The plaintiffs brought a motion in writing for court approval of a $10,000 settlement of the minor plaintiff's derivative Family Law Act claim arising from a motor vehicle accident.
The court approved the settlement amount as fair and reasonable.
However, the court declined the request to pay the settlement funds directly to the minor's parent and litigation guardian, interpreting recent amendments to Rule 7.09 and the Children's Law Reform Act to maintain the presumption of payment into court absent evidence justifying an alternative arrangement.
The court also refused to sign the submitted draft judgment because it improperly incorporated unsigned minutes of settlement, bound a non-party insurer, and included overly broad release language.
