In re Puerto Rican Cabotage Antitrust Litig.
| Decision Date | 13 September 2011 |
| Docket Number | MDL No. 3:08–md–1960 (DRD). |
| Citation | 815 F.Supp.2d 448 |
| Parties | In re PUERTO RICAN CABOTAGE ANTITRUST LITIGATION. |
| Court | U.S. District Court — District of Puerto Rico |
OPINION TEXT STARTS HERE
H. Laddie Montague, Jr., Ruthanne Gordon, Berger & Montague, PC, Philadelphia, PA, Maria D. Bertolez–Elvira, Nestor Mendez–Gomez, Pietrantoni Mendez & Alvarez, San Juan, PR, for Century Packing Corp. Individually and on Behalf of all others Similarly Situated.
Jose F. Sarraga–Venegas, Jose F. Sarraga Law Office, Mauricio O. Muniz–Luciano, Salvador J. Antonetti–Stutts, O'Neill & Borges, San Juan, PR, Tiffany Rider–Rohrbaugh, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP, Washington, DC, for Horizon Lines, LLC.
Maria D. Bertolez–Elvira, Nestor Mendez–Gomez, Pietrantoni Mendez & Alvarez, San Juan, PR, PHV Richard P. Rouco, Quinn, Connor, Weaver, Davies & Rouco, Birmingham, AL, for All Plaintiffs.John F. Nevares, John F. Nevares & Assoc. PSC, San Juan, PR, for X–Press Freight Forwarders, Inc., All Plaintiffs.Luis A. Oliver–Fraticelli, Fiddler Gonzalez & Rodriguez, P.S.C, San Juan, PR, for V. Suarez, Inc. Fiddler Gonzalez & Rodriguez PSC.Barbara J. Felt, PHV Scott W. Carlson, PHV Vincent J. Esades, Heins Mills & Olson, PLC, Minneapolis, MN, David C. Indiano–VICIC, Jeffrey M. Williams–English, Indiano & Williams, PSC, San Juan, PR, Dwayne L. Clark, Kristen Z. Watson, Clark & Watson, P.A., Jacksonville, FL, for Rona Distributors.Eric M. Quetglas–Jordan, Quetglas Law Office, San Juan, PR, PHV Richard P. Rouco, Quinn, Connor, Weaver, Davies & Rouco, Birmingham, AL, PHV Joe R. Whatley Jr., Whatley, Drake & Kallas, LLC, New York, NY, for La Esperanza Bus Line and Flexible Packaging Group.Don P. Foster, Lynette Santiago–Rivera, Sally Miller, Klerh Harrison Harvey Branzburg & Ellers LLP, Mindee J. Reuben, Steven A. Asher, Weinstein Kitchenoff & Asher LLC, Philadelphia, PA, Eric Perez–Ochoa, Adsuar Muniz Goyco Seda & Perez Ochoa PSC, San Juan, PR, for Vineland Fireworks Company, Inc.Michael A. Hanzman, Hanzman Gilbert LLP, Coral Gables, FL, Kevin Bruce Love, Criden & Love, South Miami, FL, for CC 1 Limited Partnership.John D. Radice, Linda P. Nussbaum, Grant & Eisenhofer, P.A., New York, NY, for Bacplas, Inc.Joseph W. Cotchett, Steven Williams, Stuart G. Gross, Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy, Burlingame, CA, Michael Elliot Criden, Hanzman Criden & Love PA, South Miami, FL, for Isaac Industries, Inc.Andres W. Lopez, Andres W. Lopez Law Office, San Juan, PR, for Horizon International Shipping, Inc.Jay Brian Shapiro, Zachary Scott Bower, Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, Miami, FL, Seth Rich Gassman, Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC New York, NY, for Kamino International Transport, Inc.Hollis L. Salzman, Kellie Lerner, Morissa R. Falk, Labaton Sucharow LLP, New York, NY, for Yoly Industrial Supply, Inc.Archie C. Lamb, Jr., Law Offices of Archie Lamb, LLC, Birmingham, AL, Joseph S. Silver, Silver & Agacinski, PA, Tampa, FL, for Mayda Rodriguez.Guillermo De–Guzman–Vendrell, De Guzman Law Offices, San Juan, PR, for X–Press Freight Forwarders, Inc.Benjamin D. Brown, Cohen Milstein Seooers & Toll Tooc, Washington, DC, Douglas A. Millen, Steven A. Kanner, Freed Kanner London & Millen LLC, Bannockburn, IL, PHV Michael D. Hausfeld, Patrick A. Tillou, Milstein Hausfeld & Toll, PLLC, Washington, DC, for Mayrsohn International Trading, Co.Gerald J. Rodos, Jeffrey B. Gittleman, PHV Mark A. Rosen, Barrack, Rodos & Bacine, Philadelphia, PA, for The Aaron Group.Monique Guillemard–Noble, Nachman & Guillemard, PSC, San Juan, PR, PHV Bryan L. Clobes, Cafferty Faucher LLP, Philadelphia, PA, for Sedeco Servicios De Descuentos En Compra, Inc. Hector E. Pedrosa–Luna, The Law Offices of Hector E. Pedrosa–Luna, Luis E. Minana, Luis E. Minana & Associates, San Juan, PR, Amanda F. Lawrence, PHV David R. Scott, Scott & Scott LLP, Colchester, CT, Christopher Burke, PHV Kristen M. Anderson, Scott & Scott LLP, San Diego, CA, PHV Walter W. Noss, Scott & Scott LLP, Cleveland Heights, OH, for Pedro Luciano.Alejandro Alvarez, Coral Gables, FL, Daniel E. Gustafson, Gustafson Gluek PLLC, Elizabeth R. Odette, Joseph W. Bruckner, Richard A. Lockridge, Robert K. Shelquist, Lockridge Grindal Nauen PLLP, Minneapolis, MN, for Cliffstar Corporation.Edward M. Joffe, Sandler Travis & Rosenberg, The Waterford Miami, FL, Kenneth N. Wolf, Sandler Travis & Rosenberg, New York, NY, Michelle Lynn Mejia, Robert J. Becerra, Sandler Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., Miami, FL, for Econocaribe, Inc.Adrian Sanchez–Pagan, Jaime Sifre–Rodriguez, Sanchez–Betances, Sifre & Munoz–Noya Law Offices, PSC, San Juan, PR, for Central Produce El Jibarito, Inc.Jayne Arnold Goldstein, Shepherd, Finkelman, Miller & Shah LLP, Weston, FL, Mark S. Fistos, Aronovitz Trial Lawyers PA, Tallahassee, FL, Tod N. Aronovitz, Aronovitz Law, Miami, FL, for SGS Logistic Services, Inc.Edward L. Birk, Michael B. Bittner, Marks Gray, PA, Eric Chase Roberson, McGuire Woods, LLP, Jacksonville, FL, Hollis L. Salzman, Labaton Sucharow LLP, New York, NY, Michael I. Fistel, Jr., Holzer, Holzer & Fistel, LLC, Atlanta, GA, for Alpha Freight & Transport International, Inc.Jose A. Andreu–Garcia, Andreu & Sagardia Law Office, Jorge M. Torres–Gomez, Torres Gomez Law Offices, San Juan, PR, for Francisco J. Rivera–Muniz, Valerie Dapena–Disdier, Eduardo Ferrer–Bolivar.Hiram Martinez–Lopez, Hiram Martinez Law Office, Orlando H. Martinez–Echevarria, Orlando H. Martinez Echevarria PSC, San Juan, PR, for Caribbean Produce Exchange, Inc.Manuel Sosa–Baez, Saldana, Carvajal & Velez–Rive, PSC., San Juan, PR, Thomas T. Hutcheson, Tom Van–Arsdel, Winstead PC, Houston, TX, for Ineos USA LLC, Ineos Polyethylene North America and Ineos Polymers, Inc.Angelo M. Russo, PHV Amy B. Manning, PHV Tammy L. Adkins, Richard J. Rappaport, McGuire Woods LLP, Chicago, IL, Carlos E. George–Iguina, Mauricio O. Muniz–Luciano, Salvador J. Antonetti–Stutts, O'Neill & Borges, Francisco G. Bruno–Rovira, McConnell Valdes, San Juan, PR, PHV John M. Nannes, Tiffany Rider–Rohrbaugh, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, Washington, DC, for Horizon Lines, Inc.Adam S. Paris, George E. Pence, Jennifer L. Murray, Denis Schmidt, Sullivan & Cromwell, LLP, Los Angeles, CA, Carlos A. Rodriguez–Vidal, Mariana Negron–Vargas, Rossell Barrios–Amy, Goldman Antonetti & Cordova, Emma Gilmore, PHV Nicolas Bourtin, Steven L. Holley, Andrew J. Finn, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, New York, NY, Timothy Joseph Armstrong, Armstrong & Mejer, Coral Gables, FL, for Sea Star Line, LLC.Alejandro J. Cepeda–Diaz McConnell Valdes, San Juan, PR, Scott D. Richburg, Foley & Lardner, LLP, Jacksonville, FL, for Trailer Bridge, Inc.Andrew Zimmitti, Samuel Rosenthal, Patton Boggs LLP, Washington, DC, Jose Ramon Rivera–Morales, Manolo T. Rodriguez–Bird, William A. Graffam, Jimenez, Graffam & Lausell, San Juan, PR, for Crowley Maritime Corporation.Celia A. Howes, Ronald H. Hoevet, Hoevet Boise & Olson, PC, Portland, OR, Nilda M. Navarro–Cabrer, Nilda M. Navarro Law Office, San Juan, PR, for Alexander G. Chisholm.Brian P. Roche, Richard L. Reinish, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, Chicago, IL, for Gabriel Serra.Lori R. Keeton, Richard S. Glaser, Charlotte, NC, for Kevin Gill.PHV Jack M. Knight, Jr., Winston & Strawn LLP, Charlotte, NC, for Gregory Glova.Guillermo De–Guzman–Vendrell, De Guzman Law Offices, San Juan, PR, for Xpress Fright Forwarders, Inc.Harold D. Vicente–Gonzalez, Vicente & Cuebas, Harold D. Vicente–Colon, San Juan, PR, for Saltchuk Resources, Inc.Roberto Buso–Aboy, Buso Aboy Law Office, San Juan, PR, for Leonard Shapiro.Arturo Diaz–Angueira, Elizabeth Del Pilar Villagrasa–Flores, Cancio, Nadal, Rivera & Diaz, San Juan, PR, JBA Transport & Logistics, Inc.Andrew Mitchell Schwartz, Andrew M. Schwartz, Boca Raton, FL, Matthew Fornaro, Boca Raton, FL, for Call Rapido, LLC.Angelo M. Russo, McGuire Woods LLP, Chicago, IL, for Horizon Lines, Inc.Michael L. Whitlock, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, for United States of America.Edelmiro Antonio Salas–Gonzalez, Urb. Villa Nevarez, Pedro E. Ruiz–Melendez, Pedro E. Ruiz Law Office, PSC, San Juan, PR, for Banco Popular De Puerto Rico.David C. Eddy, Nexsen Pruet, LLC, Columbia, SC, pro se.Agustin Collazo–Mojica, Agustin Collazo Law Office, San Juan, PR, for Motorambar, Inc.Irma R. Valldejuli–Perez, San Juan, PR, for Pan American Grain Co. Inc.John F. Malley–Vega, Malley Tamargo & Melendez–Sauri, San Juan, PR, for Opt–Out Entities.
Following a criminal investigation by United States Department of Justice's Antitrust Division (the “DOJ”), Plaintiffs filed suit under the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1 and 3.1 The instant case is comprised of a compilation of cases sent to this District Court to be handled as a multi-district litigation. Plaintiffs represent a Class comprised of direct purchasers of waterborne cabotage between Puerto Rico and the United States, its territories and possessions. Plaintiffs purchased the cabotage from Defendants, companies that provide cabotage services and several individual officers of those companies.
Plaintiffs allege that Defendants engaged in a conspiracy to illegally fix waterborne cabotage prices 2 between the U.S. and Puerto Rico from May 1, 2002 to April 17, 2008. Defendants collectively controlled approximately 86% of the cabotage market during that time period.3 Plaintiffs further assert that Defendants colluded by conspiring to allocate customers and rig bids to customers in addition to fixing their rates, surcharges and other fees. (Docket No. 540–25). Pending before the Court is Lead Counsel for Plaintiffs' (“Lead Counsel”) requests for an award of attorneys' fees, reimbursement of expenses and incentive award payments.
On August 25, 2010, the Court granted preliminary approval for the settlement reached with (1) Horizon Lines, Inc., Horizon Lines, LLC, Horizon Logistics Holdings, LLC, Horizon Logistics, LLC and Horizon Lines of Puerto Rico,...
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...and supports judicial approval[.]" Bussie, 50 F. Supp. 2d at 77 (citation omitted). See also In re Puerto Rican Cabotage Antitrust Litig., 815 F. Supp. 2d 448, 473 (D.P.R. 2011) (the small number of objections received, none of which challenged the adequacy of the settlement amount, "certai......
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...same approach that other judges in this circuit have employed when making fairness determinations. See In re Puerto Rican Cabotage Antitrust Litig., 815 F.Supp.2d 448, 458 (D.P.R.2011) ; In re TJX Cos. Retail Sec. Breach Litig., 584 F.Supp.2d 395, 401 (D.Mass.2008) ; Relafen, 231 F.R.D. at ......
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...and supports judicial approval[.]" Bussie, 50 F. Supp. 2d at 77 (citation omitted). See also In re Puerto Rican Cabotage Antitrust Litig., 815 F. Supp. 2d 448, 473 (D.P.R. 2011) (the small number of objections received, none of which challenged the adequacy of the settlement amount, "certai......