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UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURTSOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA
FORT LAUDERDALE DIVISION
CASE NO. 12-CV-60936-COHN/SELTZER
PHILIP PULLEY, DEVRA PULLEY,JEROME DAVIS, and SUSAN DAVIS,individually and on behalf of themselvesand all others similarly situated,
Plaintiffs,v.
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.,
CHASE BANK USA, N.A., CHASEINSURANCE AGENCY, JP MORGANINSURANCE AGENCY, ASSURANT,INC., AMERICAN SECURITYINSURANCE COMPANY, andVOYAGER INDEMNITY INSURANCECOMPANY,
Defendants.
CLASS ACTION STIPULATION ANDSETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ANDRELEASE
STIPULATION AND SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT
This Stipulation and Settlement Agreement (Agreement) is made and entered into by
and among the Plaintiffs Philip Pulley, Devra Pulley, Jerome Davis, and Susan Davis
(Plaintiffs), on behalf of themselves and all Class Members as defined herein, and JPMorgan
Chase Bank, N.A., Chase Insurance Agency, Inc., and JP Morgan Insurance Agency, Inc.
(Chase Defendants).
1. RECITALS
1.1. On May 17, 2012, Plaintiffs Philip and Devra Pulley commenced this litigation
against JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Chase Bank USA, N.A (the Litigation).
1.2. On June 5, 2012, Plaintiffs filed their First Amended Complaint, which,inter alia,
sought damages on behalf of a nationwide class of residential mortgage loan or line of credit
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borrowers whose loans or lines of credit were serviced by the Chase Defendants and were
subjected to the force placement of wind insurance on the secured property.
1.3. In July 2012, Plaintiffs and the Chase Defendants entered into intensive mediation
through JAMS mediator David Geronemus, who has extensive mediation experience.
1.4. The mediation included the exchange of mediation statements, numerous days of
face to face meetings, and dozens of conference calls. It also included the collection, production,
and review of thousands of pages of documents and electronically-stored data concerning wind
lender-placed insurance.
1.5. While settlement negotiations were ongoing, Plaintiffs served document requests,
to which Defendants responded. Pursuant to the Courts Scheduling Order, on March 4, 2013,
Plaintiffs filed a motion for class certification and a memorandum in support thereof. Plaintiffs
also filed a Second Amended Complaint, which added additional Plaintiffs Jerome Davis and
Susan Davis and additional Defendants Chase Insurance Agency, JP Morgan Insurance Agency,
Inc., Assurant Inc., American Security Insurance Company, and Voyager Indemnity Insurance
Company as parties. The Chase Defendants, as well as Chase Bank USA, N.A., and the
Assurant Defendants filed separate motions to dismiss, which, along with Plaintiffs motion for
Class Certification, currently remain pending.
1.6. Beginning in mid-January 2013, Plaintiffs and Chase Defendants began a series of
extensive telephonic negotiations that culminated in a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU), which was executed on April 12, 2013. The MOU provides the outline of an
Agreement to settle and resolve all issues in the Litigation on a class-wide basis and to dismiss
with prejudice all claims against Defendants (the Settlement).
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1.7. As part of the MOU, Chase Defendants have produced additional documents and
data requested by Plaintiffs to confirm, among other things, certain aspects of the Settlement and
to value the injunctive relief contained in the Settlement.
1.8. Plaintiffs have also made extensive use of publicly-available information,
including hearings before the New York Department of Financial Services and the Florida
Insurance Commissioner, Fannie Mae documents, and various banking and insurance
publications.
1.9. Class Counsel believe that the Litigation has significant merit and that the
evidence developed supports Plaintiffs claims. Class Counsel recognize and acknowledge,
however, that prosecuting this Litigation through fact and expert discovery, class certification,
dispositive motions, trial, and appeals will involve considerable time and expense.
1.10. Class Counsel have concluded that it is in the best interests of the Class as a
whole that the claims asserted in the Litigation be resolved on the terms and conditions set forth
in this Agreement. Class Counsel reached that conclusion after extensive consideration and
analysis of the factual and legal issues presented in the Litigation, the substantial benefits that
Class Members will receive as a result of the Settlement, the risks and uncertainties of continued
litigation, the expense that would be necessary to prosecute the Litigation through trial and any
appeals that might be taken, and the likelihood of success at trial.
1.11. Defendants have denied and continue to deny each and every allegation of
liability, wrongdoing, and damages, and assert that they have substantial factual and legal
defenses to all claims and class allegations in the Litigation. Defendants maintain and continue
to maintain that they have acted in accordance with governing law. Defendant Chase Bank
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USA, N.A. separately denies the factual allegations against it and that it has or had anything to
do with lender-placed insurance or the subject of this Litigation. Nonetheless, Chase Defendants
have concluded that because continuation of the Litigation would be protracted and expensive, it
is desirable that the Litigation be fully and finally settled on a class-wide basis in the manner and
upon the terms set forth in this Agreement.
1.12. Without admitting any liability or wrongdoing whatsoever, Chase Defendants
agree to the terms of this Agreement, provided that all Released Claims are settled and
compromised, in order to resolve all issues relating to the subject matter of the Litigation.
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual understandings contained
herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which is
hereby acknowledged, Plaintiffs, on behalf of the Class, and Chase Defendants stipulate and
agree as follows:
2. DEFINITIONS
As used herein, the following terms have the meanings set forth below.
2.1. Administrator or Settlement Administrator means a qualified third party
appointed by the Court for the oversight and/or dissemination of Class Notice, the processing
and fulfillment of claims in connection with this Settlement, and ensuring that claims fulfillment
is properly implemented.
2.2. Agreement or Settlement Agreement means this Settlement Agreement,
including all exhibits thereto.
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2.3. Attorneys' Fees and Expenses means fees and expenses allowed by the Court
that are sought by Plaintiffs' Counsel in the prosecution of the Litigation. Any Attorneys Fees
and Expenses shall be paid from the Settlement Fund.
2.4. Award means a payment to a Settlement Class Member under the Settlement
pursuant to the Plan of Allocation in Paragraph 5 of this Agreement.
2.5. CAFA Notices means the notice of this settlement to be served upon State and
Federal regulatory authorities as required by the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005, 28 U.S.C.
1715.
2.6. Case Contribution Award means compensation for the Named Plaintiffs in the
Litigation for their time and effort undertaken in this Litigation.
2.7 Cashed Settlement Check Member List means the list of class members who
have cashed settlement checks within 120 days under the Plan of Allocation described in
Paragraph 5.
2.8. Chase Bank means JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. It does not include Chase
Bank USA, N.A..
2.9. Class Counsel means the law firm of Meredith & Narine.
2.10. Class List refers to the list of borrower on whose property Chase Defendants
placed wind insurance during the period January 1, 2008 through March 4, 2003, as identified in
Paragraph 5.1 of this Agreement.
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2.11. Class Member Payment List means the list of the Settlement Class Members
who have not opted out and who will receive settlement payments under the Plan of Allocation
described in Paragraph 5 of this Agreement.
2.12. Class Notice means the Court-approved form of notice to Settlement Class
Members, in substantially the same form as Exhibit A, which, among other things, will comply
with the requirements of Paragraphs 5.5 and 12 and will notify Settlement Class Members of the
preliminary approval of the Settlement and the scheduling of the Final Approval Hearing.
2.13. Class Period means the period of time from January 1, 2008 through March 4,
2013.
2.14. Court means the United States District Court for the Southern District of
Florida.
2.15. Days means calendar days, except that, when computing any period of time
prescribed or allowed by this Agreement, the day of the act, event, or default from which the
designated period of time begins to run shall not be included. Further, when computing any
period of time prescribed or allowed by this Agreement, the last day of the period so