IN RE GENERAL MOTORS CORP. PICK-UP TRUCK FUEL TANK

Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

James A. Schink, (argued), J. Andrew Lanagan, Robert B. Ellis, Kirkland & Ellis, Chicago, IL, George J. Lavin, Jr., Francis P. Burns, III, Lavin, Coleman, Finarelli & Gray, Philadelphia, PA, Lee A. Schutzman, Edward C. Wolfe, General Motors Corp., Detroit, MI, for General Motors Corp., appellee.

Andrew M. Hutton, Derek S. Casey, Paul Benton Weeks, III, Michaud, Hutton, Fisher & Anderson, Wichita, KS, for Jack French, Robert M. West, Charles E. Merritt, Gary Blades, Dawn Best, Tracey Best, Gary Barnes, Jackie Barnes, Betty Marteny, John Southards, Mary Southards, Edmund Berning, Dale W. Plummer, Edmund Casey, Anneta Casey, John Yonki, Connie Yonki, Carl Corona, Kathryn Corona, Dallas Nelson, Patricia Nelson, Mynard Duncan, Mildred Duncan, Kirby L. Stegman, Dewayne Anderson, Morris Betzold, Barbara Betzold, Dennis Acuma, appellants.

Diane M. Nast (argued), William E. Hoese, Kohn, Swift & Graf, P.C., Philadelphia, PA, Elizabeth J. Cabraser (argued), Michael F. Ram, Lieff, Cabraser & Heimann, San Francisco, CA, for Dennis Acuma, John E. Martin, plaintiff class/appellees.

John W. Barrett, Barrett Law Offices, Lexington, MS, for John Mayhall, Brendan Hayes, Jimmy Benson, Jimmy Haddock, Dennis Nabors, Marcia Baldwin, appellees.

William S. Lerach, Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Hynes & Lerach, San Diego, CA, for William A. Lewis, David Grubbs, Raymond Carver, Johnny S. Martinez, Robert A. Flowers, Stone Ridge Agri, Inc., James McKinnish, Douglas A. Livingston, appellees.

Richard S. Schiffrin, Schiffrin & Craig, Bala Cynwyd, PA, for Johnny S. Martinez, Joseph St. Clair, appellees.

Patricia J. Clancy, Sr. Deputy County Counsel, County of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, for City of Los Angeles, Alameda City, Santa Barbara City, Utah City, Washington City, amicus-appellee.

James E. Butler, Jr. (argued), Robert D. Cheeley, Peter J. Daughtery, Butler, Wooten, Overby & Cheeley, Columbus, GA, for Rudolph Jenkins, William D. Cunningham, Mather Johnson, Forrest Charles Ginn, Buren William Jones, Martin D. Parkman.

Hans J. Liljeberg, Jefferson Parish Atty.'s Office, Gretna, LA, Jeron J. LaFargue, Jefferson Parish Atty.'s Office, Harahan, LA, for Parish of Jefferson, appellant.

G. Oliver Koppell, Atty. Gen. of the State of N.Y., Peter H. Schiff, Deputy Sol. Gen., Nancy A. Spiegel, Andrea Oser, Asst. Attys. Gen., Albany, NY, for State of N.Y., appellant.

Michael J. Evans, Steven D. King, Longshore, Evans & Longshore, Birmingham, AL, for Elton Wilson, individually, Frank I. Owen, individually and on behalf of the residents of the State of Alabama, appellants.

John Hogrogian, New York, NY, for City of New York, appellant.

Brian S. Wolfman (argued), David C. Vladeck, Public Citizen Litigation Group, C. Ray Gold, Center for Auto Safety, Washington, DC, for Betty Youngs, Barbara Phillips, Margaret Engel, Larry Swope, Robbin Maxwell, Center for Auto Safety, appellants.

Stephen F.J. Martin (argued), Asst. Counsel In-Charge, Steven I. Roth, Asst. Counsel, Robert J. Shea, Asst. Chief Counsel, John L. Heaton, Chief Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Dept. of Transp., Harrisburg, PA, for Com. of Pa., appellant.

Before BECKER, ALITO, and GIBSON, Circuit Judges.

                                          TABLE OF CONTENTS
  I. FACTS, PROCEDURAL HISTORY, AND STANDARD OF REVIEW .........................779
     A. General Background .....................................................779
     B. The Settlement Agreement ...............................................780
     C. Approval of the Settlement and Fees ....................................781
     D. The NHTSA Investigation ............................

                    
                    
                    

                        

                            

                                

                            
                            

                                

                                    

                                        

                                        

                                        

                                    
                                
                                

                                    
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