Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_00-cv-01696/USCOURTS-caed-2_00-cv-01696-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 791
Nature of Suit: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
Cause of Action: 29:1145 E.R.I.S.A.

---

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

JOHN B. HALLBAUER State Bar No. 53683

MARK H. LIPTON State Bar No. 51010

Lipton } Hallbauer

A Professional Law Association

1810 N. California Blvd.

Walnut Creek, CA 94596

(925) 937-9660

Attorneys for Plaintiffs

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

CHUCK CAKE and FRAN Case No. Civ S-00-1696 MCE KJM

MCDERMOTT, Trustees of 

the SHASTA BUTTE ELECTRICAL STIPULATION RE: PROPOSED

TRUST; SHASTA BUTTE ELECTRICAL SETTLEMENT AND CONTINUANCE 

WORKERS PENSION FUND TRUST, TRIAL DATE; ORDER 

 Plaintiffs,

 vs.

DWIGHT T. EVANS, MONZIGO, 

LEROY LEVETTE, NORMA R. 

COMNICK, JOHN K. NEISWANGER, 

ROBERT N.WAGNER, SR.

 Defendants,

________________________________/ 

The parties hereto, the pension trust through its current trustees, Fran McDermott and

A.C. Steelman, and the defendants, Dwight Evans et al., hereby agree to continue the trial

currently set for June 22, 2005 for a period of not less than 90 days during which time the

parties will engage in further settlement negotiations. Good cause exists for this brief

continuance because the parties have reached a tentative settlement, whose framework requires

additional time. 

Specifically, Plaintiffs, McDermott and Steelman, as trustees of the pension plan have

engaged the professionals of the plan to consider its overall funding deficiency. Because of

rising interest rates the amount of underfunding fluctuates and is decreasing slowly. 

Information has been obtained from the plan actuary, plan attorney, plan accountant, Pension

Benefit Guarantee Corporation, Department of Labor and Internal Revenue Service in regards

Case 2:00-cv-01696-MCE-KJM Document 97 Filed 05/10/05 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

A recent ruling in the related case of Evans v. Cake indicates the pension plan may 1

have an obligation to defend defendants in the instant action and reimburse defendents for past

attorneys fees and costs.

2

to the approach that might be taken to fund the plan without accruing additional benefit

liability. In that regard, discussions have begun with parties in interest including the parent

union, IBEW local 340, and will be conducted with the plan participants in Redding, the

contributing employers who might otherwise have withdraw liability, and even noncontributing

employers who have an interest in seeing that the plan is ultimately funded and all benefits are

paid. If an agreement is reached to fund the pension plan, plaintiffs will dismiss instant action,

and dependents will agree not to pursue outstanding past attorneys fees and costs from the

pension plan. 

1

In the event an agreement is not reached and the pension plan remains underfunded, the

instant action will proceed and plaintiffs agree to pay all past reasonable attorney fees and costs

incurred in defending this matter and pay as incurred all future reasonable attorney fees and

costs in this matter from trust assets. 

Under the current circumstances it would be a waste of the trust’s limited resources for

either side to prepare for trial if settlement can be reached. For that reason the parties request

the case be continued.

Dated: 4/29/05 /S/ Mark Lipton 

MARK H. LIPTON

LIPTON & HALLBAUER

For Plaintiffs

Dated: 4/29/05 /S/ Joseph McMonigle 

JOSEPH McMONIGLE

LONG & LEAVIT LLP

For Defendants

Case 2:00-cv-01696-MCE-KJM Document 97 Filed 05/10/05 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

UPON GOOD CAUSE APPEARING IT IS SO ORDERED. 

The bench trial date of June 22, 2005 is vacated and reset for February 1, 2006 at 9:00 a.m. 

Dated: May 10, 2005 

__________________________________

MORRISON C. ENGLAND, JR

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 2:00-cv-01696-MCE-KJM Document 97 Filed 05/10/05 Page 3 of 3