Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-5_04-cv-04736/USCOURTS-cand-5_04-cv-04736-11/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 893
Nature of Suit: Environmental Matters
Cause of Action: 16:1538 Endangered Species Act

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Joint Stipulation Settling Pls’ Claims for

Attorneys’ Fees and Costs

Civ. No. 5:04-cv-04736-JF

SUE ELLEN WOOLDRIDGE

Assistant Attorney General

United States Department of Justice

Environment and Natural Resources Division

JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Chief

LISA L. RUSSELL, Assistant Chief

MICHAEL R. EITEL (SBN 22889 (NE))

Wildlife and Marine Resources Section

Benjamin Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, D.C. 20044-7369

Telephone: (202) 305-0339

Facsimile: (202) 305-0275

KEVIN V. RYAN (SBN 118321 (CA))

United States Attorney

Northern District of California

JAMES CODA (SBN 1012669 (WI))

Assistant United States Attorney

Attorneys for Federal Defendants

(additional attorneys listed on next page)

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

(SAN JOSE DIVISION)

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL

DIVERSITY, et al., 

 Plaintiffs,

 v.

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, et

al.,

 Defendants,

 and

SALINAS RAMBLERS MOTORCYCLE

CLUB, et al.,

 Defendant-Intervenor

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Case No: 5:04-cv-4736-JF

JOINT STIPULATION SETTLING

PLAINTIFFS’ CLAIMS FOR

ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND COSTS

**E-filed 9/29/06**

Case 5:04-cv-04736-JF Document 152 Filed 09/29/06 Page 1 of 5
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Joint Stipulation Settling Pls’ Claims for

Attorneys’ Fees and Costs

Civ. No. 5:04-cv-04736-JF

i

Michael W. Graf (CA Bar # 136172) 

Law Offices 

227 Behrens Street

El Cerrito CA 94530

Telephone: (510) 525-7222 

Facsimile: (510) 525-1208

Brian Litmans (AK Bar # 0111068)

3024 SE 26th Ave.

Portland, OR 97202

Telephone: (503) 927-5288

Pro Hac Vice

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

Case 5:04-cv-04736-JF Document 152 Filed 09/29/06 Page 2 of 5
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Joint Stipulation Settling Pls’ Claims for

Attorneys’ Fees and Costs

Civ. No. 5:04-cv-04736-JF

- 1 -

STIPULATION OF DISMISSAL

WHEREAS Plaintiffs, Center for Biological Diversity and California Native Plant Society

commenced this action on November 9, 2004, alleging two claims for relief for violations of the

Endangered Species Act in a Complaint (Dkt. #1, 15); 

WHEREAS Defendant-Intervenors, Salinas Ramblers Motorcycle Club, et al., were granted

limited intervention status by order of the Court on February 25, 2005 (Dkt. #29);

WHEREAS Plaintiffs filed a Motion for Summary Judgment on March 28, 2005, Defendants

filed a Cross-Motion for Summary Judgment and Opposition on April 29, 2005, and the Court issued

an Order on July 15, 2005, deferring ruling on the motions for summary judgment;

WHEREAS the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a Biological Opinion evaluating the effect

of BLM’s management of the CCMA on the evening-primrose and Plaintiffs sought leave to file a

Supplemental Complaint raising a third claim for relief (Dkt. #90) on September 16, 2005;

WHEREAS on October 4, 2005, the Court dismissed Plaintiffs’ first claim for relief as moot,

determined that Plaintiffs’ second claim was not yet ripe for determination, and granted Plaintiffs leave

to file the Supplemental Complaint and ordered that the Supplemental Complaint be deemed filed (Dkt.

#100); 

WHEREAS Defendants subsequently issued a Record of Decision for the Clear Creek

Management Area Resource Management Plan Amendment and Route Designation on February 22,

2006, and the Court issued an Order on February 24, 2006, continuing the hearing on the cross-motions

to August 25, 2006, and requiring BLM to issue a status report summarizing how it has implemented

the 2006 ROD by June 30, 2006; 

WHEREAS Defendants filed a Status Report regarding the 2005-2006 Use Season as required

by the February 24, 2006 Court Order on June 28, 2006;

WHEREAS on August 3, 2006, the Parties stipulated and the Court approved the dismissal with

prejudice of Plaintiffs’ second claim set forth in Plaintiffs’ Complaint (Dkt. # 1, 15) and the dismissal

without prejudice of Plaintiffs’ third claim as set forth in Plaintiffs’ Supplemental Complaint (Dkt. #90,

100); 

 NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties hereby Stipulate and Agree as follows:

Case 5:04-cv-04736-JF Document 152 Filed 09/29/06 Page 3 of 5
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Joint Stipulation Settling Pls’ Claims for

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Civ. No. 5:04-cv-04736-JF

- 2 -

1. Defendants agree to settle all of Plaintiffs’ claims for costs and attorneys’ fees in the

above-captioned litigation for a total of $145,000.00. A check will be made payable in that amount to

Michael Graf, Law Offices, 227 Behrens Street, El Cerrito, California 94530. 

2. Defendants agree to submit all necessary paperwork to the Department of the Treasury’s

Judgment Fund Office pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1540(g)(4) within ten (10) business days of receipt of

the signed court order approving this Stipulation;

3. Plaintiffs agree to accept payment of $145,000.00 in full satisfaction of any and all claims

for attorneys’ fees and costs of litigation to which Plaintiffs are entitled in the above-captioned litigation,

through and including the date of this agreement;

4. Plaintiffs agree that receipt of this payment from Defendants shall operate as a release of

Plaintiffs’ claims for attorneys’ fees and costs in this matter;

5. By this agreement, Defendants do not waive any right to contest fees claimed by Plaintiffs

or Plaintiffs’ counsel, including the hourly rate, in any future litigation. Further, this stipulation as to

attorneys’ fees and costs has no precedential value and shall not be used as evidence in any other

attorneys’ fees litigation. 

Dated: September 22, 2006 Respectfully submitted, 

SUE ELLEN WOOLDRIDGE, Asst. Attorney General

United States Department of Justice

Environment and Natural Resources Division

JEAN E. WILLIAMS, Chief

LISA L. RUSSELL, Assistant Chief

/s/ Michael R. Eitel 

MICHAEL R. EITEL (SBN 22889 (NE))

Trial Attorney

Wildlife and Marine Resources Section

Benjamin Franklin Station, P.O. Box 7369

Washington, D.C. 20044-7369

Telephone: (202) 305-0339

Facsimile: (202) 305-0275

Attorneys for Federal Defendants

Dated: September 22, 2006 Respectfully Submitted, 

/s/__Michael W. Graf_________ Michael W. Graf (CA Bar # 136172) 

Case 5:04-cv-04736-JF Document 152 Filed 09/29/06 Page 4 of 5
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Joint Stipulation Settling Pls’ Claims for

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Civ. No. 5:04-cv-04736-JF

- 3 -

Law Offices 

227 Behrens Street

El Cerrito CA 94530

Telephone: (510) 525-7222 

Facsimile: (510) 525-1208

Brian Litmans (AK Bar # 0111068)

3024 SE 26th Ave.

Portland, OR 97202

Telephone: (503) 927-5288

Pro Hac Vice

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

PURSUANT TO STIPULATION, IT IS SO ORDERED,

Dated: __________________ ____________________________________

United States District Judge

9/29/06

Case 5:04-cv-04736-JF Document 152 Filed 09/29/06 Page 5 of 5