Hmong College Prep Academy v. Woodstock Capital, LLC; Clark Reiner
- Paul Magnuson
- 0:21-cv-01721
- U.S. District Court · District of Minnesota
- 3
In Hmong College Prep Academy v. Woodstock Capital, LLC and Clark Reiner, Magistrate Judge Micko recommended granting the school's unopposed motion to force the defendants to honor a settlement agreement they had allegedly failed to pay.
Hmong College Prep Academy as the plaintiff seeking enforcement of a settlement payment, and Defendants Woodstock Capital, LLC and Clark Reiner who agreed to pay but allegedly failed to do so. Parties in other cases who settled but encountered non-payment may find this illustrative of courts' power to enforce settlement agreements.
What happened
In Hmong College Prep Academy v. Woodstock Capital, LLC and Clark Reiner (Case No. 21-cv-1721), Hmong College Prep Academy (HCPA), a school, sued Woodstock Capital, LLC and Clark Reiner and later reached a written settlement agreement with them in November 2024. Under that agreement, the defendants were obligated to make a payment to HCPA. HCPA claims the defendants did not make that payment as required by Section 1 of the settlement agreement, and it asked the court to force them to pay.
The defendants did not oppose the motion and agreed to the entry of a court judgment based on HCPA's proposed order. Because there were no disputed facts and the parties had a fully signed, written settlement agreement, the court found no need for a formal hearing. Courts have the built-in authority to enforce settlement agreements in cases they are overseeing, and a settlement agreement is treated like a contract under the law.
Magistrate Judge Micko recommended that the motion be granted, that the defendants be ordered to make the required payment within five business days of the order being issued, and that a formal court judgment be entered in HCPA's favor for the amount owed under the settlement. Because this is a recommendation from a magistrate judge rather than a final order from the district court judge, any party who disagrees has 14 days to file written objections.
The detailed version
Case: Hmong College Prep Academy v. Woodstock Capital, LLC and Clark Reiner, Case No. 21-cv-1721 (PAM/DLM), United States District Court, District of Minnesota.
Decision-maker: United States Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko issued a Report and Recommendation (R&R) on November 6, 2025. This is not a final order but a recommendation to the presiding District Judge. Under Local Rule 72.2(b)(1), any party may file written objections within 14 days of being served with the R&R.
Background: Plaintiff Hmong College Prep Academy (HCPA) filed suit against Defendants Woodstock Capital, LLC and Clark Reiner. In November 2024, the parties entered into a written settlement agreement to resolve HCPA's claims. HCPA alleges that Defendants breached the agreement by failing to make the payment required under Section 1 of the Settlement Agreement. HCPA filed an unopposed Motion to Enforce Settlement Agreement (Doc. 90). Defendants filed a response (Doc. 95) stating they do not oppose the motion and agree to the entry of judgment pursuant to HCPA's proposed order.
Legal Standard: The court cited its inherent power to enforce settlement agreements in pending cases. Bergstrom v. Sears, Roebuck and Co., 532 F. Supp. 923, 934 (D. Minn. 1982). A settlement agreement is treated as a contract subject to contract law rules of interpretation and enforcement. Goddard, Inc. v. Henry's Foods, Inc., 291 F. Supp. 2d 1021, 1028 (D. Minn. 2003). Where there is no factual dispute, a settlement agreement may be enforced summarily (i.e., without an evidentiary hearing). Bergstrom, 532 F. Supp. at 934.
Findings: The court found no dispute that the parties signed and executed a written settlement agreement containing all terms of their agreement. Because there was no disagreement of fact, no evidentiary hearing was required.
Recommendation: Magistrate Judge Micko recommended that:
- HCPA's unopposed Motion to Enforce Settlement Agreement be GRANTED.
- Defendants Woodstock Capital LLC and Clark Reiner be ordered to specifically perform their payment obligation under Section 1 of the Settlement Agreement by delivering the required Settlement Payment to HCPA within five (5) business days following issuance of the order.
- Judgment be entered for Plaintiff HCPA in the amount of the Settlement Payment required under Section 1 of the Settlement Agreement.
Note: The opinion references 'Plaintiff College Pre Academy' in Recommendation item 3, which appears to be a typographical error for 'Hmong College Prep Academy.'
Next Steps: This R&R goes to the assigned District Judge (identified by initials PAM in the case number) for final approval or rejection. Parties have 14 days from service of the R&R to file written objections under Local Rule 72.2(b)(1), and may respond to objections within a further 14 days under Local Rule 72.2(b)(2). The R&R is not directly appealable to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Reviewer note from the AI+
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.