Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-00018/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-00018-11/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 195
Nature of Suit: Contract Product Liability
Cause of Action: 28:1446 Petition for Removal

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[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF 

CY PRES RECIPIENT 1 

 

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Herman Franck, Esq. (SB #123476) 

Elizabeth Betowski, Esq. (SB #245772) 

FRANCK & ASSOCIATES 

910 Florin Road, Suite 212 

Sacramento, CA 95831 

Tel. (916) 447-8400; Fax (916) 447-0720 

Janet R. Varnell, (Admitted Pro Hac Vice) 

Brian W. Warwick, (Admitted Pro Hac Vice) 

VARNELL & WARWICK, P.A. 

P.O. Box 1870 

Lady Lake, FL 32158 

Telephone: (352) 753-8600 

Facsimile: (352) 504-3301 

Class Counsel 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

STEVE FERRARI, et al., 

 Plaintiffs, 

v. 

Autobahn, Inc. dba Autobahn Motors; 

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC; and SONIC 

AUTOMOTIVE, INC., 

 Defendants 

 Case No. 17-CV-00018-YGR

[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING 

PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR 

APPROVAL OF CY PRES RECIPIENT 

The Honorable Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers 

Date: October 22, 2019 

Time: 2 P.M. 

Courtroom: 1 

 

This matter came before the Court on Plaintiffs’ Motion for Approval of Cy Pres

Recipient, which sought the Court’s approval of the distribution of $1,622.88 in funds associated 

with uncashed checks be distributed to Bay Area Legal Aid pursuant to Paragraph 28 of the 

Settlement Agreement. The Court finds that Bay Area Legal Aid is an appropriate charity to 

receive the cy pres funds because its mission matches the “purposes of the underlying lawsuit 

and the class of plaintiffs involved,” taking into consideration the “geographic distribution of the 

class.” See Nachshin v. AOL, LLC, 663 F.3d 1034, 1039–1040 (9th Cir. 2011) (citing Six 

Mexican Workers v. Arizona Citrus Growers, 904 F.2d 1301 (9th Cir. 1990)). This lawsuit 

pursued consumer protection claims on behalf of customers of a Belmont, California car 

Case 4:17-cv-00018-YGR Document 188 Filed 10/15/19 Page 1 of 2
[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF 

CY PRES RECIPIENT 2 

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dealership, a class overwhelmingly located in the Bay Area, while Bay Area Legal Aid serves 

clients in consumer protection cases in seven Bay Area counties. Additionally, Class Counsel 

has assured the Court that neither Class Counsel nor the Autobahn Defendants’ counsel has any 

connection to Bay Area Legal Aid. 

Consistent with Paragraph 28 of the Settlement Agreement, it is hereby ORDERED that: 

(1) Bay Area Legal Aid is approved as the recipient of the cy pres funds;

(2) The Settlement Administrator shall pay the funds associated with all nonnegotiated checks to Bay Area Legal Aid; and 

(3) The Settlement Class members have waived and abandoned any ownership

interest in the uncashed checks and any and all associated funds. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated _______ ______________________________ 

YVONNE GONZALEZ ROGERS

United States District Judge 

October 15, 2019

Case 4:17-cv-00018-YGR Document 188 Filed 10/15/19 Page 2 of 2