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Final draft of $185K settlement with Woodruff OK’d
U.S. District Court for the NMI designated judge Frances M. Tydingco-Gatewood approved yesterday the CNMI government’s final draft of the settlement deal with Betty Johnson’s local counsel, Stephen C. Woodruff, for his $185,000 attorney’s fees.
Tydingco-Gatewood said she read and considered the stipulated motion filed by the CNMI government and Woodruff to approve the settlement, the settlement agreement, as well as all arguments and submissions from the parties at the hearings.
Tydingco-Gatewood approved the payment of $185,000 to Woodruff during a hearing on March 3, 2014, and ordered the parties to file a final draft of their settlement deal no later than March 7, 2014.
The CNMI government and Woodruff filed the final draft of the settlement on March 7, 2014.
According to the deal, the CNMI shall pay Woodruff $185,000 on or before Friday, May 2, 2014, “in full satisfaction of its obligation to pay to Woodruff attorney’s fees and reimbursement of costs” under the settlement agreement in Johnson’s class action.
Woodruff’s initial request was between $1 million to $2.9 million.
The CNMI government also settled with Johnson’s original counsel, Bruce Lee Jorgensen, for $800,000. Tydingco-Gatewood placed the deal under advisement. Jorgensen’s initial demand for payment was at least $18.6 million.
The judge also placed under advisement, the petitions for attorney’s fees and costs filed by Johnson’s other counsels: Bronster Hoshibata and Timothy Lord.
The Hawaii-based Hoshibata is seeking $17.5 million, while the San Rafael, California-based Lord is demanding either $3.6 million or $5.9 million.
