UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

CASE NO. 20-cv-22603-GOODMAN

ERIK CHAVEZ, et al.,

Plaintiffs,

v.

GRILL ENTERPRISES, LLC, et al.,

Defendants.

_____________________________________/

ORDER SCHEDULING SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE

(BY ZOOM)

THIS CAUSE is before the Court pursuant to an Order of Referral entered by the 

Honorable Jonathan Goodman, United States Magistrate Judge, to conduct a Settlement 

Conference in this matter. [ECF No. 133].

It is hereby ORDERED AND ADJUDGED as follows:

1. A settlement conference is scheduled in this matter for 10:00 A.M., Tuesday, 

March 21, 2023. The parties shall participate in the settlement conference 

using Zoom. The Court will email counsel the Zoom meeting ID and 

password. ANY PARTY WHO DOES NOT SPEAK ENGLISH MUST 

BRING A PROFESSIONAL INTERPRETER TO THE SETTLEMENT 

CONFERENCE. The plaintiff(s) and the defendant(s) may not share an 

interpreter.

2. The settlement conference shall be attended by all parties, corporate 

representatives, and their counsel of record. All persons named as individual 

parties shall be present and each entity shall have a party representative(s) 

present with full authority to bind the party up to and including the full 

amount claimed as damages plus any applicable attorney’s fees and costs.

3. In the event that a monetary settlement would be payable from proceeds of 

an insurance policy, a claims professional/ representative(s) from the party’s 

insurer with full and final authority to authorize payment to settle the matter 

up to the full limits of the party’s policy(s), shall be present. Failure of a 

party representative with full and final authority to make and accept offers 

of settlement to attend this conference may result in the Court’s sua sponte

recommendation to the District Judge that sanctions be entered against the 

offending party.

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4. The parties shall submit written confidential settlement statements to the 

Court three (3) days prior to the settlement conference. These statements 

should not be provided to opposing counsel – only the Court. The confidential

settlement statements shall not exceed three (3) pages in length and may include 

any information that the parties would like the Court to be aware of that is not 

available to any other party. The statements shall include the status of all 

settlement discussions between the parties to date. The parties may email their 

statements to Damian@flsd.uscourts.gov. 

5. The Court may reach out to the parties’ counsel of record to schedule individual 

preliminary calls before the settlement conference.

6. Telephonic attendance will not be considered without the Court’s prior 

permission, and unless extraordinary circumstances exist.

7. All parties, corporate representatives, and counsel of record should be 

available for the entirety of the day.

8. The conference will not be continued absent extremely compelling 

circumstances. Any motion for continuance shall provide alternative dates 

and times that are available for all parties.

9. The conference shall be conducted without a court reporter and will not be 

recorded. All representations and statements made at the conference will 

remain confidential. 

10. In the event that this matter settles prior to the conference, the parties shall 

immediately advise the Court’s chambers.

DONE AND ORDERED in Chambers at Miami, Florida, this 3rd day of March 2023.

____________________________________

MELISSA DAMIAN

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Copies to:

Hon. Jonathan Goodman, U.S. Magistrate Judge

Counsel of Record

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