Riddle v. Canada
- Citation
- 2020 FC 878
- Status
- Judgment
- Jurisdiction
- Canada
- Court
- Federal Court
- Decision
- 2 September 2020
- Posture
- Class Proceeding / Order Issued on Motion Approving Payment Protocol
- Language
- English
More details
- Court
- Federal Court
- Decision
- 2 September 2020
- Posture
- Class Proceeding / Order Issued on Motion Approving Payment Protocol
- Language
- English
On this page
Professional case brief
Research organized from the available case record
01
Holding and result
The Court granted the motion and approved the Payment Protocol, adopting the reasoning in McLean v Canada, 2020 FC 701, and ordered the Claims Administrator to pay amounts payable to a Moving Party in trust to counsel in accordance with the attached Payment Protocol; Individual Counsel electing to be bound are subject to the Court's jurisdiction and the protocol's motion, timing and reporting requirements.
Court disposition
Motion granted; Payment Protocol approved and ordered
Orders
- Claims Administrator shall communicate with counsel for the Moving Party and make payment in trust to counsel for the Moving Party for any amounts payable in accordance with the Payment Protocol attached as Schedule A
- The Payment Protocol may apply to counsel retained by a Claimant who elects to be bound and such counsel shall be subject to the Court's jurisdiction over the Settlement and provisions for payment to counsel
- There shall be no costs of this motion
- Schedule A (Payment Protocol for Claimants with Individual Counsel) is approved and forms part of the Order, including requirements for retainer/direction to pay, timelines for fee motions under Federal Courts Rule 334.4, transfer of funds to claimants, reporting obligations, and procedures if transfer cannot be completed
02
Material facts
Parties
Jessica Riddle
PlaintiffWendy Lee White
PlaintiffCatriona Charlie
PlaintiffHer Majesty the Queen
DefendantThompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP
Moving Party03
Procedural history
Posture
Class Proceeding / Order Issued on Motion Approving Payment Protocol
04
Questions and positions
Legal issues
- 01
Whether the Court should approve and incorporate a Payment Protocol for claimants with individual counsel into the Sixties Scoop settlement administration
- 02
Whether the Claims Administrator may pay amounts in trust to Individual Counsel and subject those counsel to the Court's jurisdiction
- 03
Procedures and timelines for fee motions, transfer of funds, reporting and appeals
Party arguments
- Applicant
- Moving Party sought court approval of the Payment Protocol to govern payments in trust to Individual Counsel, to bind counsel who elect it, and to confirm the Court's supervisory jurisdiction and timelines for fee motions and reporting. The Moving Party relied on the Court's prior approval of an almost identical protocol in McLean v Canada, 2020 FC 701.
- Respondent
- No substantive opposition is recorded in the judgment; the Court adopted the prior reasoning in McLean, 2020 FC 701, and treated the protocol as appropriate for approval and implementation.
05
Court’s reasoning
Legal principles
- 01
McLean v Canada, 2020 FC 701; Federal Court supervisory powers over settlements
A court may approve and incorporate administrative protocols into a settlement and exercise supervisory jurisdiction over counsel and claims administration to ensure orderly payment and accountability.
- 02
Approved Payment Protocol (Schedule A) and related Court order
Payments by a Claims Administrator may be made in trust to Individual Counsel where the court-approved protocol and retainer/direction to pay are in place, with courts imposing timings and reporting obligations.
- 03
Federal Courts Rules, r. 334.4 and Schedule A to the Order
Counsel seeking fees must proceed by motion under the Federal Courts Rules to obtain approval and allow for appeal rights before funds not approved as fees are disbursed to claimants.
06
Ratio, limits and disposition
Ratio decidendi
The Court granted the motion and approved the Payment Protocol, adopting the reasoning in McLean v Canada, 2020 FC 701, and ordered the Claims Administrator to pay amounts payable to a Moving Party in trust to counsel in accordance with the attached Payment Protocol; Individual Counsel electing to be bound are subject to the Court's jurisdiction and the protocol's motion, timing and reporting requirements.
Obiter and limits
- The Court explicitly adopted the reasons in McLean v Canada, 2020 FC 701 as essentially identical and applicable to this motion.
- Individual Counsel unwilling to be bound by the Protocol must apply to the Court for a different order.
- The Protocol applies from the date of the Federal Court order approving it and does not limit ongoing Court supervision of the settlement.
Court disposition
Motion granted; Payment Protocol approved and ordered
- Claims Administrator shall communicate with counsel for the Moving Party and make payment in trust to counsel for the Moving Party for any amounts payable in accordance with the Payment Protocol attached as Schedule A
- The Payment Protocol may apply to counsel retained by a Claimant who elects to be bound and such counsel shall be subject to the Court's jurisdiction over the Settlement and provisions for payment to counsel
- There shall be no costs of this motion
- Schedule A (Payment Protocol for Claimants with Individual Counsel) is approved and forms part of the Order, including requirements for retainer/direction to pay, timelines for fee motions under Federal Courts Rule 334.4, transfer of funds to claimants, reporting obligations, and procedures if transfer cannot be completed
Source and reliance status
Federal Court · 2 September 2020
This page organises the available record for research. Confirm quotations, current status, and subsequent treatment against the official source before relying on the case.
Judgment reading view
Judgment text
The complete available source text.
Federal Court
Judgment· 2 September 2020
Riddle v. Canada Court (s) Database Federal Court Decisions Date 2020-09-02 Neutral citation 2020 FC 878 File numbers T-2212-16 Decision Content Date: 20200902 Docket: T-2212-16 Citation: 2020 FC 878 Ottawa, Ontario, September 2, 2020 PRESENT: The Honourable Mr. Justice Phelan
CLASS PROCEEDING BETWEEN: JESSICA RIDDLE, WENDY LEE WHITE and CATRIONA CHARLIE Plaintiffs and
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN Defendant and
THOMPSON DORFMAN SWEATMAN LLP Moving Party ORDER: PAYMENT PROTOCOL UPON READING the motion record of the Moving Party; UPON CONSIDERING that this Court approved an almost identical Order: Payment Protocol in McLean v Canada, 2020 FC 701 [McLean, 2020 FC 701]; AND CONSIDERING that the Reasons for that approval in McLean, 2020 FC 701, are essentially the same as on this motion and such reasons are adopted (subject to necessary changes) as the Reasons for this Decision; THIS COURT ORDERS that: The Claims Administrator shall communicate with counsel for the Moving Party and make payment in trust to counsel for the Moving Party for any amounts payable to the Moving Party in accordance with the terms of the Payment Protocol for Claimants with Individual Counsel [Payment Protocol] attached hereto as Schedule “A”. The Payment Protocol may apply to such counsel retained by a Claimant to assist with their Sixties Scoop Class Action Settlement Claim as may elect to be bound by it and they shall be subject to the Court’s jurisdiction over the Settlement and the provisions for payment to counsel. There shall be no costs of this motion. Blank “Michael L. Phelan” Blank Judge SCHEDULE “A”
PAYMENT PROTOCOL FOR CLAIMANTS WITH INDIVIDUAL COUNSEL This Protocol shall be provided by the Claims Administrator to any lawyer retained by a Claimant other than Class Counsel to assist with the Claimant’s Sixties Scoop Settlement Agreement Claim [Individual Counsel] and such Individual Counsel shall be subject to the Court’s jurisdiction over this Settlement and the provisions for payment to counsel. Any Individual Counsel not prepared to be bound by the Payment Protocol shall apply to the Court for such other order as they deem necessary otherwise Individual Counsel shall be bound by this Payment Protocol. Individual Counsel shall provide the Claims Administrator the following documents, copied to the Defendant and Class Counsel: The Retainer Agreement/Contingency Fee Agreement identified in paragraph 3 above must clearly indicate that legal services are available from Class Counsel at no cost to the Claimant, and that by retaining Individual Counsel, the Claimant is releasing Class Counsel of any ongoing responsibilities or obligations Class Counsel owes the Claimant. For Claimants/Individual Counsel who have provided documentation identified in paragraph 3(a) above, the Claims Administrator shall communicate directly with Individual Counsel with respect to matters concerning the Claimant that would otherwise be communicated directly to a Claimant who has not retained
Individual Counsel. For Claimants/Individual Counsel who have provided complete documentation identified in paragraph 3 above and in accordance with paragraph 4 above, upon completion of the Claims Process, the Claims Administrator shall deliver to Individual Counsel, in trust, the full amount of compensation payable to the Claimant under the Claims Process. Payments made in accordance with paragraph 6 above shall be made as part of the regular payment process as determined by the Claims Administrator. Individual Counsel shall make best efforts to transfer funds received in trust in accordance with paragraph 6 above, that are not subject to legal fee determination in accordance with the Retainer Agreement/Contingency Fee Agreement identified in paragraph 3 above, to the Claimant within ten (10) days. Individual Counsel shall file a motion in accordance with Federal Courts Rule 334.4, on notice in writing to the Defendant and Class Counsel, within sixty (60) days of receiving the payment in trust. Individual Counsel shall make best efforts to transfer any monies remaining in trust that are not approved as legal fees to the Claimant within ten (10) days after the right to appeal the Federal Court Order approving fees has expired or all avenues of appeal have been exhausted unless otherwise ordered by the Federal Court. Individual Counsel shall report to the Federal Court, copied
to the Defendant and Class Counsel, verifying all funds transferred to the Claimant within thirty (30) days after the right to appeal the Federal Court Order approving fees has expired or all avenues of appeal have been exhausted or such other date specified. The report shall include confirmation of the amount(s), dates(s), and method(s) of transfer. In the event that Individual Counsel is unable to transfer funds to the Claimant in accordance with paragraphs 8 and 10 above, Individual Counsel shall report to the Federal Court advising of the steps taken to transfer the funds and the reason(s) why the transfer could not be completed within thirty (30) days after the right to appeal the Federal Court Order approving fees has expired or all avenues of appeal have been exhausted. In the event that Individual Counsel is subsequently able to transfer funds to the Claimant, Individual Counsel shall report to the Federal Court in accordance with paragraph 10 above. Nothing in this Protocol shall interfere with the Court’s ongoing supervision of the Settlement nor in any other way addressing other specific circumstances as they may arise. This Protocol shall apply from the date of the Federal Court Order approving this Protocol moving forward. Retainer Agreement/Contingency Fee Agreement executed by the Claimant and Individual Counsel; and Direction to Pay in Trust executed by the Claimant and Individual Counsel.
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