Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-00542/USCOURTS-caed-2_16-cv-00542-37/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

---

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28

1

Joint Stip. For Court Approval of Pl.’s Attorney’s Fees; Proposed Order (2:16-cv-00542 DAD AC) 

2550 Mariposa Mall, Room 5090 

Fresno, CA 93721-2271 

Telephone: (559) 705-2304 

Fax: (559) 445-5106 

E-mail: Norman.Morrison@doj.ca.gov

Attorneys for Defendant Martha Mays, FNP 

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

SACRAMENTO DIVISION

MATTHEW DENNIS, 

Plaintiff, 

v. 

RALPH DIAZ, in his official capacity; 

MARTHA MAYS; and KHOUNG PHUI, 

Defendants. 

Case No. 2:16-cv-0542 DAD AC P

JOINT STIPULATION FOR COURT

APPROVAL OF PLAINTIFF’S 

ATTORNEYS FEES; PROPOSED 

ORDER

Judge: Honorable Dale A. Drozd

Trial Date: Not Set

Action Filed: 3/14/2016 

Pursuant to California Penal Code section 2085.8, Plaintiff Matthew Dennis and Defendant 

Martha Mays, FNP, by and through their respective counsel, stipulate to seek the Court’s 

approval of Plaintiff’s attorney fees, on the following grounds: 

1. At the settlement conference held on December 21, 2023, the parties reached a global

settlement in the instant case as well as Dennis v. Doser, et al., E.D. Cal. Case No. 1:22-cv00818. The material terms of the settlement agreement were placed on the record before the 

Honorable Jeremy D. Peterson, Magistrate Judge. However, the specific attorney fees requested 

to be paid out of the settlement amount were not placed on the record at the close of the 

conference. 

///

ROB BONTA, State Bar No. 202668 

Attorney General of California

NORMAN D. MORRISON, State Bar No. 212090 

Supervising Deputy Attorney General 

Deputy Attorney General 

Case 2:16-cv-00542-DAD-AC Document 266 Filed 01/08/25 Page 1 of 3
1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28

2

Joint Stip. For Court Approval of Pl.’s Attorney’s Fees; Proposed Order (2:16-cv-00542 JAM AC)

3. Plaintiff’s counsel’s requested attorney fees for the settlement of Dennis v. Mays,

E.D. Cal. Case No. 2:16-cv-00542 JAM AC is $625.00. The total settlement amount for this case

is $2,500.00.

4. Coordination of the settlement documents between the parties took additional time

due to several factors, such as meeting-and-conferring with Plaintiff’s counsel regarding the exact 

amount of fees for each case, discussing and revisiting the language to be used in the settlement 

agreement to determine whether or not Plaintiff’s outstanding restitution balance would take 

payment priority over counsel’s fees which would have impacted the settlement terms. Once the 

settlement language was drafted, it was further scrutinized and revised in light of these 

discussions. When the settlement language approached finalization, it required review and 

approval from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) before 

finalizing the settlement agreement terms. 

5. Plaintiff also understands that pursuant to Penal Code section 2085.8, any amounts

owed by a prisoner under restitution, fine, or other court orders, including administrative fees, 

must be collected by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).

6. Therefore, the Court’s approval of Plaintiff’s attorney fees is necessary before the

settlement can be finalized. 

7. The parties request that the Court review the reasonableness of the proposed attorney

fee award in accordance with Penal Code section 2085.8, subdivision (a). 

///

///

///

2. In compliance with Penal Code section 2085.8, subdivision (a), court approval of

Plaintiff’s attorney fees is necessary prior to completing the settlement, as the statute requires a

reasonableness review by the Court in cases involving prisoners. 

Case 2:16-cv-00542-DAD-AC Document 266 Filed 01/08/25 Page 2 of 3
1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28

3

Joint Stip. For Court Approval of Pl.’s Attorney’s Fees; Proposed Order (2:16-cv-00542 JAM AC)

IT IS SO STIPULATED.

Dated: _____________________ NORMAN D. MORRISON IV

Supervising Deputy Attorney General 

Attorneys for Defendant Martha Mays, FNP 

Dated: ____________________________________

TAYLOR HOWARD

Attorney for Plaintiff

(PROPOSED) ORDER

Good cause appearing, the Court approves the payment of $625.00 to Plaintiff’s counsel 

for reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in the above matter. 

Date: 

November 1, 2024

December 23, 2024

8. Once the Court has reviewed and approved the attorney fee award, the final executed

settlement agreement will be forwarded to CDCR for further processing pursuant to the material 

terms of the settlement reached on December 23, 2023. 

January 7, 2024

Case 2:16-cv-00542-DAD-AC Document 266 Filed 01/08/25 Page 3 of 3