Lithium Ion Batteries Antitrust Litigation

In this antitrust price-fixing case, the settlement includes a nationwide class indirect purchasers of lithium ion batteries in a variety of electronic equipment. Only about 26 states provide a cause of action for such indirect purchasers, however, and under federal law such purchasers do not have a cause of action.

As a result, a nationwide class of indirect purchasers unfairly disadvantages–and dilutes the recovery of–those indirect purchasers who have a legal cause of action in violation of Rule 23. One of the disadvantaged class members, Frank Bednarz, objected to the class certification and settlement fairness.

The district court approved the settlement on October 27, 2017.

“The class certification here not only ran roughshod over fundamental differences in state law, but contradicted Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit precedent, and the district court’s own analysis,” said CEI Director of Litigation Ted Frank. “This is no mere technicality, but one that cost class members tens of millions of dollars.”

Bednarz has appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals to the Ninth Circuit.