Case Parameters & Presets
Instant RecalculationLegal Enforcement & Recovery Analysis
Court Retains JurisdictionKokkonen Retention Doctrine & Procedural Standing
Under Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of America, 511 U.S. 375 (1994), federal and state courts lack inherent ancillary jurisdiction to enforce a settlement agreement post-dismissal unless jurisdiction was expressly retained or terms were incorporated into the dismissal order.
Path A: Summary Motion to Enforce Recommended
File a direct motion under the original civil docket number (e.g. Wone estate wrongful-death matter) seeking judicial enforcement, entry of final money judgment, and sanctions.
- Speed: Expedited hearing; no new complaint filing fee or service of process.
- Discovery: Summary evidentiary proceeding limited to non-payment proof.
- Precedent: Binding on all settling signatories under initial court authority.
Path B: Plenary Breach of Contract Action Secondary Fallback
File a de novo civil action alleging common-law breach of the contract of settlement. Required if the original court dismissed without Kokkonen retention.
- Jurisdiction: Requires independent subject-matter jurisdiction (diversity or state court).
- Defenses: Subject to standard contract defenses, counterclaims, and statute of limitations.
- Timeline: Regular civil trial calendar (12–24 months to final judgment).
Default Compounding & Arrears Schedule
Computed using statutory 365-day simple accrual under D.C. Code § 28-3302| Period / Event | Principal Due | Payment Credited | Outstanding Base | Days Accrued | Interest | Cumulative Total |
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Available Judicial Remedies & Enforcement Levers
Case Grounding: Robert Wone Estate Wrongful Death Settlement & Legal Principles
In August 2006, Washington D.C. attorney Robert Wone was fatally stabbed inside a Dupont Circle home. In 2008, his widow Katherine Wone and his estate brought a multi-million dollar wrongful-death lawsuit against the occupants. That civil wrongful-death litigation was subsequently resolved through a negotiated settlement agreement in 2011.
Decades later, post-settlement enforcement issues frequently return to court when installment obligations, indemnity escrows, or payment covenants are alleged to be in default. This interactive analyzer provides legal practitioners, parties, and researchers with an exact, rigorous calculation of jurisdictional retention under the supreme court standard Kokkonen v. Guardian Life, post-judgment statutory interest under local statutes (e.g. D.C. Code § 28-3302), and contractual acceleration remedies.