Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-04656/USCOURTS-cand-4_17-cv-04656-7/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 GRANTING IN PART AND 

DENYING IN PART STIPULATION TO 

MODIFY CLASS SETTLEMENT 

AGREEMENT

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 go to a cy pres

beneficiary, California Rural Legal Assistance (“CRLA”). (Dkt. No. 59.) The parties also 

requested that the final approval hearing date be continued.

On May 9, 2019, the Court requested supplemental briefing as to why CRLA was an 

appropriate cy pres beneficiary, observing that it was not clear CRLA was “sufficiently related to 

the subject matter of the lawsuit and the geographic diversity of the class members.” (Dkt. No. 60 

at 1.)

On May 21, 2019, Plaintiff filed a supplemental brief, explaining that CRLA works to 

“enforce minimum wage and overtime pay laws.” (Dkt. No. 61 at 1.) Plaintiff, however, did not 

address the Court’s concerns regarding the geographic diversity of the class members. Instead, 

Plaintiff proposed that the class notice state that unpaid funds shall go to a cy pres beneficiary, 

without identifying a specific organization. (Id. at 2.)

Accordingly, the Court GRANTS IN PART and DENIES IN PART the parties’ 

stipulation. The parties shall use a class notice stating that unpaid funds shall go to a cy pres

Case 4:17-cv-04656-KAW Document 62 Filed 05/29/19 Page 1 of 2
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United States District Court

Northern District of California

beneficiary. The Court CONTINUES the hearing on the motion for final approval to August 29, 

2019 at 1:30 p.m. At final approval, the parties should be prepared to explain why the CRLA 

satisfies the geographic diversity requirements of a cy pres beneficiary, or identify other 

organizations that “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.” Nachshin v. AOL, LLC, 663 F.3d 1034, 1036 (9th Cir. 2011).

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: May 29, 2019

__________________________________

KANDIS A. WESTMORE

United States Magistrate Judge

Case 4:17-cv-04656-KAW Document 62 Filed 05/29/19 Page 2 of 2