A summary of Southern California-related business litigation developments during the past week.

$10-Million Settlement for Gold Investors: The owner of two defunct gold investment firms agreed to repay more than 250 investors $10 million to settle two U.S. District Court suits accusing him of being unable to deliver on contracts for thousands of ounces of gold. William M. Moreland of Weldon, Calif., will pay back investors at a rate of $300,000 per month beginning in April, said Marge Erickson, an assistant regional director of the Federal Trade Commission. Most of the refund stems from an FTC case against Moreland charging that he sold gold contracts during 1986-88 that were unlikely ever to be delivered through his two Beverly Hills units, Continental Trading International Ltd. and Axiom III. Moreland neither admitted nor denied the allegations. (Filed August 8, 1989, Case No. CV89-4708)