Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-03409/USCOURTS-cand-3_06-cv-03409-7/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Dollar Tree Stores, Inc.
Defendant
Deborah Fleming
Plaintiff

Document Text:

[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR FINAL APPROVAL OF CLASS SETTLEMENT 

Case No. C 06-03409 SI 

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ERIC A. GROVER (SBN 136080) 

JADE BUTMAN (SBN 235920) 

ELIZABETH A. ACEVEDO (SBN 227347) 

KELLER GROVER LLP 

425 Second St., Suite 500 

San Francisco, CA 94107 

Telephone: (415) 543-1305 

Fax: (415) 543-7861 

eagrover@kellergrover.com 

jbutman@kellergrover.com 

eacevedo@kellergrover.com 

Attorneys for Plaintiff, 

DEBORAH FLEMING and CLASS COUNSEL 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

DEBORAH FLEMING, on behalf of herself, 

the general public, and as an “aggrieved 

employee” under the California Labor Code 

Private Attorneys General Act, 

 

 Plaintiff, 

 

 v. 

 

DOLLAR TREE STORES, INC. and DOES l 

through 50 inclusive 

 

 Defendants. 

Case No. C 06-03409 SI 

[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING 

MOTION FOR FINAL APPROVAL OF 

CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT, 

APPLICATION FOR AWARD OF 

ATTORNEYS’ FEES AND EXPENSES, 

CLASS REPRESENTATIVE 

ENHANCEMENT AND INDIVIDUAL 

SETTLEMENT

Date: April 22, 2008 

Time: 9:00 a.m. 

Dept: Courtroom 10 

Judge: Hon. Susan Illston 

Case 3:06-cv-03409-SI Document 73 Filed 04/01/2008 Page 1 of 6 Case 3:06-cv-03409-SI Document 80 Filed 04/22/08 Page 1 of 6
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[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR FINAL APPROVAL OF CLASS SETTLEMENT 

Case No. C 06-03409 SI 

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This matter having come before the Court on April 22, 2008 for the Final 

Approval Hearing on the parties’ Joint Stipulation of Class Settlement and Release Between 

Plaintiff and Defendant (the “Stipulation of Settlement” or “Settlement”), due and adequate notice 

having been given to Class Members as required by the Court’s Order Granting Preliminary 

Approval Of Class Action Settlement (“Preliminary Approval Order”) dated October 16, 2007, 

and the Court having considered all the papers filed and proceedings herein, having received no 

objections to the Settlement, having determined that the Settlement is fair, adequate and 

reasonable, and otherwise being fully informed, good cause appearing therefor, it is hereby 

ORDERED AS FOLLOWS: 

1. All terms used herein shall have the same meaning as given them in the 

Stipulation of Settlement. 

2. The Court has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this proceeding and 

over all Parties to this proceeding, including all Class Members. 

3. The Court hereby unconditionally certifies the two Settlement Classes, as 

set forth in the Stipulation of Settlement, for purposes of this Settlement only. 

4. Distribution of the Notice and Claim Form directed to the Class Members 

as set forth in the Stipulation of Settlement has been completed in conformity with the 

Preliminary Approval Order, including individual notice to all Class Members who could be 

identified through reasonable effort, and the best notice practicable under the circumstances. The 

Notice provided due and adequate notice of the proceedings and of the matters set forth in the 

Preliminary Approval Order, including the proposed Settlement as set forth in the Stipulation of 

Settlement. The Notice provided adequate and appropriate notice to all persons entitled to such 

Notice, and therefore fully satisfied the requirements of due process. All Class Members and all 

Released Claims are covered by and included within the Settlement and within Final Approval 

Order.

5. The Court hereby finds the Settlement was entered into in good faith and 

further finds that the Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate, and that Plaintiff has satisfied 

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[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR FINAL APPROVAL OF CLASS SETTLEMENT 

Case No. C 06-03409 SI 

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the standards and applicable requirements for final approval of this class action Settlement under 

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23. 

6. The Court hereby approves the Settlement as set forth in the Stipulation of 

Settlement and finds that the Settlement is, in all respects, fair, adequate, and reasonable, and 

directs the parties to effectuate the Settlement according to the terms set forth in the Stipulation of 

Settlement. The Court finds that the Settlement has been reached as a result of intensive, serious, 

and non-collusive arms-length negotiations. In granting final approval of the Stipulation of 

Settlement, the Court considered the nature of the claims, the amounts and kinds of benefits paid 

in settlement, the allocation of settlement proceeds among the Settlement Class Members, and the 

fact that a settlement represents a compromise of the parties’ respective positions rather than the 

result of a finding of liability at trial. Additionally, the Court finds that the terms of the 

Stipulation of Settlement have no obvious deficiencies and do not improperly grant preferential 

treatment to any individual Class Member. The Court also finds that the two Settlement Classes 

have been properly certified for settlement purposes only. 

7. As of the date of this Final Order and the effective date as set forth in the 

Stipulation of Settlement, each and every released claim of each Class Member who did not 

timely opt-out is and shall be deemed to be conclusively released as against the Released Parties 

(as defined in the Stipulation of Settlement). Except as to such rights or claims that may be 

created by the Settlement, all Class Members as of the date of this Final Order and the effective 

date who did not timely opt-out are hereby forever barred and enjoined from prosecuting any of 

the released claims against any of the Released Parties. 

8. Neither the Settlement nor any of the terms set forth in the Stipulation of 

Settlement constitute an admission by Defendant, or any of the other Released Parties, of liability 

to the plaintiff or any Class Member, nor does this Final Approval Order constitute a finding by 

the Court of the validity of any of the claims alleged in the Lawsuit, or of any liability of 

Defendant or any of the other Released Parties. 

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[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR FINAL APPROVAL OF CLASS SETTLEMENT 

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9. The Court hereby finds the total settlement amount provided for in the 

Settlement to be fair, reasonable and adequate. 

10. The Court hereby confirms Keller Grover LLP, Thierman Law Firm, Law 

Offices of Scott A. Miller, A.P.C. and Steven L. Miller, A Professional Law Corporation as Class 

Counsel.

11. Pursuant to the terms of the Settlement, and the authorities, evidence, and 

argument set forth in Class Counsels’ application, an award of attorneys’ fees in the aggregate 

amount of $750,000.00 (equivalent to 25% of the total settlement value) and for costs and 

expenses in the aggregate amount of $9,943.46 as final payment for and complete satisfaction of 

any and all attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by and/or owed to Class Counsel is hereby granted. 

The Court finds that Class Counsel’s request falls within the range of reasonableness and that the 

result achieved justifies the award. The payment of fees and costs to Class Counsel shall be made 

in accordance with the terms of the Stipulation of Settlement. 

12. The Court also hereby approves as Class Representative and orders 

payment to Plaintiff Deborah Fleming for her service as a Class Representative, the sum of 

$5,000.00. The payment of the Class Representative enhancement shall be made in accordance 

with the terms of the Stipulation of Settlement. 

13. The Court also approves the payment to Plaintiff Fleming of $20,000.00 in 

settlement of her individual claims against Defendant. The payment of this amount shall be made 

in accordance with the terms of the Stipulation of Settlement. 

14. The Court approves the settlement of the California Labor Code section 

2699 claims alleged in the Lawsuit and the allocation of $375,000.00 to settle these claims. Of 

that amount, and in accordance with California Labor Code section 2699(i), 75%, or $281,250.00, 

shall be paid to the State of California Labor and Workforce Development Agency in accordance 

with the terms of the Stipulation of Settlement. That portion of the remaining 25%, or $93,750, 

that is required to effectuate the terms of the Stipulation of Settlement shall be distributed to all 

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[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR FINAL APPROVAL OF CLASS SETTLEMENT 

Case No. C 06-03409 SI 

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Qualified Labor Code Section 2699 Claimants in accordance with the terms of the Stipulation of 

Settlement. 

15. The Court also approves the settlement of the California Labor Code 

Section 212 claims alleged in the Lawsuit and the allocation of up to $1,725,000 to settle these 

claims. The Court hereby authorizes and directs the Claims Administrator to calculate any 

payments for the claims of all Qualified Section 212 Claimants in accordance with the terms of 

the Stipulation of Settlement. 

16. The Court further approves the payment of up to $115,000.00 to Rosenthal 

& Co. for the costs of administering the Settlement as set forth in the Stipulation of Settlement. 

The payment authorized by this paragraph shall be made in accordance with the terms of the 

Stipulation of Settlement. 

17. If the Settlement does not become final and effective in accordance with 

the terms of the Stipulation of Settlement, this Final Approval Order and all orders entered in 

connection herewith, including the Judgment on this Order, shall be vacated and shall have no 

further force or effect. 

18. The Court hereby dismisses the class claims and Plaintiff’s individual 

claims based on Labor Code §§ 212, 2698 et seq., and the Business and Professions Code §17200, 

et seq. claims based on the Labor Code §212 allegations with prejudice. Plaintiff’s individual 

claims made under Labor Code §§ 1197.5, 203, and Business and Professions Code §§ 17200, et

seq. claims related to Plaintiff’s equal pay claims are hereby dismissed with prejudice. The class 

claims alleging unequal pay predicated upon Labor Code §§ 1197.5, 203, and Business and 

Professions Code §§ 17200, et seq. related to the equal pay claims are hereby dismissed without 

prejudice. Without affecting the finality of the Settlement or the Judgment to be entered hereon, 

this Court shall retain exclusive and continuing jurisdiction over the Lawsuit and the Parties, 

including all Class Members, for purposes of enforcing and interpreting the Settlement, this Order 

and the claims process established therein. 

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[PROPOSED] ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR FINAL APPROVAL OF CLASS SETTLEMENT 

Case No. C 06-03409 SI 

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19. The Court hereby finds that Defendant has complied with the notice 

requirements set forth in 28 U.S.C. § 1715 and, therefore, the noncompliance rights set forth in 28 

U.S.C. § 1715(e) are not applicable. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1715(d), the effective date of this 

Order shall be 65 days from today provided no objection has been lodged by any of the attorneys 

general notified of this class action settlement. 

IT IS SO ORDERED. 

DATED: ______________, 2008 ________________________________________ 

 HONORABLE SUSAN ILLSTON 

 UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE 

Approved as to form: 

Dated: April 1, 2008 KELLER GROVER LLP 

 By: /s/ 

 ERIC A. GROVER 

 Attorneys for Plaintiff 

 DEBORAH FLEMING and CLASS COUNSEL 

Dated: April 1, 2008 KAUFF MCCLAIN & MCGUIRE LLP 

 By: /s/ 

 MAUREEN E. MCCLAIN 

 Attorneys for Defendant 

 DOLLAR TREE STORES, INC. 

Case 3:06-cv-03409-SI Document 73 Filed 04/01/2008 Page 6 of 6

4/22/08

Case 3:06-cv-03409-SI Document 80 Filed 04/22/08 Page 6 of 6