Judge McFadden initially declined class certification in October, stating that one class representative who “did not pay Georgetown a dime” due to scholarships was the wrong plaintiff to lead the class. After new class representatives were introduced, the plaintiffs moved for preliminary settlement approval in April, describing the $1.5 million deal as “fair, reasonable, and adequate.”
Georgetown Tuition Refund Deal : Judge McFadden’s Additional Concerns
Judge McFadden agreed on Tuesday that the new representatives are likely adequate to stand for the class. He also noted that “the available evidence indicates that the Court is likely to be able to approve the proposed settlement agreement.”
However, Judge McFadden raised concerns about a service award allocated under the settlement agreement to a now-former class representative, Emily Lama. The judge previously determined that Lama was not part of the proposed class because she was a graduate student, not an undergraduate, during the spring 2020 semester.
