Previous Story
Judge to parties in Johnson’s suit: Keep working with Faris
|
Posted on Jan 12 2014
U.S. District Court for the NMI designated judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood has ordered the parties in the Betty Johnson class action to keep working with Hawaii chief bankruptcy judge Robert Faris in hopes of resolving the petitions for attorneys’ fees and costs.
Tydingco-Gatewood also vacated the status hearing in Johnson’s case set for today, Monday.
The Guam-based Civille & Tang law firm, through its principal representative, attorney Joyce C. H. Tang, was supposed to present today an update on the status of the settlement fund that was created under the settlement agreement in Johnson’s class action. The CNMI government was also supposed to report on its compliance with the terms of the settlement agreement.
The other agenda at the status hearing pertains to the petitions for attorneys’ fees and costs filed by different lawyers who served as counsels for Johnson.
Tydingco-Gatewood cancelled today’s scheduled status hearing after holding a chamber telephone conference on Thursday afternoon with the parties.
According to the minutes of the chamber conference, Tydingco-Gatewood discussed with the parties the possibility of submitting a unified attorneys’ fees petition. The parties agreed to work on a unified submission, if possible.
The judge then vacated the status conference and instead set a telephone conference for Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, at 8:15 Guam date and time.
Tydingco-Gatewood did not rule on the petition for attorneys’ fees and costs by Johnson counsels at the final fairness hearing last September. Instead, she directed the lawyers and the CNMI government to talk about the issue before Faris, who presided over the settlement discussions in Johnson’s class action.
