Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-00330/USCOURTS-caed-2_04-cv-00330-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 440
Nature of Suit: Other Civil Rights
Cause of Action: 42:12101 Americans with Disabilities Act

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DISA

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2001 CENTER STREET, T

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BERKELEY, C

ALIFORNIA 94704-1204

(510) 665-8644

MELISSA W. KASNITZ (SBN 162679) 

KEVIN KNESTRICK (SBN 229620) 

DISABILITY RIGHTS ADVOCATES 

449 Fifteenth Street, Suite 303 

Oakland, California 94612 

Telephone: (510) 451-8644 

Facsimile: (510) 451-8511 

TTY: (510) 451-8716 

Email: general@dralegal.org 

Attorneys for Plaintiffs 

EUGENE B. ELLIOT 

BERTRAND, FOX & ELLIOT 

The Waterfront Building 

2478 Hyde Street 

San Francisco, CA 94109 

Telephone: (415) 353-0999 

Facsimile: (415) 353-0990 

Attorneys for Defendants 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

GARY NYSTROM on behalf of himself, and 

on behalf of all others similarly situated, 

 Plaintiffs, 

v. 

CITY OF VACAVILLE and DALE 

PFEIFFER, Director of the Department of 

Public Works of the City of Vacaville, or his 

successor, in his Official Capacity, 

 Defendants. 

No. 2:04-cv-0330-MCE-PAN 

ORDER CERTIFYING SETTLEMENT 

CLASS AND GRANTING PRELIMINARY 

APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENT 

AGREEMENT 

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449 FIFTEENTH STREET, SUITE 303

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ALIFORNIA 94612

(510) 451-8644

Case 2:04-cv-00330-MCE-EFB Document 32 Filed 08/10/06 Page 1 of 4
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2001 CENTER STREET, T

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BERKELEY, C

ALIFORNIA 94704-1204

(510) 665-8644

WHEREAS, the above-captioned action is pending before this Court and is pled as a 

class action; and 

WHEREAS, the parties have applied to this Court through a joint motion for an order (1) 

certifying a class for settlement purposes; (2) granting preliminary approval of the proposed 

Settlement Agreement; (3) directing Notice to the proposed settlement class; and (4) establishing 

deadlines for the filing of objections with the Court and setting a date for a fairness hearing. The 

Court having read and considered the parties’ Joint Motion, the accompanying Settlement 

Agreement and all supporting documents and exhibits annexed thereto: 

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED: 

1. The Court hereby conditionally certifies the injunctive settlement class for 

settlement purposes. The class definition set forth in the parties’ Joint Motion is approved as 

meeting the requirements of Rule 23(b)(2). The settlement class shall be defined as: 

All persons with mobility and/or vision disabilities who seek full 

and equal access pertaining to curb cuts and sidewalks in the City 

of Vacaville’s pedestrian rights of way. 

2. Named Plaintiff Gary Nystrom is hereby appointed and designated as the 

representative of the settlement class. Disability Rights Advocates is hereby appointed and 

designated as counsel for the Named Plaintiff and the settlement class (“Class Counsel”). Class 

Counsel is authorized to act on behalf of settlement class members with respect to all acts or 

consents required by or which may be given pursuant to the Agreement, and such other acts 

reasonably necessary to finalize the Agreement. Any settlement class member may enter an 

appearance through counsel of such member’s own choosing and at such member’s own 

expense. Class Counsel will represent any settlement class member who does not enter an 

appearance or appear on his or her own. 

3. The Court finds on a preliminary basis that the Settlement Agreement between the 

class and the City of Vacaville is fundamentally fair, adequate, and reasonable and within the 

range of possible approval. The Agreement appears to have been reached as the result of 

intensive, prolonged, serious and non-collusive arms length negotiations. Preliminary approval 

of the Settlement Agreement is hereby granted. 

Case 2:04-cv-00330-MCE-EFB Document 32 Filed 08/10/06 Page 2 of 4
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2001 CENTER STREET, T

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(510) 665-8644

Final approval of the Settlement Agreement will be determined at a Fairness Hearing pursuant to 

Rule 23(e) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. 

4. The Court hereby approves, as to the form and content, the proposed Notice, 

attached as Exhibit A to the Settlement Agreement. The Court finds that distribution of the 

Notice according to the terms of the Settlement Agreement meets the requirements of Due 

Process and Rules 23(c)(2) and 23(e) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The City of 

Vacaville shall provide Notice to the class within 30 days of the date of this Order. No later than 

5 court days before the Fairness Hearing the City shall file a sworn statement evidencing 

compliance with the Notice provisions of the Agreement. 

5. A Fairness Hearing shall be held before this Court within ninety (90) days of the 

issuance of this Order, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, 

located at 501 “I” Street, Sacramento, California. At the Fairness Hearing the Court will 

determine all necessary matters concerning final approval of the Agreement, including whether 

the proposed Settlement Agreement is fair, adequate and reasonable and whether the injunctive 

relief is fair adequate and reasonable to settlement class members. 

6. Members of the settlement class may not opt out of the Settlement Agreement. 

Settlement class members shall be bound by all determinations of the Court regarding the form 

and scope of injunctive relief addressed in the Agreement whether favorable or unfavorable. 

7. Members of the Settlement Class may register their written objections to the 

settlement or request to appear at the Fairness Hearing by filing their written objections or 

request to appear with the Clerk of the Court, postmarked no later than 60 days from the date of 

this Order. A written copy of such objections or request to appear shall also be sent to Class 

Counsel. Members of the Settlement Class who wish to file written objections and appear at the 

Fairness Hearing must so state at the time they file written objections. Any objections received 

or postmarked after the deadline may not be heard at the hearing for final approval. 

8. All papers in support of Final Approval of the Agreement, including any 

responses by the parties to written objections, shall be filed with the court no later than five court 

days before the Fairness Hearing. 

Case 2:04-cv-00330-MCE-EFB Document 32 Filed 08/10/06 Page 3 of 4
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2001 CENTER STREET, T

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ALIFORNIA 94704-1204

(510) 665-8644

9. In the event the Agreement does not become effective in accordance with the 

terms of the Agreement, or the Agreement is not finally approved, or is terminated, cancelled or 

fails to become effective for any reason, this Order shall be rendered null and void and shall be 

vacated, and the Parties shall revert to the their respective positions prior to entering into the 

Agreement. 

10. The Court reserves the right to adjourn or continue the date of the Fairness 

Hearing and all dates provided for in the Agreement without further notice to Settlement Class 

Members. 

11. In accordance with the above, the Court adopts the following schedule: 

a. The City of Vacaville shall cause the Notice to be published in the 

Vacaville Reporter and the on the internet website of the City of Vacaville 

no later than thirty (30) days from the date of this Order. 

b. Class members shall have the right to submit written objections or written 

requests to be heard at the Fairness Hearing. Any class member 

objections to the Agreement or requests to be heard at the Fairness 

Hearing must be filed with the Clerk of the Court and sent to Class 

Counsel by first class mail, postmarked no later than sixty (60) days from 

the date of this Order. 

c. All responsive papers, including statements regarding compliance with the 

Notice publication and mailing requirements, shall be filed no later than 

five (5) court days before the Fairness Hearing. 

d. The Fairness Hearing shall be held before the Honorable Morrison C. 

England, Jr. on November 13, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. 

DATE: August 10, 2006 

__________________________________ 

MORRISON C. ENGLAND, JR 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 

Case 2:04-cv-00330-MCE-EFB Document 32 Filed 08/10/06 Page 4 of 4