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Seattle Judge Dismisses AppleAmazon iPhone Pricing Suit After Counsel Misconduct

The case collapsed when the court found plaintiffs’ lawyers misled it about a client’s withdrawal.

Overview

  • U.S. District Judge Kymberly Evanson in Seattle dismissed the 2022 consumer antitrust class action on Monday.
  • The court ordered Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro to pay $223,000 in sanctions to cover Apple’s and Amazon’s legal fees, which the firm did not contest.
  • The ruling denies any attempt to add new named plaintiffs and leaves the case dismissed with prejudice as to original plaintiff Steven Floyd and without prejudice to any remaining putative class members.
  • Plaintiffs had alleged a 2019 AppleAmazon agreement reduced independent resellers on Amazon and inflated iPhone and iPad prices, claims both companies denied as they said the pact targeted counterfeits.
  • Apple shares rose nearly 1% in premarket trading following the dismissal.