Settlement of the Walking Time Cases Moving Forward:
Settlement of the two CCSO walking time class action lawsuits, coordinated with the two CCPOA class action lawsuits, is moving forward as planned. The state/CDCR tentatively agreed to settle the cases for $155 million in July. Gary Goyette with Goyette Law West (CCSO’s attorney) and the attorneys from the two law firms retained by CCPOA worked together to file on October 21st the motion and related documents seeking preliminary approval of the settlement by the Court. On November 3rd, the Court issued a tentative ruling, stating that the settlement should be preliminarily approved because it appeared to be a fair, sufficient, and reasonable settlement – – however, the Judge asked for additional information on various specific points and asked the attorneys to file supplemental briefing by November 18th to answer his questions, before he could issue an Order for preliminary approval.
Once the Order for preliminary approval of the settlement is obtained, Class Notices describing the settlement process will be sent out to all class members. The settlement process itself will take until the Fall of next year, 2023, because the CA Legislature has to approve the funding for the settlement as part of the budget for the next fiscal year (starting July 1, 2023), and because the settlement covers correctional supervisors through the end of the current fiscal year (through June 30, 2023), such that Sgts, newly promoted from COs through June of next year has to be sent Class Notices.
We will have further information after the Court considers the supplemental briefing.
Disclaimer: This newsletter is for CCSO members only and may contain confidential and/or sensitive information. Please do not disseminate through CDCR email. Contact the CCSO office with any questions or concerns.