MagSafe

Appeals Court Kicks Back Apple Power Adapter Class-Action Settlement

In a unanimous ruling, the court agreed with objector Theodore Frank of the Center for Class Action Fairness that Ware -- who is now retired, so another judge will reconsider the award -- "rubber-stamped" a deal that "structured to obscure actual relief" through Apple's agreement in advance to pay the suing legal firms up to $3 million of the award in attorney's fees and $100,000 in expenses, which the court said "cannot relieve the district court of its duty to assess fully the reasonableness of the fee request."

Appeals Court Kicks Back Apple Power Adapter Class-Action Settlement
Image credit: Jeremy Keith

Ninth Circuit Chucks Apple MagSafe Settlement, Chides Judge’s Oversight

The Center for Class Action Fairness, in its objection, noted that the settlement seemed designed to discourage consumers from actually collecting anything. While Apple had electronic records of MacBook purchasers who had replaced their power supplies and most of the procedures were online, the lawyers required their clients to submit refund forms in writing.

Ninth Circuit Chucks Apple MagSafe Settlement, Chides Judge’s Oversight

Opening brief in Ninth Circuit MagSafe appeal

In the In re Apple MagSafe Power Adapter Litigation, the attorneys walked away with $3.1 million, while the class got less than $1 million, and likely less than a quarter of what the attorneys got. The district court (Judge Ware in the N.D. Cal.) not only rubber-stamped the settlement while ignoring the Bluetooth precedent, but then issued an order to protect the illegitimate settlement, requiring a punitive appeal bond or the dismissal of any…

Opening brief in Ninth Circuit MagSafe appeal
Image credit: Rob DiCaterino
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