MOTION for PRELIMINARY APPROVAL of SETTLEMENT, CERTIFICATION of a RULE 23(B)(1)(B) SETTLEMENT CLASS, and for OTHER PURPOSES
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Case 1:08-mc-00511-PLF Document 161 Filed 03/30/11 Page 1 of 7 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ) In re BLACK FARMERS DISCRIMINATION ) LITIGATION ) ) ) Misc. No. 08-mc-0511 (PLF) ) This document relates to: ) ) ALL CASES ) ) MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENT, CERTIFICATION OF A RULE 23(b)(1)(B) SETTLEMENT CLASS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Plaintiffs James Copeland, Earl Moorer (on behalf of the estate of John Moorer), and Marshallene McNeil on behalf of themselves and the proposed Class they seek to represent, respectfully move this Court to enter the proposed Order Granting Preliminary Approval of Settlement Agreement, Certifying a Rule 23(b)(1)(B) Class, and for Other Purposes (“Preliminary Approval Order”) (Ex. 1).1 For the reasons set forth in the accompanying Memorandum of Points and Authorities, this Court should preliminarily approve the Settlement Agreement executed on February 18, 2010, and amended by the Parties as of March 23, 2011 (Ex. 2), and enter the proposed Preliminary Approval Order. In addition to preliminarily approving the Settlement Agreement, the proposed Preliminary Approval Order: a. Conditionally certifies, for settlement purposes only, a non-opt-out Settlement Class, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b)(1)(B), defined as follows: 1 Pursuant to Local Rule 7(m), Plaintiffs’ Counsel have conferred with Defendant’s Counsel regarding this Motion. Defendant’s Counsel has indicated that they do not oppose this Motion and likely will file a separate paper stating their support for the Settlement Agreement. Case 1:08-mc-00511-PLF Document 161 Filed 03/30/11 Page 2 of 7 All individuals: (1) who submitted late-filing requests under Section 5(g) of the Pigford v. Glickman Consent Decree on or after October 13, 1999, and on or before June 18, 2008; but (2) who have not obtained a determination on the merits of their discrimination complaints, as defined by Section 1(h) of the Consent Decree.2 b. Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(e), approves the proposed Notice to the Class and directs its dissemination as set forth in the proposed Notice Program (Ex. 5, Att. 3); c. Designates James Copeland, Earl Moorer, and Marshallene McNeil as Representatives for the Class; d. Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(g), designates the firms listed in ¶ 4 of the Preliminary Approval Order as Class Counsel; e. Designates Andrew H. Marks of Crowell & Moring LLP, Henry Sanders of Chestnut, Sanders, Sanders, Pettaway & Campbell, L.L.C., and Gregorio A. Francis of Morgan & Morgan, P.A., as Lead Class Counsel; f. Designates as members of the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee the counsel so identified in ¶ 4 of the Preliminary Approval Order; g. Designates Epiq Systems, Inc. to serve as Claims Administrator; h. Designates The McCammon Group to serve as the Track A Neutral, and sets forth procedures for the administration of their oath of duty; i. Designates Michael Lewis to serve as the Track B Neutral, and sets forth procedures for the administration of his oath of duty; j. Designates Kinsella Media, LLC to serve as the Notice Provider; 2 The Pigford Consent Decree, entered by this Court on April 14, 1999, is attached as Exhibit 3. 2 Case 1:08-mc-00511-PLF Document 161 Filed 03/30/11 Page 3 of 7 k. Approves the “Cost Cap” as the term is defined in Section II.I of the Settlement Agreement; l. Orders that a “Track A Individual Counsel Fee,” as the term is defined in Section II.II of the Settlement Agreement, may not exceed 2% of a Class Member’s Final Track A Award; m. Orders that a “Track B Fee,” as defined in Section II.QQ of the Settlement Agreement, may not exceed 8% of a Class Member’s Final Track B Award; n. For purposes of Notice, preliminarily approves a “Fee Award,” as defined in Section II.N of the Settlement Agreement, in the range of 4.1% and 7.4% of the total funds appropriated for Section 14012 claims; o. Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 26(c), enters a Protective Order to manage the privacy and use of the Pigford Timely 5(g) List, the Pigford Participants List, and the Pigford Opt-Out List, as those terms are defined in Sections II.BB, II.AA, and II.Z of the Settlement Agreement; p. Schedules a hearing as soon as reasonable to consider whether to finally approve the Settlement Agreement; q. Establishes procedures for the submission of objections to this Settlement Agreement; and r. Establishes other requirements and procedures necessary to the effectuation of the Settlement Agreement. 3 Case 1:08-mc-00511-PLF Document 161 Filed 03/30/11 Page 4 of 7 Respectfully submitted, /s/ /s/ Henry Sanders, Esq. Andrew H. Marks, Esq. Fayarose Sanders, Esq. D.C. Bar No. 932269 CHESTNUT, SANDERS, SANDERS, Laurel Pyke Malson, Esq. PETTAWAY & CAMPBELL, L.L.C. D.C. Bar. No. 317776 One Union Street Michael W. Lieberman Esq. Selma, AL 36701 D.C. Bar No. 988835 Tel: (334) 875-9264 CROWELL & MORING LLP Fax: (334) 875-9853 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20004 /s/ Tel: (202) 624-2920 Gregorio A. Francis, Esq. Fax: (202) 628-5116 Alphonso Michael Espy, Esq. Scott W. Weinstein, Esq. /s/ J. Andrew Meyer, Esq. Don O. Gleason, Jr., Esq. MORGAN & MORGAN, P.A. Michael McHenry, Esq. 20 North Orange Avenue, Suite 1600 GLEASON & MCHENRY Orlando, FL 32801 P.O. Box 7316 Tel: (407) 420-1414 Tupelo, MS 38802 Tel: (662) 690-9824 /s/ Fax: (662) 690-9826 Marc Boutwell, Esq. Charles Edwards, Esq. /s/ LAW OFFICES OF MARC BOUTWELL, PLLC Stephen Gowan, Esq. P.O. Box 956 GOWAN LAW OFFICE, PLLC Lexington, MS 39095 P.O. Box 38 Tel: (662) 834-9029 McAdams, MS 39107 Fax: (662) 834-3117 Tel: (662) 290-0042 Fax: (662) 290-0042 /s/ Jimmy S. Calton, Jr., Esq. /s/ Jimmy S. Calton, Sr., Esq. Donald McEachin, Esq. LAW OFFICES OF CALTON & CALTON MCEACHIN & GEE LLP 226 East Broad Street 4719 Nine Mile Road Eufaula, AL 36027 Henrico, VA 23223 Tel: (334) 687-3563 Tel: (804) 226-4111 Fax: (334) 687-3564 Fax: (804) 226-8888 4 Case 1:08-mc-00511-PLF Document 161 Filed 03/30/11 Page 5 of 7 /s/ /s/ Walter B. Calton, Esq. Harris L Pogust, Esq. Attorney at Law Tobias L. Millrood, Esq. 312 East Broad Street Robert N. Wilkey, Esq. Eufaula, AL 36027 POGUST, BRASLOW & MILLROOD, LLC Tel: (334) 687-2407 161 Washington Street, Suite 1520 Fax: (334) 687-2466 Conshohocken, PA 19428 Tel: (610) 941-4204 /s/ Fax: (610) 941-4245 Reed Colfax, Esq., D.C. Bar No. 471430 /s/ John P. Relman, Esq. Michael A. Rutland, Esq. Jennifer Klar, Esq. RUTLAND & JANKIEWICZ LLC RELMAN & DANE, PLLC 128 N. Orange Ave. 1225 – 19th Street N.W., Suite 600 Eufaula, AL 36027 Washington, DC 20036-2456 Tel: (334) 687-9899 Tel: (202) 728-1888 Fax: (202) 728-0848 /s/ Kindaka Sanders, Esq. /s/ Attorney at Law Othello C. Cross, Esq. 209 Broad St. Jesse L. Kearney, Esq. Selma, AL 36701 CROSS & KEARNEY, PLLC Tel: (334) 327-1993 1022 W. 6th Avenue Fax: (334) 460-6611 Pine Bluff, AR 71601 Tel: (870) 536-4056 /s/ Fax: (870) 536-0216 Joseph P. Strom, Jr., Esq. Mario A. Pacella, Esq. /s/ Bakari Sellers, Esq. James Scott Farrin, Esq. STROM LAW FIRM, LLC Eric Haase, Esq. 2110 N. Beltline Blvd., Suite A LAW OFFICES OF JAMES SCOTT FARRIN Columbia, SC 29204 280 South Mangum Street, Suite 400 Tel: (803) 252-4800 Durham, NC 27701 Fax: (803) 252-4801 Tel: (919) 688-4991 Fax: (919) 688-4468 /s/ Anurag Varma, Esq., /s/ D.C. Bar No. 471615 Phillip L. Fraas, Esq., Benjamin G. Chew, Esq. D.C. Bar No. 211219 Jude Kearney, Esq. STINSON MORRISON HECKER LLP Ramona Quillet, Esq. 1150 – 18th Street, N.W., Suite 800 PATTON BOGGS, LLP Washington, DC 20036-3816 2550 M Street, N.W. Tel: (202) 572-9904 Washington, DC 20037 Fax: (202) 572-9982 Tel: (202) 457-6490 Fax: (202) 457-6315 5 Case 1:08-mc-00511-PLF Document 161 Filed 03/30/11 Page 6 of 7 /s/ /s/ David J. Frantz, Esq., Timothy K. Lewis, Esq. D.C. Bar No. 202853 Ralph G. Wellington, Esq. Brian P. Phelan, Esq. Bruce P. Merenstein, Esq. CONLON, FRANTZ & PHELAN, LLP SCHNADER HARRISON SEGAL & LEWIS, LLP 1818 N Street, N.W., Suite 400 1600 Market Street, Suite 3600 Washington, DC 20036 Philadelphia, PA 19103 Tel: (202) 331-7050 Tel: (202) 419-4216 Fax: (202) 331-9306 Fax: (202) 419-3454 /s/ William Lewis Garrison, Esq. William L. Bross, Esq. Gayle L. Douglas, Esq. HENINGER, GARRISON & DAVIS LLC Post Office Box 11310 2224 – 1st Avenue North Birmingham, AL 35202 Tel: (205) 326-3336 Fax: (205) 326-3332 Dated: March 30, 2011 6 Case 1:08-mc-00511-PLF Document 161 Filed 03/30/11 Page 7 of 7 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE I certify that on March 30, 2011, I filed a copy of this motion via the ECF system, and sent copies by electronic-mail to the counsel of record in the above-referenced case. /s/ Michael W. Lieberman 7 Case 1:08-mc-00511-PLF Document 161-1 Filed 03/30/11 Page 1 of 73 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ) In re BLACK FARMERS DISCRIMINATION ) LITIGATION ) ) ) Misc. No. 08-mc-0511 (PLF) ) This document relates to: ) ) ALL CASES ) ) MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND AUTHORITIES IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENT, CERTIFICATION OF A RULE 23(b)(1)(B) SETTLEMENT CLASS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Case 1:08-mc-00511-PLF Document 161-1 Filed 03/30/11 Page 2 of 73 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF AUTHORITIES ........................................................................................................