Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-00387/USCOURTS-caed-2_06-cv-00387-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 42:6901 Environmental Cleanup Expenses

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[PROPOSED] ORDER APPROVING SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THIRD-PARTY PLAINTIFFS AND THE

MESSINGER PARTIES AND GOOD FAITH DETERMINATION Page - 1 - 

 

Daniel F. Reidy - California Bar No. 74941

LAW OFFICES OF DANIEL F. REIDY

3701 Sacramento Street, # 386

San Francisco, CA 94118

Telephone: (415) 750-4210

Facsimile: (415) 750-4214

Attorneys for Defendants and Third-Party

Plaintiffs Alpheus Kaplan and

Nehemiah Development Company

Paul R. Bartleson, CSBN 119273

Law Offices of Paul R. Bartleson

1007 7 Street, Suite 214 th

Sacramento, CA 95814

Tel. (916) 447-6640

Fax (916) 447-7840

Attorney for Third Party Defendants

James L. Messinger, an Individual,

Steel Building Systems, Inc.

and Associated Engineers and Planners, Inc.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

Plaintiff,

v.

HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, 

INC., ALPHEUS KAPLAN, 

NEHEMIAH DEVELOPMENT 

COMPANY,

Defendants

_________________________________/

AND RELATED CROSS-ACTIONS

_________________________________/

Civil Action No. 2:06-cv-00387- MCE-JFM 

ORDER APPROVING SETTLEMENT

BETWEEN THIRD-PARTY PLAINTIFFS 

AND THIRD-PARTY DEFENDANTS

JAMES MESSINGER, STEEL BUILDING

SYSTEMS, INC. AND ASSOCIATED

ENGINEERS AND PLANNERS, INC.

AND GOOD FAITH DETERMINATION 

Hearing Date: 11/02/07 

Time: 9:00 A.M.

Place: Courtroom 3 

Judge: Morrison C. England, Jr. 

Pretrial Conference: 3/17/2008

Trial Date: 4/23/2008

Case 2:06-cv-00387-MCE -JFM Document 115 Filed 11/05/07 Page 1 of 3
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[PROPOSED] ORDER APPROVING SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THIRD-PARTY PLAINTIFFS AND THE

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Third-Party Plaintiffs ALPHEUS KAPLAN and NEHEMIAH DEVELOPMENT

COMPANY (“collectively “Third-Party Plaintiffs”) and Third-Party Defendants JAMES

MESSINGER, STEEL BUILDING SYSTEMS, INC. AND ASSOCIATED ENGINEERS AND

PLANNERS, INC. (collectively “the Messinger Parties”)’s Joint Motion for Approval of

Settlements and Good Faith Determination (the “Motion”) was considered by this Court. After

considering the moving papers, any responses thereto, the Mutua Rlease and Settlement

Agreement, the proposed settlement payment by the Messinger Parties to Third-Party Plaintiffs of

Twenty Thousand Dollars ($20,000.00), and the record as a whole, the Court finds that the Mutual

Settlement and Release Agreement entered into between the Third-Party Plaintiffs and the

Messinger Parties was made in good faith and is fair, reasonable and consistent with the purposes

of the Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”),

42 U.S.C. § 9601 et seq.. 

The matter having been briefed, argued, and submitted for decision, and good cause

appearing,

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Motion is GRANTED, and IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED THAT:

1. Section 6 of the Uniform Comparative Fault Act (“UCFA”), 12 U.L.A. 147 (1996), in

pertinent part, is hereby adopted as the federal common law in this case for the purposes of

determining the legal effect of the Mutual Settlement and Release Agreement.

2. The Mutual Settlement and Release Agreement is hereby approved pursuant to Section

6 of UCFA and California Code of Civil Procedure section 877.6.

3. The Court further finds and determines that the Third-Party Plaintiffs and the

Messinger Parties entered into their settlement agreement in good faith pursuant to California

Civil Procedure Code section 877.6.

4. Pursuant to Section 6 of UCFA and California Civil Procedure Code section 877.6, any

and all claims for contribution and indemnity against any or all of the Messinger Parties arising

out of the facts alleged by Third-Party Plaintiffs in the Third-Party Complaint (as amended), as

Case 2:06-cv-00387-MCE -JFM Document 115 Filed 11/05/07 Page 2 of 3
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[PROPOSED] ORDER APPROVING SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THIRD-PARTY PLAINTIFFS AND THE

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further provided for in the settlement agreement (the terms of which are incorporated herein), or

otherwise related to or arising in the Action, are barred, regardless of when such claims are

asserted and by whom, and regardless of whether the claims are brought pursuant to CERCLA or

any other federal or state law.

5. Any and all claims, including direct claims, cross-claims, counter-claims, and thirdparty claims, alleged, or that could have been alleged, against any or all of the Messinger Parties

by any party, including Third-Party Plaintiffs, are hereby dismissed with prejudice. 

6. Any and all claims, including direct claims, cross-claims, counter-claims, and thirdparty claims, alleged, or that could have been alleged, by any of the Messinger Parties against the

Third-Party Plaintiffs, are hereby dismissed with prejudice. 

7. The nonsettlors’ share of liability for contribution pursuant to CERCLA for alleged

respective shares of the response costs and other costs Plaintiff United States claimed it incurred

with respect to the Central Eureka Mine Superfund Site in Amador County (the “Site”) is hereby

reduced by the Messinger Parties’ proportionate shares of liability in accordance with the

“comparative fault” or “proportionate share” rule embodied in UCFA. 

8. This Court retains jurisdiction to enforce the Mutual Settlement and Release

Agreement.

Dated: November 5, 2007

________________________________

MORRISON C. ENGLAND, JR.

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 2:06-cv-00387-MCE -JFM Document 115 Filed 11/05/07 Page 3 of 3