Comcast 2014 Annual Report Download - page 123

Table of Contents
Comcast Corporation
In addition, we are the defendant in 23 putative class actions filed in federal district courts throughout the country. All of these
actions have been consolidated by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation in the United States District Court for the Eastern
District of Pennsylvania for pre-
trial proceedings. In a consolidated complaint filed in November 2009 on behalf of all plaintiffs in the
multidistrict litigation, the plaintiffs allege that we improperly “tie” the rental of set-
top boxes to the provision of premium cable
services in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act, various state antitrust laws and unfair/deceptive trade practices acts
in California, Illinois and Alabama. The plaintiffs also allege a claim for unjust enrichment and seek relief on behalf of a nationwide
class of our premium cable customers and on behalf of subclasses consisting of premium cable customers from California,
Alabama, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Washington. In January 2010, we moved to compel arbitration of the plaintiffs’
claims for unjust
enrichment and violations of the unfair/deceptive trade practices acts of Illinois and Alabama. In September 2010, the plaintiffs filed
an amended complaint alleging violations of additional state antitrust laws and unfair/deceptive trade practices acts on behalf of
new subclasses in Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico and West Virginia. In the amended
complaint, plaintiffs omitted their unjust enrichment claim, as well as their state law claims on behalf of the Alabama, Illinois and
Pennsylvania subclasses. In June 2011, the plaintiffs filed another amended complaint alleging only violations of Section 1 of the
Sherman Antitrust Act, antitrust law in Washington and unfair/deceptive trade practices acts in California and Washington. The
plaintiffs seek relief on behalf of a nationwide class of our premium cable customers and on behalf of subclasses consisting of
premium cable customers from California and Washington. In July 2011, we moved to compel arbitration of most of the plaintiffs’
claims and to stay the remaining claims pending arbitration. The West Virginia Attorney General also filed a complaint in West
Virginia state court in July 2009 alleging that we improperly
“tie” the rental of set-
top boxes to the provision of digital cable services
in violation of the West Virginia Antitrust Act and the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act. The Attorney General also
alleges a claim for unjust enrichment/restitution. We removed the case to the United States District Court for West Virginia, and it
was subsequently transferred to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and consolidated with the
multidistrict litigation described above. A comprehensive settlement agreement for all 23 cases that had been submitted to the
District Court for preliminary approval in June 2013 was withdrawn in October 2014, and we refiled our motion to compel arbitration.
We do not expect these cases to have a material effect on our results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
Other
We are a defendant in several unrelated lawsuits claiming infringement of various patents relating to various aspects of our
businesses. In certain of these cases other industry participants are also defendants, and also in certain of these cases we expect
that any potential liability would be in part or in whole the responsibility of our equipment and technology vendors under applicable
contractual indemnification provisions. We are also subject to other legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of
our business. While the amount of ultimate liability with respect to such actions is not expected to materially affect our results of
operations, cash flows or financial position, any litigation resulting from any such legal proceedings or claims could be time-
consuming and injure our reputation.
Comcast 2014 Annual Report on Form 10
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