Civil Practice-Motion for Sanctions-Settlement-Dismissal

Staff Report//January 21, 2026//

Listen to this article

Defendant moved for relief or sanctions, seeking dismissal of the case and an award of legal fees, or alternatively, enforcement of the parties’ memorandum of understanding or an order directing plaintiff to bear the cost of further mediation. The parties advised the court that they had reached a settlement in principle. However, they later notified the court that they had an outstanding dispute over the issue of liquidated damages. Nevertheless, the parties failed to follow the court’s directive to reengage a mediator, which defendant attributed to plaintiff’s failures.

Where defendant’s delay also contributed to the lack of progress in the case, the court declined to dismiss the action as a sanction, but the court’s sanction power was an inappropriate mechanism to enforce the parties’ memorandum of understanding as a settlement.

Defendant’s motion for sanctions denied.

Ribas v. Besler (MLW No. 84233/Case No. 4:24-CV-00632-SPM – 9 pages) (U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Missouri, Mensah, J.)