Opinion
Civil Action No. 12-cv-00184-LTB-KMT
08-08-2012
TED RALL, Plaintiff, v. THE STANDARD INSURANCE COMPANY OF NEW YORK, and AETNA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendants.
Magistrate Judge Kathleen M. Tafoya
ORDER SETTING SETTLEMENT CONFERENCE
A settlement conference is hereby scheduled in this case for October 1, 2012 in Courtroom C-201, Second Floor of the Byron Rogers U.S. Courthouse, 1929 Stout Street, Denver, Colorado. The conference will begin at 1:30 p.m. and end no later than 5:00 p.m.
Counsel shall have parties present who shall have full authority to negotiate all terms and demands presented by the case, and full authority to enter into a settlement agreement, including an adjustor if an insurance company is involved. The presence of an insurance adjustor, however, does not excuse the attendance of the party represented.
"Full authority" means that the person who attends the settlement conference has the complete and unfettered capacity and authority to meet or pay all terms or amounts which are demanded or sought by the other side of the case without consulting with some other person, committee or agency. If the representative attending the settlement conference can only receive authority to increase a pre-determined amount of money by making a telephone call to someone else, the person to whom the phone call is made is the correct participant in the settlement conference. If any person has limits upon the extent or amount within which he or she is authorized to settle on behalf of a party, that person does not have "full authority." This requirement is not fulfilled by the presence of counsel.
The court will consider awarding attorneys fees and costs against a participant in a settlement conference who arrives at the conference without full authority as outlined above.
No party or party representative shall be permitted to participate in the settlement conference by telephone, unless that party has obtained leave of court following the filing of an appropriate motion no later than five business days prior to the settlement conference date. Such requests are not favored by the court.
No person is ever required to settle a case on any particular terms or amounts. However, again, if any person attends the settlement conference without full authority, and the case fails to settle, that party may be ordered to pay the attorney's fees and costs for the other side.
Counsel and the parties should plan to remain at the settlement conference for approximately four hours after it begins. You will not be permitted to leave before that time for any reason, unless excused by Magistrate Judge Tafoya. Travel arrangements should be made accordingly.
Please remember that anyone seeking entry into the Byron Rogers United States Courthouse will be required to show a valid photo identification. See D.C.COLO.LCivR 83.2B.
BY THE COURT:
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Kathleen M. Tafoya
United States Magistrate Judge