Gonzalez v. Priceless Clothing Company
- Valerie Caproni
- 1:23-cv-09206
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 2
In Gonzalez v. Priceless Clothing Company, Judge Caproni dismissed the case with prejudice after settlement, without binding absent putative class members.
Yanilza Gonzalez and Priceless Clothing Company are bound by the dismissal and any settlement between them. Absent putative class members are not bound by the dismissal or settlement under this order.
What happened
In Gonzalez v. Priceless Clothing Company, Yanilza Gonzalez sued Priceless Clothing Company on behalf of herself and others similarly situated. The parties told the court they had reached an agreement in principle resolving all issues.
The court canceled scheduled conferences and deadlines, dismissed the case with prejudice, and ordered that neither party receive costs or attorneys’ fees. The parties may ask to reopen the case within 30 days by showing good cause, and they may ask the court to retain authority to enforce their settlement by submitting the agreement and a specific request within that period.
Judge Valerie Caproni ordered the Clerk to close the case and remove the class-action language from the caption. Because the parties did not tell the court they intended to follow the federal class-settlement procedure, the dismissal and any settlement apply only to Gonzalez and Priceless Clothing Company and do not bind absent putative class members.
The detailed version
- Gonzalez v. Priceless Clothing Company · No. 1:23-cv-09206
- Valerie Caproni
- Feb. 16, 2024
Background
Yanilza Gonzalez brought the case against Priceless Clothing Company individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated. The parties notified the court that they had reached an agreement in principle 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 parties may apply to reopen the case within 30 days, but the application must show good cause for keeping the case open in light of the settlement. The court also stated that the parties may seek continued jurisdiction to enforce the settlement agreement by submitting the agreement and requesting an order expressly retaining jurisdiction within the same 30-day period.
Class-Action Effect
The court directed the Clerk to remove the caption language stating that Gonzalez sued on behalf of all others similarly situated. Because the parties had not notified the court that they intended to comply with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(e), the dismissal and any settlement are operative only between Gonzalez and Priceless Clothing Company. They do not bind absent putative class members.
Disposition
Judge Valerie Caproni dismissed the case with prejudice, without costs to either party, and ordered the case closed. The order resolved the action through the parties’ reported settlement agreement rather than deciding the underlying claims on their merits.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.