Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-00281/USCOURTS-cand-3_04-cv-00281-28/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 28:1391 Personal Injury

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Case No. C04-0281-JSW

JOINT STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL OF

PLAINTIFF LUIS POCASANGRE CARDOZA’S

NANCY L. ABELL (SB# 88785) nancyabell@paulhastings.com 

ELENA R. BACA (SB# 160564) elenabaca@paulhastings.com 

HEATHER A. MORGAN (SB# 177425) heathermorgan@paulhastings.com

JOSEPH W. DENG (SB# 179320) josephdeng@paulhastings.com 

PAUL, HASTINGS, JANOFSKY & WALKER LLP

515 South Flower Street

Twenty-Fifth Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90071-2228

Telephone: (213) 683-6000

Facsimile: (213) 627-0705

Attorneys for Defendant

CINTAS CORPORATION

Plaintiffs’ Counsel Listed on Next Page

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

ROBERT RAMIREZ, ROBERT

HARRIS, LUIS POCASANGRE

CARDOZA, JOSE SALCEDO, A.

SHAPPELLE THOMPSON,

CORETTA SILVERS (formerly

VICK), SANDRA EVANS, BLANCA

NELLY AVALOS, JAMES MORGAN

and ANTHONY JONES, on behalf of

themselves and all others similarly

situated,

Plaintiffs,

vs.

CINTAS CORPORATION,

Defendant.

CASE NO. C04-0281-JSW

[RELATED TO CASE NO. C05-03145-JSW]

JOINT STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL OF

PLAINTIFF LUIS POCASANGRE CARDOZA’S

CLAIMS WITH PREJUDICE AND [PROPOSED]

ORDER

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT

OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION,

Plaintiff/Intervenor.

Case 3:04-cv-00281-JSW Document 192 Filed 03/09/06 Page 1 of 8
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Case No. C04-0281-JSW

JOINT STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL OF

PLAINTIFF LUIS POCASANGRE CARDOZA’S

MORRIS J. BALLER (SB# 048928)

ROBERTA L. STEELE (SB# 188198) 

NINA RABIN (SB# 229403) 

GOLDSTEIN, DEMCHAK, BALLER,

BORGEN & DARDARIAN 

300 Lakeside Dr., Suite 1000 

Oakland, CA 94612 

Telephone: (510) 763-9800 

Facsimile: (510) 835-1417

PAUL STRAUSS (SB# 153937) 

ROBERT S. LIBMAN (SB# 139283) 

NANCY MALDONADO 

MINER, BARNHILL & GALLAND 

14 W. Erie Street

Chicago, IL 60610 

Telephone: (312) 751-1170 

Facsimile: (312) 751-0438

Attorneys for Plaintiffs ROBERT RAMIREZ, et al.

Case 3:04-cv-00281-JSW Document 192 Filed 03/09/06 Page 2 of 8
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Case No. C04-0281-JSW

JOINT STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL OF

PLAINTIFF LUIS POCASANGRE CARDOZA’S

1

RECITALS

WHEREAS, on August 3, 2005, Plaintiff Luis Pocasangre Cardoza

(“Cardoza”) filed his Fourth Amended Complaint (“FAC”) asserting claims on behalf of

himself and as a putative class representative for certain present and former employees of

Defendant Cintas Corporation (“Cintas”); 

WHEREAS, in the FAC, Cardoza individually asserted claims under the

Civil Rights Act of 1866, 42 U.S.C. §1981, as amended by the Civil Rights Act of 1991

(“Section 1981”), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e, et seq., as

amended (“Title VII”), California Fair Employment and Housing Act, California

Government Code § 12940, et seq. (“FEHA”), and Business and Professions Code

§ 17200, et seq. (“Section 17200”), specifically contending that Cintas refused to hire and

then promote him to a driver (“Sales Service Representative” or “SSR”) position because

of his race (Hispanic) and national origin (El Salvador) (FAC ¶ 6), and that he resigned on

or about August 6, 2003 as a result of that discrimination;

WHEREAS, in the FAC, Cardoza sought to assert claims as a class

representative for Hispanics who allegedly were discriminated against by Cintas’s

decisions not to hire or promote them to the SSR position in Cintas’ Rental Division in

violation of Section 1981, Title VII, FEHA and Section 17200 (FAC ¶¶ 33-40, 48(c),

49(b));

WHEREAS, Cardoza does not have standing to assert any of the claims he

has alleged in his FAC because:

Case 3:04-cv-00281-JSW Document 192 Filed 03/09/06 Page 3 of 8
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Case No. C04-0281-JSW

JOINT STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL OF

PLAINTIFF LUIS POCASANGRE CARDOZA’S

2

(1) Cardoza filed a Voluntary Petition for relief under Chapter 7 of the

Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of

California, Case No. 05-42541, on May 11, 2005;

(2) In his Voluntary Petition Cardoza represented to the Court that he had

no “suits and administrative proceedings, executions, garnishments and attachments”;

and

(3) The Bankruptcy Court issued a Discharge of Debtor and Final Decree

on August 2, 2005, based on Cardoza’s representations.

WHEREAS, Cardoza intends to dismiss both his individual and class claims

and therefore cannot serve as a class representative for any form of relief sought on behalf

of the putative class described in paragraphs 48(c) and 49(b) of the FAC; and 

WHEREAS, Cardoza has agreed to dismiss with prejudice his individual

and class claims against Cintas in exchange for Cintas’ waiver of its right to recover costs

against Cardoza pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 54(d).

STIPULATION

THE PARTIES, BY AND THROUGH THEIR COUNSEL, HEREBY

STIPULATE AS FOLLOWS:

1. Plaintiff Luis Pocasangre Cardoza (“Cardoza”) withdraws as a named,

representative plaintiff and dismisses with prejudice his class claims for the putative class

of Hispanic applicants and Hispanic employees in Cintas’ Rental Division who contend

they were denied hiring or promotion to driver (“SSR”) positions in violation of Section

1981, Title VII, FEHA and Section 17200; 

Case 3:04-cv-00281-JSW Document 192 Filed 03/09/06 Page 4 of 8
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Case No. C04-0281-JSW

JOINT STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL OF

PLAINTIFF LUIS POCASANGRE CARDOZA’S

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2. Cardoza dismisses with prejudice his individual claims for

discriminatory failure to hire and failure to promote in violation of Section 1981, Title VII,

FEHA and Section 17200, and for a resignation resulting from discrimination;

3. Plaintiffs’ counsel will not include any attorneys’ fees or costs incurred

as part of maintaining Cardoza’s individual claims (or the class claims Cardoza has

asserted if there is no adequate class representative to represent the putative class

described in paragraphs 48(c) and 49(b) of the FAC), should they later apply for an award

of attorneys’ fees or costs in this litigation. However, if Plaintiffs or Plaintiffs’ counsel

apply for an award of attorneys’ fees and costs, this stipulation will not preclude them

from arguing that some portion of the time and costs spent on the class claims asserted by

Cardoza should be allocated to a claim on which Plaintiffs prevailed (including a claim of

discrimination in hiring for the SSR job, if Plaintiffs prevail on that claim); nothing in this

stipulation will preclude Defendant from asserting any legal arguments in opposition to

such an allocation; and nothing in this stipulation will preclude the Court from ruling that

such an allocation should or should not be made; and

4. Cintas waives its right to recover costs against Plaintiff Luis

Pocasangre Cardoza after the dismissal of his individual and putative class claims as

permitted by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 43(d).

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Case No. C04-0281-JSW

JOINT STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL OF

PLAINTIFF LUIS POCASANGRE CARDOZA’S

4

DATED: MARCH 8, 2006 Respectfully submitted,

By: /S/ MORRIS J. BALLER 

 MORRIS J. BALLER

Morris J. Baller

Roberta L. Steele 

Nina Rabin

GOLDSTEIN, DEMCHAK, BALLER, BORGEN &

DARDARIAN

300 Lakeside Drive, Suite 1000 

Oakland, CA 94611 

Phone: (510) 763-9800 

Fax: (510) 835-1417

Paul Strauss

Robert S. Libman 

Nancy Maldonado

MINER, BARNHILL & GALLAND 

14 W. Erie Street

Chicago, IL 60610 

Phone: (312) 751-1170 

Fax: (312) 751-0438

Counsel for Plaintiffs Robert Ramirez, et al.

DATED: MARCH 8, 2006 By:/S/ NANCY L. ABELL

 NANCY L. ABELL

Nancy L. Abell

Elena R. Baca

Heather A. Morgan 

Joseph W. Deng

PAUL, HASTINGS, JANOFSKY & WALKER LLP

515 South Flower Street, 25th Floor 

Los Angeles, CA 90071-2228 

Phone: (213) 683-6000

Fax: (213) 627-0705

Counsel for Defendant Cintas Corporation

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Case No. C04-0281-JSW

JOINT STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL OF

PLAINTIFF LUIS POCASANGRE CARDOZA’S

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ORDER

BASED ON THE PARTIES’ STIPULATION AND GOOD CAUSE

APPEARING THEREFORE, this Court finds that Plaintiff Luis Pocasangre Cardoza may

not represent the alleged class of Hispanic applicants who contend that they were

discriminated against when they were not hired, and the alleged class of Hispanic

employees who contend that they were discriminated against when they were not

promoted, to driver (“SSR”) positions in Cintas’ Rental Division in violation of Section

1981, Title VII, FEHA and Section 17200 as set forth in the Fourth Amended Complaint

at paragraphs 33-40, 48(c), and 49(b); on this basis the Court DISMISSES WITH

PREJUDICE Plaintiff Luis Pocasangre Cardoza’s claims on behalf of this alleged class.

This Court DISMISSES WITH PREJUDICE Plaintiff Luis Pocasangre

Cardoza’s individual claims that Cintas has violated Section 1981, Title VII, FEHA and

Section 17200 by allegedly refusing to hire him as an SSR and refusing promote him to an

SSR position because of his race (Hispanic) and national origin (El Salvador), and by

causing him to resign as a result of discrimination.

The Court also finds that Plaintiffs’ counsel is not entitled to recover any

amount in attorneys’ fees and costs attributable to pursuing Cardoza’s individual claims

herein (or the class claims Cardoza has asserted if there is no adequate class representative

to represent the putative class described in paragraphs 48(c) and 49(b) of the FAC). 

The parties have agreed that Plaintiffs’ counsel will not include any

attorneys’ fees or costs incurred as part of maintaining Cardoza’s individual claims (or the

class claims Cardoza has asserted if there is no adequate class representative to represent

the putative class described in paragraphs 48(c) and 49(b) of the FAC), should they later

apply for an award of attorneys’ fees or costs in this litigation. However, if Plaintiffs or

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Case No. C04-0281-JSW

JOINT STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL OF

PLAINTIFF LUIS POCASANGRE CARDOZA’S

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Plaintiffs’ counsel apply for an award of attorneys’ fees and costs, this Order will not

preclude them from arguing that some portion of the time and costs spent on the class

claims asserted by Cardoza should be allocated to a claim on which Plaintiffs prevailed

(including a claim of discrimination in hiring for the SSR job, if Plaintiffs prevail on that

claim); and nothing in this Order will preclude Defendant from asserting any legal

arguments in opposition to such an allocation.

Finally, Cintas may not recover costs against Plaintiff Luis Pocasangre

Cardoza.

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: ____________, 2006 ______

 HONORABLE JEFFREY S. WHITE

 United States District Judge

LEGAL_US_W # 53259394.3

March 9

Case 3:04-cv-00281-JSW Document 192 Filed 03/09/06 Page 8 of 8