Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_00-cv-00506/USCOURTS-caed-2_00-cv-00506-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 950
Nature of Suit: Contitutionality of State Statutes
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Civil Rights Act

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GEORGE L. O’CONNELL (CSBN 74037)

STEVENS & O’CONNELL LLP

400 Capitol Mall, Suite 1400

Sacramento, CA 95814

Telephone: (916) 329-9111

Facsimile: (916) 329-9110

Attorneys for Plaintiff Gerling

ANDREW W. STROUD

MENNEMEIER, GLASSMAN & STROUD LLP

980 9 Street, Suite 1700 th

Sacramento, CA 95814-2736

Telephone: (916) 553-4000

Facsimile: (916) 553-4011

Attorneys for Defendant

John Garamendi, in his capacity as the

Commissioner of Insurance of the State of California

[Additional Counsel for Defendant Identified on Signature Page]

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

GERLING GLOBAL, et al.

Plaintiffs,

 v.

JOHN GARAMENDI, in his capacity as

the Commissioner of Insurance of the

State of California

Defendants.

Case No. CIV. S-00-CV-0506 WBS

STIPULATION AND ORDER

GRANTING GERLING’S MOTION

FOR ATTORNEY’S FEES AND

COSTS AND MODIFYING

JUDGMENT

[F.R.Civ.Proc. Rule 54, 58]

Judge: Hon. William B. Shubb

Case 2:00-cv-00506-WBS -JFM Document 341 Filed 12/28/06 Page 1 of 8
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RECITALS

1. Plaintiffs hereto are the following entities: GLOBAL Reinsurance

Corp. – U.S. Branch (formerly known as Gerling Global Reinsurance Corp. – U.S.

Branch); Gerling America Insurance Company; Constitution Insurance Company;

GLOBAL Reinsurance Corp. of America; Revios Reinsurance U.S. Inc. (formerly

known as Gerling Global Life Reinsurance Company), and Revios Reinsurance

Canada Ltd. (formerly known as Gerling Global Life Insurance Company). 

Collectively, these entities will be referred to herein as “Gerling.”

2. Defendant is JOHN GARAMENDI, in his capacity as the

Commissioner of Insurance of the State of California (hereinafter, the

“Commissioner”).

3. This matter is before the Court on remand from the Ninth Circuit to

determine the amount of attorneys’ fees and costs to be awarded to Plaintiffs under

42 U.S.C. section 1988 as the prevailing parties. See Gerling Global Life Ins. Co.

of America et al. v. Garamendi, 400 F.3d 803, as amended, 410 F.3d 531 (9th Cir.

2005).

4. Gerling’s moving papers in support of its fee motion were filed on

May 22, 2006. Defendant’s opposition was filed on August 22, 2006. Pursuant to

stipulation of the parties and order of the Court, the Honorable Daniel Weinstein

(Ret.) was appointed as a Special Master to report to the Court on certain issues

relating to the pending fee requests.

5. In an effort to avoid the cost and delay associated with protracted

litigation over the amount of fees and costs to be awarded to Gerling, the parties

agreed to mediate the dispute before Judge Weinstein on October 7-8, 2006. 

Subsequent to that mediation, Judge Weinstein issued a mediator’s proposal,

identifying one million six hundred thousand dollars ($1,600,000) as the amount

Case 2:00-cv-00506-WBS -JFM Document 341 Filed 12/28/06 Page 2 of 8
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of fees and costs to be awarded to Gerling on their fee motion. Both Gerling and

the Commissioner accepted the mediator’s proposal, and have entered into this

Stipulation to effectuate this agreed upon resolution.

6. It is the parties’ intent in entering into this Stipulation that the Order

and the modified Judgment resulting therefrom be enforceable against and binding

on the Commissioner just as any other post-judgment order awarding attorney’s

fees and costs pursuant to Rules 54 and 58 of the Federal Rule of Civil Procedure. 

7. Each signatory hereto represents and warrants that he or she has the

right, power, legal capacity and authority to bind the party on whose behalf he or

she signs and that no further act of board, entity, body or other person is necessary.

STIPULATION

NOW, THEREFORE, through their duly authorized representatives, the

parties stipulate as follows:

1. Gerling and the Commissioner stipulate that the Court shall (1)

GRANT Gerling’s Motion for Attorney’s Fees and Costs, and award Gerling one

million six hundred thousand dollars ($1,600,000) in attorney’s fees and costs in

this action; and (2) modify the Judgment previously entered by the Court to reflect

this award.

2. The Gerling parties shall be responsible for the internal allocation of

payments made to satisfy the Judgment. Payment in satisfaction of the Judgment

shall be directed to counsel of record for Gerling, payable to Riker, Danzig,

Scherer, Hyland & Perretti LLP Client Trust Account and delivered to Riker,

Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti LLP, Attn: Fred Reif, 500 Fifth Avenue, Suite

4920, New York, New York 10110. The amount of the Judgment constitutes the

full amount that the parties have agreed will be due and owing to Gerling in this

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action. Timely satisfaction of the Judgment in accordance with the Settlement

Agreement and Mutual Release concurrently executed by the parties shall fully

satisfy and release all claims for attorney’s fees, costs, and interest by Gerling,

including, but not limited to, any claim for fees, costs, or post-judgment interest

incurred between the date of entry of this Stipulation and Order and satisfaction of

the Judgment, except that, Gerling may seek to recover its attorney’s fees and

costs and may recover post-judgment interest in enforcing and collecting on the

Judgment, if necessary, as set forth in the Settlement Agreement and Mutual

Release concurrently executed by the parties. 

3. Should this or any portion of this Stipulation and Order later be

adjudged unenforceable, then the parties agree that the matter shall be returned to

the District Court for such further proceedings as may be appropriate to carry out

the mandate of the Ninth Circuit in Gerling Global Life Ins. Co. of America et al.

v. Garamendi, 400 F.3d 803, as amended, 410 F.3d 531 (9th Cir. 2005).

DATED: December __, 2006 JOHN GARAMENDI, in his capacity as the

Commissioner of Insurance of the State of

California

By:________________________________

GARY COHEN

Deputy Commissioner and

General Counsel, California

Department Of Insurance

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DATED: December __, 2006

GLOBAL Reinsurance Corp. – U.S. Branch

By:________________________________

DAVID W. SMITH

Executive Vice President,

General Counsel and Secretary for 

GLOBAL U.S. Holdings, Inc., the

U.S. Manager of GLOBAL 

Reinsurance Corporation – 

U.S. Branch

DATED: December __, 2006 GLOBAL Reinsurance Corporation of

America

By:________________________________

DAVID W. SMITH

Executive Vice President,

General Counsel and Secretary

DATED: December __, 2006 Constitution Insurance Company

By:________________________________

DAVID W. SMITH

Executive Vice President,

General Counsel and Secretary

DATED: December __, 2006 Gerling America Insurance Company

By:________________________________

PAUL BARRA

Title:______________________________

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DATED: December __, 2006 Revios Reinsurance U.S. Inc.

By:________________________________

ERIC M. SINGER

Senior Vice President

AND

By:________________________________

Title:______________________________

DATED: December __, 2006 Revios Reinsurance Canada Ltd.

By:________________________________

ERIC M. SINGER

Senior Vice President

AND

By:________________________________

Title:______________________________

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Dated: December __, 2006

FREDERICK W. REIF

RIKER, DANZIG, SCHERER, HYLAND &

PERRETTI LLP

GEORGE L. O’CONNELL

STEVENS & O’CONNELL LLP

By: /s/

George L. O’Connell

Attorneys for Gerling Plaintiffs

Dated: December __, 2006 FRANK KAPLAN

ALSCHULER GROSSMAN STEIN &

KAHAN LLP

LESLIE TICK

CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF

INSURANCE

ANDREW W. STROUD

MENNEMEIER GLASSMAN & STROUD

LLP

By: /s/

Frank Kaplan

Attorneys for Defendant

John Garamendi, in his capacity as 

the Commissioner of Insurance of the 

State of California

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ORDER

Pursuant to Rules 54 and 58(a)(2) of the Federal

Rules of Civil Procedure, based upon the Stipulation of

the parties, and good cause appearing, the Court hereby

GRANTS Gerling’s Motion for Attorney’s Fees And Costs,

and awards it one million six hundred thousand dollars

($1,600,000) in attorney’s fees and costs. The Court’s

prior judgment, entered on October 22, 2001, and as

amended on appeal, is modified to reflect this attorney

fee award.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: December 26, 2006

Case 2:00-cv-00506-WBS -JFM Document 341 Filed 12/28/06 Page 8 of 8