To Be Announced...

The next time some big-shot lawyer comes around with a petition or begins a class-action filing for something as silly as the Microsoft case in Iowa...please remember:

Microsoft juror's note grumbled about Conlin

"Just wanted you to know," the note to the judge said, "that several of the jurors are remarking about the absence of Ms. Conlin during our videotape viewing and that (a Microsoft lawyer) is here every day. They ... think Ms. Conlin is probably taking vacation on those days and we don't get vacation. And that's not fair because it's her fault that we're here."

According to the story, six days after the note was written, Roxanne Conlin and Microsoft announced a settlement. Although full details of the "winnings" haven't been released yet, expect....well...not much.

One juror said the videotaped depositions were boring. "It was tough to keep yourself awake," said juror Philip Berg.

If there's any doubt in your mind that this was just another example of lawyers wasting our court systems' time and fleecing companies by forcing them to pay out of sheer boredom, wait until the full release of the deal on April 20th.

As is usual, the lawyers are the only ones getting the big checks when they're out to protect you as consumers in cases like this.

Earlier story: Settlement reached in Microsoft trial

Every Iowan who purchased Microsoft Windows, Office, Excel or Word software between May 18, 1994, and June 30, 2006, can claim a piece of the settlement.

The trial "was exhausting" but interesting, said juror Patrice Mauer, who filled five notebooks with trial notes.

Philip Berg, another juror let out a cheer as soon as the jury was dismissed from the courtroom.

I don't know about you, but I'm hunting right now for all those receipts. Actually, I purchased two computers during that time and I got MS Office included on the computer when I bought them. I have no freaking clue how much hassle I'll have to go through to claim my "prize"...

Apparently, in Minnesota, a similar case was also settled...by Roxanne Conlin:

In that case, the company agreed to pay Minnesota consumers $175 million, which was less than half the amount sought in that lawsuit.

More than $100 million of that total was unclaimed by Minnesota consumers, according to estimates.

They couldn't find their receipts for purchase either. Only 75-million dollars of the settlement was claimed by consumers? The school system only got 50-million?

In the Minnesota case, lawyers' fees of $59.4 million were awarded to a legal team that included Conlin and Minneapolis lawyer Richard Hagstrom, who are also lead lawyers in the Iowa case.

Oh.

Can I sue for mis-using my trust in the anti-trust case?


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Labels: microsoft