By: Derek Hawkins//December 13, 2017//
7th Circuit Court of Appeals
Case Name: Saul M. Kaufman, et al. v. J.G. Goodman, et al.
Case No.: 16-1691
Officials: BAUER, MANION, and HAMILTON, Circuit Judges.
Focus: Court Error – Abuse of Discretion
Saul Kaufman, as lead plaintiff in a class action, sued American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (“Amex”), alleging claims for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and statutory fraud related to Amex’s general‐use, prepaid gift cards. Just over two years after Kaufman filed the class action, Kaufman (on behalf of the class) and Amex sought approval from the district court of a settlement agreement that would resolve the action. Almost seven years later, after multiple amended motions for approval and three rounds of notice to the class, the district court granted final approval of the settlement. J.G. Goodman and Carla Santsche (“Intervenors”), who had intervened in the class action, appeal the approval of the settlement. While we recognize this settlement is not without issues, we conclude the district court did not abuse its discretion in approving it.
Affirmed