Mealey's (December 7, 2018, 1:07 PM EST) -- FRESNO, Calif. — A federal judge in California on Dec. 4 ruled that a prior settlement between parties in a misappropriation of trade secrets lawsuit bars a provider of water treatment solutions for agriculture irrigation from bringing any of its claims against its former CEO and current operator of a direct competitor because the settlement “is broad and releases all claims” that the plaintiff brought against the defendant that existed before Jan. 8, 2018 (Deerpoint Group Inc. v. Agrigenix LLC, No. 18-536, E.D. Calif., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 205322)....