Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_02-cv-06553/USCOURTS-caed-1_02-cv-06553-4/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 890
Nature of Suit: Other Statutory Actions
Cause of Action: 16:1538 Endangered Species Act

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

Jeanne M. Zolezzi

Jennifer L. Spaletta

HERUM CRABTREE BROWN

A California Professional Corporation

2291 W. March Lane, Suite B100

Stockton, California 95207

Tel: (209) 472-7700

Fax: (209) 472-7986

Attorneys for Plainitff Stockton East Water District

Roger K. Masuda

James Koontz

GRIFFITH & MASUDA

A Professional Law Corporation

517 East Olive Street

P.O. Box 510

Turlock, CA 95381

Telephone: (209) 667-5501; (209) 667-8176 (fax)

Attorneys for Plaintiff Turlock Irrigation District

SUE ELLEN WOOLDRIDGE,

Assistant Attorney General

Environment and Natural Resources Division

JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Chief

BRIDGET KENNEDY McNEIL, Trial Attorney

Wildlife and Marine Resources Section

Environment and Natural Resources Division

U.S. Department of Justice

Ben Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, D.C. 20044-7369

Tel: (202) 305-0388/ Fax: (202)305-0275

bridget.mcneil@usdoj.gov

Attorneys for Defendants Carlos Gutierrez, 

in his official capacity as Secretary of Commerce;

National Marine Fisheries Service (“NMFS”);

Dr. William T. Hogarth, in his official capacity as 

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS; 

D. Robert Lohn, in his official capacity as 

Regional Administrator, Northwest Region NMFS; and

Rodney McInnis, in his official capacity as 

Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS.

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

__________________________________________

)

MODESTO IRRIGATION DISTRICT, ) 

a California irrigation district, et al., )

) CIV-F-02-6553 OWW DLB

Plaintiffs, )

v. )

Case 1:02-cv-06553-OWW -DLB Document 116 Filed 07/05/06 Page 1 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

2

STIPULATION TO SETTLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS

)

CARLOS GUTIERREZ, in his official capacity as )

Secretary of Commerce, et al., )

) STIPULATION TO SETTLE

Defendants, ) PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR

) ATTORNEYS’ FEES

and )

)

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA COUNCIL OF )

FEDERATION OF FLY FISHERS, et al., )

)

Defendant-Intervenors. )

__________________________________________)

Plaintiffs Turlock Irrigation District and Stockton East Water District, and Defendants

Carlos Gutierrez, in his official capacity as Secretary of Commerce; the National Marine

Fisheries Service (“NMFS”); Dr. William T. Hogarth, in his official capacity as Assistant

Administrator for Fisheries, NMFS; D. Robert Lohn, in his official capacity as Regional

Administrator, Northwest Region NMFS; and Rodney McInnis, in his official capacity as

Regional Administrator, Southwest Region, NMFS, (collectively “Federal Defendants” or

“NMFS”), by and through their undersigned counsel, say as follows:

WHEREAS, pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”), 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.

(1973), the Service published in the Federal Register the final rule listing the Central Valley

California distinct population segment of steelhead (“CV steelhead”) as threatened. 63 Fed. Reg.

13,347 (March 19, 1998);

WHEREAS on December 11, 2002, Plaintiffs filed their Complaint against Defendants

challenging the CV steelhead listing determination for failure to include resident rainbow trout

and hatchery populations of CV steelhead, in violation of Section 4 of the Endangered Species

Act (“ESA”), 16 U.S.C. § 1533; 

WHEREAS on April 12, 2004, the Court granted, in part, Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary

Judgment, invalidating the 1998 ESA listing of CV steelhead, but staying the order until NMFS

expected to issue a new listing determination for the CV steelhead, or June 11, 2005;

WHEREAS after two extensions of the stay order, NMFS published a new listing for this

Case 1:02-cv-06553-OWW -DLB Document 116 Filed 07/05/06 Page 2 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

3

STIPULATION TO SETTLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS

distinct population segment, 71 Fed. Reg. 834 (Jan. 5, 2006); 

WHEREAS at the February 9, 2006 status conference, all the parties agreed that final

judgment should be entered in favor of Plaintiffs in this matter;

WHEREAS such final judgment was entered on May 22, 2006;

WHEREAS on June 1, 2006, Plaintiffs Turlock Irrigation District and Stockton East

Water District moved for an award of attorneys’ fees and costs;

WHEREAS the parties agree that it is in the interest of the parties and judicial economy

to settle the Plaintiff’s claim for attorneys’ fees and costs in this action without protracted

litigation; and

WHEREAS the parties enter this Stipulation without any admission of fact or law, or

waiver of any claims or defenses, factual or legal.

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereby Stipulate and Agree as follows:

1. Defendant agrees to settle all of Plaintiff’s claims for costs and attorneys’ fees in the

above-captioned litigation for a total of $ 61,106.25. Two checks will be made payable: (1) as to

Plaintiff Turlock Irrigation District, the check will be made payable to the Griffith & Masuda

Trust Account, in the amount of $40,367.25, sent to Griffith & Masuda, 517 East Olive Street,

P.O. Box 510, Turlock, California, 95381; and (2) as to Plaintiff Stockton East Water District, a

check in the amount of $20,739.00 will be made payable to Herum Crabtree Brown, 2291 West

March Lane Suite B100, Stockton, California, 95207.

2. Defendant agrees to submit all necessary paperwork to the Department of the

Treasury’s Judgment Fund Office, pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1540(g)(4), within ten (10) business

days of receipt of the signed court order approving this stipulation;

3. If payment is not made within 90 days from the Court’s entry of this stipulation,

Plaintiffs reserve the right to recalendar their motion for fees for hearing on the earliest possible

date. Before Plaintiffs recalendar the motion, the parties shall attempt to negotiate an extension

of the payment deadline.

Case 1:02-cv-06553-OWW -DLB Document 116 Filed 07/05/06 Page 3 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

4

STIPULATION TO SETTLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS

4. Plaintiffs agree to accept payment of $ 61,106.25 in full satisfaction of any and all

claims for attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation to which Plaintiffs are entitled in the abovecaptioned litigation, through and including the date of this agreement;

5. Plaintiffs agree that receipt of this payment from Defendant shall operate as a release

of Plaintiffs’ claims for attorneys’ fees and costs in this matter, through and including the date of

this agreement;

6. By this agreement, Defendant does not waive any right to contest fees claimed by

Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs’ counsel, including the hourly rate, in any future litigation, or continuation

of the present action. Further, this stipulation as to attorneys’ fees and costs has no precedential

value and shall not be used as evidence in any other attorneys’ fees litigation.

Dated: July 3, 2006. SUE ELLEN WOOLDRIDGE, 

Assistant Attorney General

United States Department of Justice

JEAN WILLIAMS, Chief

By: /s/ Bridget Kennedy McNeil_____________

BRIDGET KENNEDY McNEIL, Trial Attorney

Wildlife and Marine Resources Section

Environment and Natural Resources Division

United States Department of Justice

Ben Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, D.C. 20044-7369

Tel: (202) 305-0229 / Fax: (202) 305-0275

bridget.mcneil@usdoj.gov

Attorneys for Defendants

Dated: July 3, 2006. /s/ Jeanne M. Zolezzi 

Jeanne M. Zolezzi

Jennifer L. Spaletta

HERUM CRABTREE BROWN

A California Professional Corporation

2291 W. March Lane, Suite B100

Stockton, California 95207

Tel: (209) 472-7700

Fax: (209) 472-7986

Attorneys for Plaintiff Stockton East Water District

Case 1:02-cv-06553-OWW -DLB Document 116 Filed 07/05/06 Page 4 of 5
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

5

STIPULATION TO SETTLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS

Dated: July 3, 2006. /s/ Roger K. Masuda 

Roger K. Masuda

James Koontz

GRIFFITH & MASUDA

A Professional Law Corporation

517 East Olive Street

P.O. Box 510

Turlock, CA 95381

Telephone: (209) 667-5501; (209) 667-8176 (fax)

Attorneys for Plaintiff Turlock Irrigation District

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: July 5, 2006 /s/ Oliver W. Wanger 

emm0d6 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 1:02-cv-06553-OWW -DLB Document 116 Filed 07/05/06 Page 5 of 5