Quezada v. Del Sol Food Company Incorporated

Background

The parties notified the court that they had reached an agreement in principle resolving all issues. The opinion does not describe the underlying claims or the settlement’s terms.

Court’s Orders

The court cancelled 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 allowed 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. A request filed after 30 days or without a showing of good cause could be denied on that basis alone.

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

Class-Action Caption and Effect

The court directed the Clerk to remove the language “individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated” from the caption. Because the parties had not notified the court that they intended to comply with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(e), which governs certain class settlements, the dismissal and any settlement operated only between the individual plaintiff and the defendant. They did not bind absent putative class members.

Disposition

Judge Valerie Caproni dismissed the case with prejudice and without costs to either party, closed the case, and ordered the caption amended. The court did not retain jurisdiction to enforce the settlement in the order itself; it described the steps the parties could take to request that authority within 30 days.