Opinion ID: 175352
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Instant Proceedings to Enforce the 2001

Text: Settlement On July 31, 2008, Sherwin-Williams commenced the instant action by filing a motion in the district court for the Northern District of California. In its motion, SherwinWilliams sought to enforce the 2001 Settlement, including the release and contribution bar, and to obtain a dismissal with prejudice of the claims and cross-claims filed against it in the State Court Action. More specifically, with respect to the State Court Action, Sherwin-Williams sought an order (i) confirming that the 2001 Settlement released all of the claims asserted against it by Emeryville, and provided protection against any cross-claims for contribution asserted by Emeryville and the other parties; (ii) compelling the dismissal of the complaint and all cross-complaints against it, including those filed by Intervenors; and (iii) awarding attorney’s fees and 4 In its first amended complaint in the State Court Action, Emeryville seeks to acquire Robinson’s property by eminent domain and to recover environmental remediation costs pursuant to the Polanco Redevelopment Act, Cal. Health & Safety Code, §§ 33459 et seq., and asserts state common law claims for public and private nuisance, trespass, and equitable indemnity. Robinson’s cross-claims seek equitable indemnity and/or contribution from other defendants, including Sherwin-Williams. The Adams’ property has already been acquired by Emeryville by eminent domain, but they also seek equitable indemnity and/or contribution from SherwinWilliams and other defendants. CITY OF EMERYVILLE v. SHERWIN-WILLIAMS 14145 costs it incurred in filing the motion and defending itself. Emeryville opposed Sherwin-Williams’s motion, and sought to recover its own fees and costs. Sherwin-Williams served its motion to enforce the 2001 Settlement on Intervenors and several other neighboring property owners. Shortly thereafter, Intervenors sent letters to the district court indicating their desire to intervene in the instant action. On September 19, 2008, the district court granted twenty days for filing motions to intervene and responses to SherwinWilliams’s motion to enforce the 2001 Settlement. On October 9, 2008, Intervenors filed their motions to intervene pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 24(a) (hereafter, “Rule 24(a)”) and CERCLA § 113(i), 42 U.S.C. § 9613(i), along with a brief in opposition to Sherwin-Williams’s motion to enforce the 2001 Settlement. A week later, all parties were heard on all pending motions. In its final Amended Order entered on November 25, 2008 (“the Amended Order”), the district court granted SherwinWilliams’s motion to enforce the 2001 Settlement in part, and denied it in part. The motion was granted to the extent it sought confirmation that the release in the 2001 Settlement applied to the claims asserted against Sherwin-Williams by Emeryville in the State Court Action and dismissal of those claims, but only “insofar as those claims arise from or relate to contaminants that emanated from Site A.” SherwinWilliams’s motion was denied to the extent it sought an order dismissing the cross-claims for contribution and/or indemnity filed by Intervenors and other defendants in the State Court Action. The district court denied both Sherwin-Williams’s and Emeryville’s requests for attorney’s fees and costs. Sherwin-Williams timely appealed from the Amended Order on December 23, 2008. Emeryville filed a notice of cross-appeal on January 26, 2009.5 5 On March 4, 2009, Sherwin-Williams filed a further motion in the district court, ostensibly seeking enforcement of the Amended Order and 14146 CITY OF EMERYVILLE v. SHERWIN-WILLIAMS