CATHODE RAY TUBE (CRT) ANTITRUST SETTLEMENT OPPORTUNITY – RI, OR, AR, MT, SC, UT, MA, MO, NH
Cathode Ray Tube Antitrust Settlement:
The case alleges that from 1995-2007, leading electronics manufacturers colluded to fix and maintain the cost of cathode ray tube screens and monitors, resulting in businesses and consumers paying more for computers, televisions and other products than they would have in a competitive market.
The case resulted in settlements totaling approximately $610,000,000 on behalf of all persons and businesses that indirectly purchased CRT products for their own use and not for resale (“End Users”) in Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Under the settlements, class members from the states of Arkansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Utah released their claims but were omitted from participation in the $577,000,000 settlement fund, and appealed final approval of the court’s previous settlements. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit agreed that class members in these states should have been allowed to file claims to recover from the settlement fund, and the judge presiding over the original case admitted that he erred in awarding final approval.
At the present time, CAC believes it is likely that a claims process will be opened for end-users in the 9 Omitted Repealer States: Arkansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Utah.