| name | final-settlement-approval |
| title | Motion for Final Approval of Class Action Settlement |
| description | Drafts a Motion for Final Approval of Class Action Settlement under FRCP 23(e) or state equivalents, covering fairness analysis, notice compliance, fee requests, and supporting declarations. Use when seeking final court endorsement after preliminary approval, preparing for a Rule 23(e) fairness hearing, or drafting a settlement approval motion. |
| author | CaseMark |
| author_url | https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/final-settlement-approval |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| version | 0.1.0 |
| execution_mode | open |
| jurisdiction | us |
| practice | litigation |
| language | en |
| tags | ["drafting","motion"] |
Motion for Final Approval of Class Action Settlement
Produces a court-ready motion demonstrating the settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate under the applicable multi-factor test, with full procedural compliance documentation.
Required Inputs
- Preliminary approval order — date, docket number, court conditions
- Executed settlement agreement — material terms, release provisions, distribution methodology
- Notice materials — proof of dissemination, claims administrator reports
- Objection/opt-out data — count, substance, opt-out rate
- Claims data — submission rate, eligible class members, estimated per-claimant recovery
- Fee records — lodestar (hours/rates) or percentage basis; litigation costs
- Case docket — key filings, rulings, discovery milestones with dates
- Declarations — class counsel, class representative, claims administrator, experts (if any)
Quick Start
- Identify the controlling fairness test for the jurisdiction (e.g., Churchill factors in Ninth Circuit, Girsh/Prudential in Third Circuit). [VERIFY factor list against current circuit law]
- Gather all required inputs above.
- Draft each motion section following the workflow below.
- Cite the record for every factual assertion; cite binding authority for every legal argument. Flag uncertainty with [VERIFY].
- Confirm CAFA compliance (28 U.S.C. § 1715) if applicable. [VERIFY]
Workflow
1. Caption & Introduction
- Full caption matching court records (court, case number, all parties)
- Title: "Motion for Final Approval of Settlement and Memorandum of Points and Authorities in Support Thereof"
- Opening paragraph referencing preliminary approval order (date, docket #), key settlement benefits, and the request
2. Procedural & Litigation History
Chronological narrative from docket entries covering:
- Filing date, claims, amendments, class allegations
- Class certification date, class definition, modifications
- Discovery scope (depositions, document volume, expert work)
- Dispositive motions (summary judgment, Daubert)
- Settlement negotiations (mediation sessions, mediator, timeline)
- Preliminary approval (date, conditions, notice plan)
Purpose: demonstrate informed decision-making and litigation risk awareness.
3. Settlement Terms
