Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-01389/USCOURTS-caed-2_14-cv-01389-7/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 790
Nature of Suit: Other Labor Litigation
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Petition for Removal

---

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

1

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

TITA RODAS, on behalf of herself and all 

others similarly situated,

Plaintiff,

v.

MONETARY MANAGEMENT OF 

CALIFORNIA, INC., a Delaware 

corporation; and DOES 1 through 10, 

Defendants.

No. 2:14-cv-01389-TLN-AC

FINAL ORDER APPROVING CLASS 

ACTION SETTLEMENT AND JUDGMENT 

 On April 21, 2016, the Court conducted a hearing regarding final approval of the 

settlement and release of claims in this matter, and Plaintiff’s application for approval of 

attorney’s fees and costs, class representative Tita Rodas’ service payment, and settlement 

administration expenses. The parties appeared by and through their respective counsel of record. 

 After considering the moving papers and arguments of counsel, and good cause shown, 

the Court GRANTS Plaintiff’s unopposed motion for final approval of class action settlement 

(ECF No. 28) and GRANTS Plaintiff’s unopposed motion for award of attorney’s fees and costs, 

class representative service payment, and settlement administration expenses (ECF No. 27), as 

follows.

Case 2:14-cv-01389-TLN-AC Document 31 Filed 05/02/16 Page 1 of 4
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

1. The Settlement Agreement and Release of Claims (ECF No. 24-2, Ex. B; hereinafter 

the “Settlement Agreement”1

) and all definitions set forth therein are hereby incorporated with 

and made part of this Final Order and Judgment (hereinafter the “Final Order”).

2. The Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this action and all parties hereto, 

including the class members, as defined in the Settlement Agreement. Specifically, the members 

of the class that are subject to this Final Order are: “[a]ll persons employed by Monetary

Management in the State of California in a non-exempt, retail store position at any time between 

May 6, 2010 and April 15, 2015” who did not submit a timely and valid request for exclusion 

from the Settlement Agreement. (ECF No. 24-2 at 11.) 

 3. The Court finds that the settlement class meets the requirements for certification for 

settlement purposes, under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 23(a) and (b). (See ECF No. 28 at 

24–27.) 

 4. The Court finds that the form, manner and content of the class notice, as detailed in the 

Settlement Agreement and exhibits thereto (ECF No. 24-2, Ex. 1), provided a means of notice 

reasonably calculated to apprise the class members of the pendency of the action and the 

proposed settlement, and thereby meets the requirements of Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 

23(c)(2) and (e)(2), and constitutes due and sufficient notice to all class members entitled thereto. 

Specifically, individual notice was provided to all class members by regular mail at their last 

known mailing address on file with Defendant Monetary Management of California, Inc., or an 

updated address obtained by the claims administrator, Rust Consulting, Inc. (Pikus Decl., ECF 

No. 28-3.) 

 5. The Settlement Agreement previously filed in this action, and the terms set forth 

therein, are hereby found and determined to be fair, reasonable, and adequate under Federal Rule 

of Civil Procedure 23(e), and are hereby approved and ordered to be performed by all parties. 

 6. This Final Order applies to all claims or causes of action settled under the terms of the 

Settlement Agreement, and shall be fully binding with respect to all class members who did not 

 

1

 The Settlement Agreement was also filed with Plaintiff’s motion for attorney’s fees & costs. (ECF No. 

27–2.) 

Case 2:14-cv-01389-TLN-AC Document 31 Filed 05/02/16 Page 2 of 4
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

properly request exclusion pursuant to the Order Granting Preliminary Approval of Class Action 

Settlement issued by this Court on February 24, 2016. (ECF No. 26.) 

 7. As of the date of this Final Order, except as to such rights or claims that may be 

created by the Settlement, each released claim of each class member who did not timely submit a 

valid request for exclusion is hereby released as against the class members’ released parties, 

including Defendant Monetary Management of California, Inc. (ECF No. 24-2 at 18–19.) 

 8. The claims administrator shall conduct all administration of the maximum settlement 

and net settlement amounts, as those amounts are set forth in Plaintiff’s motion for final approval 

of class settlement (ECF No. 28) and the Settlement Agreement. The claims administrator shall 

disburse attorneys’ fees and costs to class counsel from the maximum settlement amount as 

ordered by the Court. The claims administrator shall prepare and issue all disbursements of the 

net settlement amount to the final settlement class. 

 9. The Court finds that Gaines & Gaines, APLC is qualified to represent the settlement 

class and confirms their appointment as class counsel. The Court hereby grants class counsel’s 

request for an award of attorney’s fees in the amount of $298,500.00 and reimbursement of outof-pocket costs in the amount of $18,138.44 to be paid from the maximum settlement amount. 

The Court finds that the amount of this award is fair and reasonable in light of the efforts 

expended by class counsel in prosecuting this action and the results obtained. 

 10. The Court finds that the payment of $12,000.00 to the California Labor and 

Workforce Development Agency (“LWDA”) in settlement of the LWDA’s share of the penalties 

alleged by Plaintiff and compromised under the settlement is fair and reasonable. The Court 

hereby gives final approval to and orders that the payment of that amount be made to the LWDA 

out of the maximum settlement amount in accordance with the terms of the Settlement 

Agreement. 

 11. The Court finds that it is appropriate for class representative Tita Rodas to be paid 

$12,000.00 as a service payment in recognition of her contribution to this litigation and service to 

the class, and as consideration of her release of claims against Defendant. This payment shall be 

paid from the maximum settlement amount, as detailed in the Settlement Agreement. 

Case 2:14-cv-01389-TLN-AC Document 31 Filed 05/02/16 Page 3 of 4
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

 12. The Court approves the payment of settlement administration expenses to Rust 

Consulting, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $20,000.00. This payment shall be made from the 

maximum settlement amount and any uncharged portion of this amount shall be added to the net 

settlement proceeds. 

 13. The Court retains jurisdiction over the parties for the purpose of construing, 

enforcing, and administering this Final Order and the terms of the Settlement Agreement. 

 14. In the event that the effective date defined in the Settlement Agreement does not 

occur, this Final Order shall be rendered null and void and shall be vacated, except insofar as 

expressly provided to the contrary in the Settlement Agreement, and without prejudice to the 

status quo ante rights of Plaintiff, the class members, and Defendant. (See ECF No. 24-2 at 22.) 

 15. Class members must cash each of their individual payment amount checks within 180 

calendar days after they are mailed by the settlement administrator. The value of any checks 

uncashed more than 180 days calendar days after mailing shall be deposited in the Department of 

Industrial Relations Unpaid Wage Fund (California Labor Code § 96.6) in the name of, and for 

the benefit of, the appropriate class member. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: April 29, 2016 

Case 2:14-cv-01389-TLN-AC Document 31 Filed 05/02/16 Page 4 of 4