Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-01801/USCOURTS-casd-3_07-cv-01801-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 710
Nature of Suit: Fair Labor Standards Act
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question

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-1- 07cv1801

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

DONOVAN DELMARE, an

individual, on behalf of himself and on

behalf of all persons similarly situated,

Plaintiff,

CASE NO. 07-CV-1801 W (CAB)

ORDER GRANTING

PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR

PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF

CLASS SETTLEMENT (DOC. NO.

35.)

vs.

SUNGARD HIGHER EDUCATION,

INC. a Delaware Corporation;

SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER

TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, a

Delaware Corporation,

Defendants.

WHEREAS, on October 15, 2008, Plaintiff Donovan Delmare as an individual

and as representative of the Class ("Plaintiff") and Defendant Sungard Higher Education

Inc. ("Defendant"), entered into a Stipulation of Settlement ("Settlement Agreement")

intended to resolve the above-captioned action;

WHEREAS, the Settlement Agreement sets forth the terms and conditions of a

proposed settlement and the dismissal of this action against Defendant;

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WHEREAS, the Court has before it the Plaintiff's Motion for Preliminary

Approval of Settlement and Certification of Settlement Class and Plaintiff's Motion for

Appointment of Class Counsel filed October 15, 2008, together with supporting

materials;

WHEREAS, the Court has before it Defendant Sungard Higher Education, Inc.’s

notice of non-objection filed November 3, 2008;

WHEREAS, the Court has heard the attorneys for the parties with respect to the

proposed settlement of this action;

WHEREAS, the Court is satisfied that the terms set forth in the Settlement

Agreement are the result of good faith, arms-length negotiations among Plaintiff and

Defendant, and experienced counsel for both Plaintiff and Defendant; and, 

WHEREAS, the Court having reviewed and evaluated all papers submitted

respecting the reasonableness of proceeding with this proposed settlement, the Court

now finds and Orders as follows:

I. CONDITIONAL CERTIFICATION OF SETTLEMENT CLASS

1. Terms used in this Order have the meaning assigned to them in the

Settlement Agreement.

2. For purposes only of the proposed settlement, a Class defined as follows is

conditionally certified pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23: “all individuals

who work or worked in California for SunGard Higher Education Inc., SunGard Higher

Education Managed Services Inc, or Systems and Computer Technology Corporation

in a Covered Position at any time during the Class Period, and who do not file a timely

request to be excluded from the settlement.” In the event the proposed settlement is

not consummated for any reason, the conditional certification set forth in this paragraph

shall be of no further force or effect.

II. APPOINTMENT OF CLASS COUNSEL

3. The law firm of Blumenthal & Nordrehaug and Norman B. Blumenthal,

Kyle Nordrehaug and Aparajit Bhowmik of that firm have fairly and adequately 

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-3- 07cv1801

represented the interests of the Class, will continue to do so and, pursuant to Federal

Rule of Civil Procedure 23(g)(1), are appointed class counsel for purposes of

representing the Class conditionally certified in the preceding paragraph of this Order.

III. PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENT

4. Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(c)(2)(B) and (e)(1)(B), the

provisions of the Settlement Agreement are hereby preliminarily approved, subject to

further consideration thereof at the final approval hearing provided for below. The

Court finds that the Settlement Agreement is sufficiently within the range of

reasonableness and that settlement is in the best interests of the Class, such that notice

of the proposed settlement should be given as provided in paragraph 5 of this Order.

IV. NOTICE TO CLASS MEMBERS

5. Within 30 days of the entry of this Order, a Notice of Preliminary Approval

and Final Approval Hearing ("Notice"), in the form attached to the Settlement as

Exhibit A, along with the Claim Form and Exclusion Form in the form attached to the

Settlement as Exhibit B and C, respectively, shall be sent by the Claims Administrator

to all members of the Class defined above.

6. The Notice to be provided as set forth in this Order is hereby found to be

the best means practicable of providing notice under the circumstances and, when

completed, shall constitute sufficient notice of the settlement, the Final Approval

Hearing, and the right to be excluded from the settlement to all persons entitled to

participate in the settlement, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(c)(2)(B)

and (e)(1)(B).

7. Any member of the class who desires to opt out of this class action must

postmark his or her notification of such intent, pursuant to instructions in the Notice,

no later than 45 days from the date of mailing the Notice.

V. THE FINAL APPROVAL HEARING

8. A hearing on final settlement approval (the "Final Approval Hearing") is

hereby scheduled to be held before this Court on March 2, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. to

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consider the fairness, reasonableness, and adequacy of the proposed settlement,

Plaintiff’s motion for the award of attorneys’ fees and costs, the dismissal with prejudice

of the class action with respect to Defendant, and the entry of the final judgment in this

action. The date and time of the Final Approval Hearing shall be set forth in the

Notice.

9. All papers in support of final approval shall be filed on or before February

17, 2009.

10. Any Class Member may, but need not, submit comments or objections to

the Settlement Agreement. All such comments and objections must be filed with the

Clerk of the Court, in writing, no later than 45 days from the mailing date of the

Notice, and copies of all such papers must be delivered to Class Counsel and

Defendant's Counsel on or before the same date.

11. Class Members wishing to be heard at the Final Approval Hearing are

required to file written comments or objections and indicate in the writings their

intention to appear at the hearing. Class Members need not appear at the Final

Approval Hearing or take any other action to indicate their approval of the settlement.

12. Any Class Member may, but need not, enter an appearance through his or

her own attorney or may appear without an attorney.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

DATED: November 17, 2008

Hon. Thomas J. Whelan

United States District Judge

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