Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-04656/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-04656-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 710
Nature of Suit: Fair Labor Standards Act
Cause of Action: 28:1332 Diversity-Petition for Removal

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United States District Court

Northern District of California

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

BHANU VIKRAM,

Plaintiff,

v.

FIRST STUDENT MANAGEMENT, LLC,

Defendant.

Case No. 17-cv-04656-KAW 

ORDER REQUIRING 

SUPPLEMENTAL BRIEFING

Re: Dkt. No. 59

On March 7, 2019, the Court granted Plaintiff Bhanu Vikram’s motion for preliminary 

approval of a class settlement. (Dkt. No. 57.) On May 3, 2019, the parties filed a stipulation to 

modify the class settlement, such that uncashed settlement checks would not go to the California 

Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”) because the DIR was no longer accepting uncashed 

class action settlement checks. (Dkt. No. 59 at 1.) Instead, the uncashed settlement checks would 

go to “California Rural Legal Assistance, a non-profit organization providing civil legal services 

to low income individuals . . . .” (Id.) The parties also requested that the hearing on the motion 

for final approval be continued to August 15, 2019. (Id. at 2.)

The Court requires supplemental briefing as to why California Rural Legal Assistance is an 

appropriate cy pres beneficiary. In general, “[t]he cy pres doctrine allows a court to distribute 

unclaimed or non-distributable portions of a class action settlement fund to the ‘next best’ class of 

beneficiaries.” Nachshin v. AOL, LLC, 663 F.3d 1034, 1036 (9th Cir. 2011). Thus, the cy pres

beneficiary “must account for the nature of the plaintiffs’ lawsuit, the objectives of the underlying 

statutes, and the interests of the silent class members, including their geographic diversity.” Id. 

Here, it is unclear that the proposed cy pres beneficiary is sufficiently related to the subject matter 

of the lawsuit and the geographic diversity of the class members, particularly when it appears that 

Case 4:17-cv-04656-KAW Document 60 Filed 05/09/19 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

California Rural Legal Assistance focuses on providing assistance to rural communities. Thus, the 

parties shall explain why California Rural Legal Assistance fulfills the requirements for cy pres

beneficiaries, as stated above. The parties shall also identify any relationships the parties or their 

counsel have with California Rural Legal Assistance. The parties’ supplemental brief is due no 

later than May 20, 2019.

Additionally, the Court notes that it is unavailable on August 15, 2019, as stated on the 

Court calendar. The Court is, however, available on August 29, 2019. The parties shall state in 

their supplemental brief if they are available on August 29, 2019, or if a later date is required.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 9, 2019

__________________________________

KANDIS A. WESTMORE

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 4:17-cv-04656-KAW Document 60 Filed 05/09/19 Page 2 of 2