The court addressed two applications: a motion for court approval of an accident benefits settlement for a minor, Stephan Markus, and a guardianship application by his mother, Natalie Nicholas.
The court approved the accident benefits settlement amount of $650,000 but reduced the legal contingency fee from 25% to 15% and disallowed a disbursement for clerk's time.
The court rejected the proposed management plan for the settlement funds and Natalie Nicholas's application to be appointed guardian of property, citing concerns about the plan's realism and internal inconsistencies in affidavits.
All settlement funds were ordered to be placed into a structured settlement and paid into court until an authorized guardian of property is appointed, with a new management plan required.
