Judge: Mark E. Windham, Case: 20STLC05558, Date: 2024-04-29 Tentative Ruling
Case Number: 20STLC05558 Hearing Date: April 29, 2024 Dept: 26
State Farm v. Agustin, et al.
MOTION TO VACATE
DISMISSAL AND ENTER JUDGMENT PURSUANT TO STIPULATION
(CCP
§ 664.6)
TENTATIVE RULING:
Plaintiff State Farm Mutual
Automobile Insurance Company’s Motion to Enforce Settlement Agreement is GRANTED.
JUDGMENT TO BE ENTERED IN PLAINTIFF’S FAVOR AND AGAINST DEFENDANT EDWIN OMAR RAMIREZ IN THE AMOUNT OF
$2,162.11 PRINCIPAL, INTEREST OF $502.32, WHICH ACCRUED AT THE LEGAL RATE OF 7%
PER ANNUM SINCE THE DEFAULT DATE OF MARCH 15, 2023, COSTS OF $387.07, AND
ATTORNEY’S FEES OF $579.72.
ANALYSIS:
Plaintiff State Farm Mutual
Automobile Insurance Company (“Plaintiff”) filed the instant action for
automobile subrogation against Defendants Willian Orlando Gutierrez Agustin and
Edwin Omar Ramirez (“Defendant”) on July 2, 2020. On March 9, 2022, Plaintiff filed a copy of a settlement
agreement with Defendant with a request for dismissal and retention of
jurisdiction under Code of Civil Procedure section 664.6. The Court dismissed
the Complaint pursuant to the stipulation on the same date. (Stip and Order,
filed 03/09/22.)
On January 31, 2024, Plaintiff filed the
instant Motion to Vacate Dismissal, Enforce Settlement, and Enter Judgment. To
date, no opposition has been filed.
Legal Standard
The instant motion is brought under Code of Civil Procedure, section
664.6, which states in relevant part:
If parties to pending litigation
stipulate, in a writing signed by the parties outside the presence of the court
or orally before the court, for settlement of the case, or part thereof, the
court, upon motion, may enter judgment pursuant to the terms of the settlement.
If requested by the parties, the court may retain jurisdiction over the parties
to enforce the settlement until performance in full of the terms of the
settlement.
(Code Civ. Proc., § 664.6, subd.
(a).) Prior to January 1, 2021, “parties” under section 664.6 meant the
litigants themselves, not their attorneys.
(Levy v. Superior Court (1995) 10 Cal.4th 578, 586.) The current
statute provides that “parties” includes “an attorney who represents the party”
and an insurer’s agent. (Code Civ. Proc., § 664.6, subd. (b).) The settlement
must include the signatures of the parties seeking to enforce the agreement,
and against whom enforcement is sought. (J.B.B. Investment Partners, Ltd. v.
Fair (2014) 232 Cal.App.4th 974, 985.) Plaintiff has demonstrated the settlement agreement complies with
the statutory requirements set forth above as it was signed by both parties and
their attorneys. (Motion, Mahfouz II Decl., Exh. A, p. 5.)
Conclusion
Plaintiff State Farm Mutual
Automobile Insurance Company’s Motion to Enforce Settlement Agreement is GRANTED.
JUDGMENT TO BE ENTERED IN PLAINTIFF’S FAVOR AND AGAINST DEFENDANT EDWIN OMAR RAMIREZ IN THE AMOUNT OF $2,162.11
PRINCIPAL, INTEREST OF $502.32, WHICH ACCRUED AT THE LEGAL RATE OF 7% PER ANNUM
SINCE THE DEFAULT DATE OF MARCH 15, 2023, COSTS OF $387.07, AND ATTORNEY’S FEES
OF $579.72.
Moving party to give notice.