Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-01763/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-cv-01763-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 28:1441 Petition for Removal - Employment Discrimination

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JOHN EVANS,

Plaintiff,

 v.

HYATT CORPORATION, d/b/a HYATT

REGENCY SAN FRANCISCO, and

DOES 1 through 20, inclusive,

Defendants. /

No. C 07-01763 WHA

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANTS’

MOTION TO ENFORCE

SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT

Defendants’ motion to enforce the settlement agreement is GRANTED IN PART AND

DENIED IN PART. On January 17, 2008, the parties participated in a mandatary settlement

conference before Magistrate Judge Maria Elena James. At the settlement conference, the

parties reached a settlement agreement which was stated on the record:

Judge James: All right. Okay, we’ve reached a settlement

on this matter and I’m gonna state it for the record and ask

both parties to listen carefully. In exchange for Mr. Evans

dismissing his case with prejudice, the defendants have

agreed that they will modify the current termination in his

personnel file from a termination to a resignation and that

when anyone calls asking for a reference for Mr. Evans, the

file will have a confidential seal placed on it, and the only

information provided to any subsequent potential employer

or anyone requesting information would be the dates that

Mr. Evans worked and the fact that he resigned voluntarily.

Ms. Van Krieken (Defense Counsel): And I would add

your Honor that we would also confirm his position held.

Judge James: And the position held, okay. In addition,

there is an order dated January 3rd by Judge Alsup which is

granting defendants’ motion to compel and motion for

extended discovery cutoff in which the Court had fined Mr.

Evans the sum of $1,498.26; the defendants have agreed to

forego that claim, in other words they will relinquish that

claim against Mr. Evans and at this point both parties will

bear their own attorney’s fees and costs. And this will

recompense [unintelligible] a signed release from Mr.

Case 3:07-cv-01763-WHA Document 41 Filed 04/02/08 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Evans, both sides will actually relinquish all their claims

against each other up to this point. All right. And counsel

you heard the agreement, was there anything that I missed?

Ms. Van Krieken: No your Honor, nothing.

Judge James: Okay. Counsel so then you have heard the

agreement as it was placed on the record. Did you

understand it?

Ms. Van Krieken: Yes.

Judge James: And you agree to be bound by it, you have

the authority to bind the defendants?

Ms. Van Krieken: Yes I do.

Judge James: And Mr. Evans you heard the agreement as it

was placed on the record. Did you understand it?

Mr. Evans: Yes I do.

Judge James: And you agree to be bound by it?

Mr. Evans: Yes I do.

The next day following the settlement conference, defendants sent Evans a draft settlement

agreement and mutual release form (Evarts Decl. Exh. B). Evans has refused to sign either

document. Defendants now move to enforce the settlement agreement. Evans has filed no

opposition to the motion. 

An oral settlement agreement, particularly one reached in open court and memorialized

on the record, is binding as long as both parties understood the terms of the settlement and

expressed an intention to be bound by it. See Doi v. Halekulani Corp., 276 F.3d 1131, 1140

(9th Cir. 2002) (“Any question as to [plaintiff’s] intent to be bound was answered when she

appeared in open court, listened to the terms of the agreement placed on the record, and when

pressed as to whether she agreed with the terms, said ‘yeah.’”). Here, the record cited to above

evidences a clear intention by both parties to be bound by the terms outlined by Judge James. 

Judge James asked Evans if he understood the terms of the settlement, which Evans replied

“Yes I do”, and Judge James asked if he agreed to be bound by it, which Evans replied “Yes I

do.” The same understanding and intent to be bound was evidenced by defendants. Evans was

given an opportunity to show cause why the settlement should not be enforced and filed

Case 3:07-cv-01763-WHA Document 41 Filed 04/02/08 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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nothing. A hearing was also held. Evans has provided no reason justifying why the settlement

detailed on the record should not be enforced.

Defendants request to enforce their proposed settlement agreement and release form as

drafted, however, goes too far. The only terms which Evans agreed to on the record were those

which were specifically outlined by Judge James at the settlement conference. Nothing else on

the record indicates any intent by Evans to be bound by the complicated legalese contained in

the draft settlement agreement and release form provided by defendants. Accordingly, only the

specific terms outlined by Judge James at the settlement conference will be enforced.

Defendants’ motion to impose sanctions is DENIED. Defendants were not entitled to

impose a boilerplate agreement upon Evans. At most, only the bare-bones terms detailed at the

settlement conference should have been included in the settlement agreement.

This case is now DISMISSED WITH PREJUDICE. Within seven calender days,

defendants shall file a declaration certifying that they have fully carried out their end of the

bargain.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: April 2, 2008. WILLIAM ALSUP

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:07-cv-01763-WHA Document 41 Filed 04/02/08 Page 3 of 3