Opinion ID: 147650
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Appeal in the SEMOU Cases

Text: In the SEMOU Cases, plaintiff Water Entities and third-party defendants Group of 10 requested a judicial order in May 2008 approving a proposed settlement between plaintiffs and third-party defendants that mirrored the proposed consent decree in the EPA's suit against the Group of 10. Defendants in the SEMOU Cases included the Applicants who had sought to intervene to oppose the proposed consent decree in the suit brought by the EPA against the Group of 10. The district court in the SEMOU Cases entered judgment approving the settlement, dismissing with prejudice all claims against the Group of 10, and barring any claims for contribution by non-settling PRPs. Five of the defendants (all of whom are Applicants for intervention in the suit brought by the EPA) appealed. That appeal is before us in a separate case. By separate order filed today, we vacate the district court's judgment in the SEMOU Cases and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. See San Gabriel Basin Water Quality Auth. v. Linderman, No. 08-56589.