez v. Sweet Sam’s Baking Company LLC involves claims arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The parties reached a settlement at a January 14, 2020 settlement conference and then agreed that Judge Stewart D. Aaron would handle all proceedings.
The court required the parties to submit a joint letter or motion explaining whether the settlement is fair and reasonable. The filing must discuss the claims, defenses, potential damages, strengths and weaknesses, settlement negotiations, and other relevant factors.
Judge Stewart D. Aaron ordered the filing by January 31, 2020. The parties also must explain the attorneys’ fee arrangement, provide the retainer agreement and information about fees incurred and counsel’s experience, and attach the settlement agreement.
The detailed version
- Mejia Mendez v. Sweet Sam's Baking Company LLC · No. 1:18-cv-09910
- Stewart Aaron
- Jan. 14, 2020
Background
The case includes one or more claims under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The parties reached a settlement during a settlement conference before Judge Stewart D. Aaron on January 14, 2020. They later consented to have all proceedings handled by him.
Court’s Order
Because settlements of Fair Labor Standards Act claims require court scrutiny under the cited precedent, the court ordered the parties to file a joint letter or motion addressing whether their settlement is fair and reasonable. The filing was due by Friday, January 31, 2020.
The filing must address the claims and defenses, the defendants’ potential monetary exposure and the basis for calculating it, the strengths and weaknesses of the plaintiffs’ case and the defendants’ defenses, reasons for any difference between the potential value of the claims and the settlement amount, the litigation and negotiation process, and other relevant issues, including whether a judgment would be collectible if the case went to trial. It also must explain the attorneys’ fee arrangement, attach the retainer agreement, provide information about fees actually spent and the attorneys’ relevant experience, and include the settlement agreement itself.
Disposition
The order does not approve or reject the settlement. It requires the parties to submit information so the court can assess whether the settlement is fair and reasonable. Judge Stewart D. Aaron entered the order on January 14, 2020.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.