Mark Seliger v. Fox Corporation

Background

The plaintiff was Mark Seliger. The defendants were Fox Corporation, Fox News Network, LLC, and Does 1–10. The court stated that it had received a final report from the mediator indicating that the parties reached an agreement in principle resolving all issues after court-ordered mediation. The opinion states that the report was received on March 17, 2020, although the order itself is dated March 18, 2021.

Order

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 of Court was directed to terminate all open motions and close the case.

The parties were permitted to apply to reopen the case within 30 days. Such an application had to show good cause for keeping the case open in light of the settlement. The order stated that a request filed after 30 days or without a showing of good cause could be denied on that basis alone.

The order also stated that, if the parties wanted the court to retain jurisdiction—that is, continuing authority—to enforce their settlement agreement, they had to submit the agreement and request an order expressly retaining that authority within the same 30-day period.

What the Court Decided

Judge Valerie Caproni dismissed the case with prejudice and without costs to either party. The order resolved the case based on the parties’ reported agreement in principle and did not decide the merits of the underlying claims.