Judge Holds Off on $44 Million Overbilling Settlement for DWP Customers
A judge held off last week on approving a $44 million overbilling settlement for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers, after some plaintiffs involved in the class-action case disagreed with the terms, attorneys said. Plaintiffs in three of four lawsuits involved in the proposed settlement complained in a court filing that the deal had “fundamental flaws,” one of which is that the LADWP would be the only party deciding which customers were overbilled and how much would be credited. Instead of rejecting or approving the settlement, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elihu Berle instructed the plaintiffs to work out a revised deal. Timothy Blood, an attorney for one of the plaintiffs opposing the settlement terms, viewed the judge’s decision as favorable to his side.