County of Orange to pay AOCDS $1.3 million to settle fees from pension case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 5, 2011
Contact: Howard Sutter, 714.834.6203 office, Howard.Sutter@ocgov.com

Settlement Reached On Legal Fees from Pension Lawsuit

(Santa Ana, CA) — The County of Orange has reached a mediated settlement with the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs (AOCDS) on legal fees stemming from a lawsuit filed by the County over the retroactive portion of the “3% @ 50” pension benefit that was granted to many County peace officers.

Under the terms of the agreement, the County will pay AOCDS $1.3 million in settlement of all legal costs and fees associated with the litigation, thereby ending the case. The settlement between the County and AOCDS was mediated by the Honorable Howard B. Wiener, a retired Justice of the California Court of Appeal.

The County also reached a settlement with the Orange County Employees Retirement System (OCERS) and will pay OCERS approximately $62,000 as a onetime payment and approximately $250,000 as the County’s regular share of OCERS’ administrative costs.

The County of Orange filed the original lawsuit in February 2008. The Los Angeles County Superior Court decision in the case was appealed by the County and in April 2011 the California Supreme Court denied the County’s petition for review.

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