In re Antibiotic Antitrust Actions
Decision Date | 30 March 1971 |
Docket Number | M 19-93A and 70 Civ. 1073. |
Parties | In re Coordinated Pretrial Proceedings in ANTIBIOTIC ANTITRUST ACTIONS. Richard X. Connors, et al., v. Chas. Pfizer & Co., Inc., et al., (E.D. Virginia, Civil Action No. 70-70-A). |
Court | U.S. District Court — Southern District of New York |
This action is one of more than 150 related treble damage antitrust actions transferred to the Southern District of New York under 28 U.S.C. § 1407.1 All were originally assigned to the Honorable Inzer B. Wyatt of the Southern District of New York for coordinated or consolidated pretrial proceedings.
On February 6, 1969, the defendants made a written offer of a hundred million dollars in settlement of all of the claims of states, counties, cities and their political subdivisions, and the claims of wholesalers, retailers and individual consumers of the broad spectrum antibiotic drugs involved in the alleged conspiracy. State of West Virginia v. Chas. Pfizer & Co., 314 F.Supp. 710, 722 (S.D.N.Y.1970).2 On December 2, 1970, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation reassigned all of the "non-settling cases" including the above case to the undersigned judge sitting by designation in the Southern District of New York. In re Antibiotic Drug Litigation, 320 F. Supp. 586 (Jud.Pan.Mult.Lit.1970).
On September 29, 1970, Judge Wyatt dismissed the settling state actions, including a class action brought by the Commonwealth of Virginia. (Hereinafter referred to as the "Virginia Class Action.") The defendants have filed a motion to dismiss this action on the ground that the claims of all six plaintiffs are barred by the judgment in the Virginia Class Action. Extensive briefs were filed and this matter was argued in San Francisco on March 23, 1971.
A further chronology of events is essential to the court's decision in this matter. On July 1, 1969, a notice of the establishment of the individual state consumer class actions was given as required by Rule 23(c) (2), F.R.Civ.P. The notice relating to the Virginia Class Action was published in 28 daily Virginia newspapers and in three Washington, D.C. newspapers of general circulation. The class included all persons who purchased these drugs in the state during the relevant period. The consumer class members were given until August 1, 1969, to exclude themselves from the class and they were notified that if they intended to make a claim against the settlement fund, they had to file a verified statement of purchase by August 16, 1969. The notice also contained the following provision:
If you do not make an individual claim by August 16, 1969, that will constitute an authorization to the Attorney General * * * to utilize whatever money he may recover as your representative for the benefit of the citizens of your State in such manner as the Court may direct. State of West Virginia v. Chas. Pfizer & Co., Inc., et al., 314 F.Supp. 710, 725.
On February 24, 1970, a notice of the proposed compromise and settlement, as required by Rule 23(e), was published in the same newspapers. This notice provided that a hearing would be held on March 24, 1970 to determine whether the settlement should be approved.
This action was commenced on February 17, 1970, by six residents of Fairfax County, Virginia.3 None of the six "opted out" of the Virginia Class Action or filed a statement of claim. They contend that they are not bound by the judgment in the Virginia Class Action on the ground that the manner by which the settlement offer was made, accepted and approved violated the constitutionally-protected rights of the absent class member. They specifically contend that the (c) (2) notice and the (e) notice were both defective; that the class representative—the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia—had an interest antagonistic to them and other members of the class; and that a disproportionate share of the settlement was distributed to the states and their political subdivisions to the detriment of the consumers within the state.
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