Microsoft, another Day, another Lost $1,1 Billion Lawsuit

Townsend and Townsend and Crew LLP, the law firm representing the plaintiffs, has issued a public announcement stating that the $1.1 billion antitrust settlement won against Microsoft in a California Court will be able to move forward after two years delay. While the settlement had been approved since July 2004 by Superior Court Judge Paul Alvarado, a single member of the class action lawsuit has postponed the proceeds distribution. The class member had objected to a contractual agreement that a percentage of his settlement benefits would find their way to public schools. Failing to have made a claim for his share, the member also filed two appeals, one with the California Court of Appeals and one with the California Supreme Court, both rejected. After failing to file a third appeal in the US Supreme Court, the settlement proceedings are finally on their way to distribution.

In excess of 720,000 Californians and more than 4,500 businesses bundled in the same antitrust class action lawsuit against Microsoft will receive come August vouchers totaling $1.1 billion. The plaintiffs have been granted financial compensation after claiming that between 1995 and 2001 they had acquired overpriced Microsoft software products. Out of the total amount, a sum ranging from $400 to $600 million will be donated to public schools in the California area.

"We filed this case in 1999 because we saw an opportunity to use our expertise in technology and antitrust law to obtain justice for the millions of California consumers and businesses that were overcharged for their software as a result of Microsoft's illegal monopoly," said Richard Grossman, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs. "We are delighted that our seven year-legal battle is finally paying off for California's businesses, consumers and schools."