On March 22, 2007, Berman DeValerio filed a class action against makers of Thin-Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Displays (TFT-LCD), alleging the manufacturers conspired to fix prices on the screens in violation of federal antitrust laws.
The class action, filed in the U.S. District Court of Northern California, names numerous manufacturers as defendants in the case, including Samsung, LG Philips, AU Optronics and Chi Mei. As of September 2006, these four display makers held a combined 65.93% of the marketplace.
Plaintiffs allege that the display manufacturers unlawfully agreed to restrict the supply of TFT-LCDs in the market, causing purchasers to pay artificially inflated and non-competitive prices. Customers who bought TFT-LCDs or products that contain TFT-LCDs directly from the defendants or their subsidiaries from approximately January 1, 1996 to December 11, 2006 are considered members of the class.
LCDs are thin, flat display devices that are used in televisions, computer screens, cameras and many other electronic products. The TFT-LCD is a specific type of crystal display that uses advanced transistor technology to improve image quality.
Numerous TFT-LCD manufacturers have confirmed that they are under investigation by various governmental agencies. The price-fixing investigation into the $70 billion LCD industry is being coordinated among U.S., Korean, Japanese and European regulators.
Captioned Univisions-Crimson Holdings, Inc. et al v. LG Philips, LCD Co., Ltd. et al, the class action names the following defendants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Samsung Semiconductor, Inc.; NEC Corp.; NEC Electronics America, Inc.; NEC LCD Technologies, Ltd.; Hitachi, Ltd.; Hitachi Displays, Ltd.; Hitachi Electronics Devices (USA), Inc.; International Display Technology Co., Ltd.; International Display Technology USA, Inc.; Sharp Corp.; Sharp Electronics Corp.; Toshiba Corp.; Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.; AU Optronics Corp.; AU Optronics Corp. America; Chi Mei Corp.; Chi Mei Optoelectronics Corp.; Chi Mei Optoelectronics USA, Inc.;Panasonic Corp. of North America; Nexgen Mediatech USA, Inc.; and Hannstar Display Corp.
On September 25, 2007, the Honorable Susan Illston ordered a temporary partial stay of discovery in accordance with the ongoing Department of Justice investigation. A Discovery Status Conference is scheduled for May 21, 2008 “to address the course of discovery and the continuing need, if any, for the limitations set forth in this Order.”
The Direct Purchaser Class filed its Consolidated Complaint on November 5, 2007. To view the complaint, please click here.
