New CA Settlement Case

To do the best job possible as a mediator, arbitrator and referee, I review and summarize every new published California civil case. In this blog I discuss a new civil case that was published last month. 

Settlement

Most cases are ultimately settled. Usually, the case will only settle once, but this is not always so. Last month, the Second District Court of Appeal published a new case addressing the effect of a forbearance agreement on an earlier settlement agreement. A video discussing the case is above and my summary of the case is below.

New Settlement Decision  

Filtzer v. Ernest (2022) 79 Cal.App.5th 579: The Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court’s order denying a motion to enter a stipulated judgment. On August 25, 2015, plaintiff filed a complaint for breach of contract and money had and received against defendant, based upon defendant’s failure to repay a $250,000 promissory note. On October 23, 2015, the parties entered into the Settlement Agreement providing that defendant owed plaintiff $288,720.67 in principal and interest, plus $36,217.00 in attorneys’ fees and costs. The Settlement Agreement detailed a schedule for defendant to pay plaintiff monthly, starting November 1, 2015, and ending on November 1, 2018. Later, on February 19, 2019, during mediation (and months after the final payment was due in 2018 under the Settlement Agreement), the parties executed the Forbearance Agreement, where defendant agreed to pay $150,000 and provide a list of assets by March 19, 2019. Defendant did so. The Court of Appeal ruled that the trial court did not err in holding that the parties intended the Forbearance Agreement to be in full satisfaction of defendant’s debt in the Settlement Agreement. (C.A. 2nd, June 3, 2022.)

Mediation, Arbitration and Referee Services

As California civil caselaw expert and an expert Zoom user, I help attorneys and their clients throughout California as a mediator, arbitrator and referee with ADR Services, Inc. I handle business, commercial, employment, insurance bad faith, insurance coverage, land use, landlord-tenant (commercial and residential), legal malpractice, medical malpractice, personal injury, real property and wrongful death cases. I've been a California civil trial lawyer since 1980 and a member of ABOTA since 1995. I've represented both plaintiffs and defendants in a wide variety of civil cases including the areas listed above. To schedule a new matter, please contact my case manager at ADR services, Haward Cho, [email protected], (213) 683-1600.  

California Case Summaries™

Best regards,
Monty A. McIntyre, Esq.
Mediator, Arbitrator & Referee
California Case Summaries™
CA Civil Trial Attorney Since 1980
ABOTA Member Since 1995
Past President San Diego County Bar Assn., SD ABOTA Chapter
Phone: (619) 990-4312. Email: [email protected]