Opinion ID: 177521
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The District Court Denies the Objectors' Renewed Motion to Intervene, Conditionally Re-Certifies the Class, and Preliminarily Approves the Modified Settlement

Text: By the Fall of 2007, the Settling Parties and the Objectors had fully briefed the Settling Parties' motion for conditional re-certification of the class and preliminary approval of the Modified Settlement. After a hearing on those motions, on November 9, 2007, the Walters, Bender firm filed a renewed motion to intervene in the consolidated Kessler action, arguing that the Modified Settlement was the product of collusion between class counsel and counsel for defendants. In January 2008, the District Court conditionally re-certified the Class, preliminarily approved the Modified Settlement, re-appointed class counsel, and re-appointed the named plaintiffs as class representatives. The Court also denied the Objecting Class Member's Renewed Motion to Intervene as untimely, stating that the Objectors orally withdrew their motion to intervene in November of 2005. Although the court will direct the Settling Parties to submit a revised notice plan and provide the class with an additional period to opt out, under the unique circumstances of this case, the Objectors['] renewed motion is untimely.... They have identified no persuasive reason why they failed to pursue intervention in the interim other than their dissatisfaction with the court's rulings to date. The Settling Parties then filed a proposed plan for disseminating notice to the class, which the District Court approved. Only 55 members submitted timely opt-outs. Among the class members who chose not to opt out were the named plaintiffs in the Hobson action.