Licking County Overdraft Settlement

In the lawsuit, the Plaintiff alleges that Park National Bank assessed supposedly improper Authorized Positive Purportedly Settled Negative (“APPSN”) Fees between November 1, 2016, and February 20, 2025.

The lawsuit being settled is entitled Workman v. Park National Bank, Civil Action No. 2022 CV 01217 pending in the Licking County Common Pleas Court in Ohio. The lawsuit is a “class action.” That means that the “Class Representative,” Georgia Carol Workman, is an individual who is acting on behalf of current and former customers who were assessed supposedly improper APPSN Fees between November 1, 2016, and February 20, 2025. The Class Representative has asserted claims for breach of contract, including breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and unjust enrichment.

Defendant denies any and all liability to Plaintiff and the members of the Settlement Class in the Action and believes it would ultimately be successful in its defense of all claims asserted in the Action, but nevertheless desires to settle the Action, and all claims that could have been alleged therein, on the terms set forth in this Agreement solely for the purpose of avoiding the burden, expense, risk, and uncertainty of continuing these proceedings.

You received a Notice because Defendant’s records indicate that you were charged one or more APPSN Fees that are the subject of this action. The Court directed that this Notice be sent to all Class Members because each such member has a right to know about the proposed Settlement and the options available to him or her before the Court decides whether to approve the Settlement.

In any lawsuit, there are risks and potential benefits that come with a trial versus settling at an earlier stage. It is the Class Representative’s and her lawyers’ job to identify when a proposed Settlement offer is good enough that it justifies recommending settling the case instead of continuing to trial. In a class action, the Class Representative’s lawyers, known as “Class Counsel,” make this recommendation to the Class Representative. The Class Representative has the duty to act in the best interests of the class as a whole and, in this case, it is her belief, as well as Class Counsel’s opinion, that this Settlement is in the best interest of all Class Members.

There is legal uncertainty about whether a judge or a jury will find that Defendant was contractually and otherwise legally obligated not to assess the fees at issue. And even if it was contractually wrong to assess these fees, there is uncertainty about whether the Class Representative’s claims are subject to other defenses that might result in no or less recovery to Class Members. Even if the Class Representative was to win at trial, there is no assurance that the Class Members would be awarded more than the current Settlement Amount, and it may take years of litigation before any payments would be made. By settling, the Class Members will avoid these and other risks and the delays associated with continued litigation.

Although Defendant disputes the allegations in the lawsuit and denies any liability or wrongdoing, it enters into the Settlement solely to avoid the expense, inconvenience, and distraction of further proceedings in the litigation.

If you received a notice, Defendant’s records indicate that you are a Class Member who is entitled to receive a payment or credit to your account.

You have three options: (1) do nothing and you will receive a payment according to the terms of this Settlement; (2) exclude yourself from the Settlement (“opt out” of it); or (3) participate in the Settlement but object to it. Each of these options is described in a separate section below.

There is no deadline to receive a payment. If you do nothing, then you will get a payment.

The deadline to request exclusion from this Settlement passed on August 5, 2025..

The deadline to file an objection also passed on August 5, 2025.

If you do not like the Settlement and you believe that you could receive more money by pursuing your claims on your own (with or without an attorney that you could hire) and you are comfortable with the risk that you might lose your case or get less than you would in this Settlement, then you may want to consider opting out.

If you believe the Settlement is unreasonable, unfair, or inadequate and the Court should reject the Settlement, you can object to the Settlement terms. The Court will decide if your objection is valid. If the Court agrees, then the Settlement may not be approved, and no payments will be made to you or any other Class Member. If your objection (and any other objection) is overruled, and the settlement is approved, then you may still get a payment and/or Overdraft Forgiveness and will be bound by the settlement.

If you want to participate in the Settlement, then you don’t have to do anything; you will receive a payment if the Settlement is approved by the Court.

The Court granted final approval of this Settlement on September 5, 2025. As of December 19, 2025, check payments have been sent out to Past Accountholders and account credits have been applied to Current Accountholders. Check payments are valid for 180 days.

Defendant has agreed to create a Settlement Fund of $510,000. It will also provide Overdraft Forgiveness, as defined in the Agreement.

As discussed separately below, attorneys’ fees, litigation costs, and the costs paid to a third-party Settlement Administrator to administer the Settlement (including mailing and emailing Notice) will be paid out of the Settlement Fund. The Net Settlement Fund will be divided among all Class Members entitled to Class Member Payments based on formulas described in the Agreement.

Class Counsel will request the Court to approve attorneys’ fees of not more than $169,999.83, equal to 33 1/3% of the Value of the Settlement and will request that it be reimbursed for litigation costs incurred in prosecuting the case. The Court will decide the amount of the attorneys’ fees and costs based on a number of factors, including the risk associated with bringing the case on a contingency basis, the amount of time spent on the case, the amount of costs incurred to prosecute the case, the quality of the work, and the outcome of the case.

Class Counsel will request that the Class Representative be paid a Service Award in the amount of $5,000 for her work in connection with this case. The Service Award must be approved by the Court.

The balance of the Settlement Fund after attorneys’ fees and costs, the Service Awards, and the Settlement Administrator’s fees, also known as the Net Settlement Fund, will be divided among all Class Members entitled to Class Member Payments in accordance with the formulas outlined in the Agreement. Current customers of Defendant will receive a credit to their accounts for the amount they are entitled to receive. Former customers of Defendant shall receive a check from the Settlement Administrator. Class Members entitled to Overdraft Forgiveness shall receive this benefit automatically.

No. If you received a Notice, then you may be entitled to receive a Class Member Payment and/or Overdraft Forgiveness without having to make a claim, unless you choose to exclude yourself from the Settlement, or “opt out.”

The Court granted final approval of this Settlement on September 5, 2025. As of December 19, 2025, check payments have been sent out to Past Accountholders and account credits have been applied to Current Accountholders. Check payments are valid for 180 days.

The deadline to request exclusion from this Settlement has passed on August 5, 2025.

If you opt out of the Settlement, you will preserve and not give up any of your rights to sue Defendant for the claims alleged in this case. However, you will not be entitled to receive a payment from the Settlement.

The deadline to file an objection has passed on August 5, 2025.

Objecting is telling the Court that you do not believe the Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate for the Class Members, and you are asking the Court to reject it. You can object only if you do not opt out of the Settlement. If you object to the Settlement and do not opt out, then you are entitled to a Class Member Payment and/or forgiveness of Overdraft Forgiveness if the Settlement is approved, but you will release claims you might have against Defendant. Excluding yourself or opting-out is telling the Court that you do not want to be part of the Settlement, do not want to receive a Class Member Payment or Overdraft Forgiveness, or do not want to release claims you might have against Defendant for the claims alleged in this lawsuit.

If the Court sustains your objection, or the objection of any other Class Member, then there is no Settlement. If you object, but the Court overrules your objection and any other objection(s), then you will be part of the Settlement.

The Court granted final approval of this Settlement on September 5, 2025. As of December 19, 2025, check payments have been sent out to Past Accountholders and account credits have been applied to Current Accountholders. Check payments are valid for 180 days.

No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have. You may attend if you desire to do so. If you have submitted an objection, then you may want to attend.

If you have objected, you may ask the Court for permission to speak at the Final Approval Hearing. To do so, you must include with your objection, described in Question 18, above, the statement, “I hereby give notice that I intend to appear at the Final Approval Hearing.”

The Court ordered that the lawyers and their law firms referred to in the notice as “Class Counsel” will represent you and the other Class Members.

No. Class Counsel will be paid directly from the Settlement Fund.

The Court will be asked to approve the amount of attorneys’ fees at the Final Approval Hearing. Class Counsel will file an application for attorneys’ fees and costs and will specify the amount being sought as discussed above. You may review a physical copy of the fee application on this website once the application has been filed.