Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-03530/USCOURTS-cand-3_14-cv-03530-7/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 190
Nature of Suit: Other Contract Actions
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Other Contract

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DOUGLAS LADORE, individually and on

behalf of all others similarly situated,

Plaintiff,

v.

SONY COMPUTER ENTERTAINMENT

AMERICA, LLC,

Defendant.

___________________________________/

No. C-14-3530 EMC

ORDER REGARDING STIPULATION

FOR VOLUNTARY DISMISSAL 

(Docket No. 58)

On April 22, 2015, Plaintiff Douglas Ladore and Defendant Sony Computer Entertainment

America, LLC, filed a joint stipulation to dismiss Ladore’s individual claims with prejudice. Docket

No. 58. The complaint in this action was brought by Mr. Ladore on behalf of himself and a putative

class of aggreived consumers. Docket No. 1. If granted, the joint stipulation would completely

resolve this action. 

While courts routinely approve the pre-certification compromise of individual claims where

doing so will result in the dismissal of the entire action (including any putative class claims), the

court must be assured that the class action procedure has not been abused and that proposed class

members will not be prejudiced by such a dismissal. See Manual for Complex Litigation, Fourth §

21.312 (Federal Judicial Center, 2004). Thus, the Court should review a proposed settlement to

ensure that “the filing and voluntary dismissal of class allegations . . . [was not done for] strategic

purposes.” Id.; see also Diaz v. Trust Territory of Pac. Islands, 876 F.2d 1401, 1409 (9th Cir. 1989)

Case 3:14-cv-03530-EMC Document 59 Filed 04/23/15 Page 1 of 2
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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(explaining that notice of precertification voluntary dismissal may be necessary in rare

circumstances to protect members of the proposed class from prejudice). 

In order to determine whether any such notice is necessary in this case, the Court hereby

ORDERS the parties to file a final copy of the settlement terms reached in this case. The parties

may file the settlement agreement under seal. The parties may also file a joint statement, not to

exceed three (3) pages in length, explaining why no notice to proposed class members should be

required here. The settlement agreement and any joint statement shall be filed no later than

Thursday, April 30, 2015. 

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 23, 2015

_________________________

EDWARD M. CHEN

United States District Judge

Case 3:14-cv-03530-EMC Document 59 Filed 04/23/15 Page 2 of 2