Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-02196/USCOURTS-caed-2_05-cv-02196-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 130
Nature of Suit: Miller Act
Cause of Action: 40:270 Miller Act

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STIPULATION AND ORDER RE MANDATORY SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE 

CASE NO. 2:05-CV-02196-LKK-JFM

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Bennett J. Lee, Esq. (State Bar No. 230482) 

Andrew Van Ornum, Esq. (State Bar No. 214040) 

WATT, TIEDER, HOFFAR & FITZGERALD, L.L.P. 

One Sansome Street, Suite 1050 

San Francisco, CA 94104 

Telephone: 415-623-7000 

Facsimile: 415-623-7001 

Attorneys for Defendant and Counter-claimant 

VT GRIFFIN SERVICES, INC. 

and Defendants FIREMAN’S FUND INSURANCE 

COMPANY, and AMERICAN HOME 

ASSURANCE COMPANY 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

UNITED STATES FOR USE OF BERRY’S 

HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING, INC., a 

California Corporation, 

 Plaintiff, 

 v. 

FIREMAN’S FUND INSURANCE COMPANY, 

ET AL., 

 Defendants.

 Case No. 2:05-CV-02196-LKK-JFM 

STIPULATED MOTION FOR 

PARTICIPATION IN MANDATORY 

SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE BY 

SURETIES TO BE BY TELEPHONE 

 

Mandatory Settlement Conference: August 3, 

2007 

Trial Date: September 25, 2007 

AND RELATED COUNTER-CLAIM 

 

Defendant and counterclaimant V.T. Griffin Services, Inc. (“VT Griffin”), defendants American 

Home Assurance Company (“AHAC”) and Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company (“FFIC”) (collectively, VT 

Griffin, AHAC and FFIC will be referred to as “Defendants”), and plaintiff Berry’s Heating and Air 

Conditioning, Inc. (“Berry’s”) hereby stipulate and request consent of the Court to allow AHAC and FFIC 

attend and participate in the mandatory settlement conference scheduled for August 3, 2007 by telephone 

stand-by. 

The dispute in this matter arises out of a subcontract between Berry’s and VT Griffin. Defendants 

AHAC and FFIC are involved as the Miller Act payment bond surety guaranteeing payment to proper 

Case 2:05-cv-02196-LKK -JFM Document 45 Filed 07/24/07 Page 1 of 3
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STIPULATION AND ORDER RE MANDATORY SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE 

CASE NO. 2:05-CV-02196-LKK-JFM

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claimants. However, the right to recover from a payment bond exists only if a proper claimant has not 

been paid in full under its contract with the bonded principal, e.g. VT Griffin, but the principal is 

primarily liable. See e.g. Cates Construction v. Talbot Partners, 21 Cal.4th 28, 980 P.2d 407, 412 (1999) 

(“[i]n suretyship, the risk of loss remains with the principal, while the surety merely lends its credit so as to 

guarantee payment or performance in the even that the principal defaults”). In this case, Berry’s seeks 

approximately $66,000 and VT Griffin counterclaims for approximately $31,000. 

Undersigned counsel for VT Griffin represents that a representative from VT Griffin will attend 

the settlement conference and that counsel will have sufficient authority from AHAC and FFIC to resolve 

the matter. 

Defendants and Berry’s are in agreement that given the amount in dispute is relatively small, that 

AHAC’s claim representative for the claim is located in New York, that FFIC’s representative is located in 

Marin County, and that VT Griffin will be personally attending, it is unnecessary for representatives from 

AHAC and FFIC to personally attend. 

Thereby, Defendants and Berry’s request consent of the Court to allow FFIC and AHAC to attend 

via telephone stand-by. 

IT IS SO STIPULATED AND REQUESTED. 

Dated: July 24, 2007 WATT, TIEDER, HOFFAR & FITZGERALD, L.L.P. 

By: /s/ Andrew Van Ornum 

 Bennett J. Lee 

 Andrew Van Ornum 

 Attorneys for Defendant and Counter-claimant 

VT GRIFFIN SERVICES, INC. 

and Defendants FIREMAN’S FUND 

INSURANCE COMPANY, and AMERICAN 

HOME ASSURANCE COMPANY 

 

Dated: July 24, 2007 LAW FIRM OF JOSEPH A. CAMARDO, J.R. 

By: 

 Kevin Cox, Esq. 

 Attorneys for plaintiff and counterdefendant, 

 BERRY’S HEATING AND AIR 

 CONDITIONING, INC. 

Case 2:05-cv-02196-LKK -JFM Document 45 Filed 07/24/07 Page 2 of 3
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STIPULATION AND ORDER RE MANDATORY SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE 

CASE NO. 2:05-CV-02196-LKK-JFM

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ORDER GRANTING SURETIES RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE

IN MANDATORY SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE VIA TELEPHONE

Based upon the parties’ Stipulated Motion, and for good cause, the Court orders that 

representatives of AHAC and FFIC are allowed to participate in the mandatory settlement conference via 

telephone. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

Dated: July 24, 2007 

Case 2:05-cv-02196-LKK -JFM Document 45 Filed 07/24/07 Page 3 of 3