probable, but the amount cannot be reasonably estimated, or when the liability is believed to be only reasonably possible or remote. The Company’s assessment of whether a loss is remote, reasonably possible, or probable is based on its assessment of the ultimate outcome of the matter following all appeals.
As of June 30, 2022, the Company does not believe that there is a reasonable possibility that any material loss exceeding the amounts already recognized for these legal proceedings and claims, regulatory reviews, inspections or other legal proceedings, if any, has been incurred. While the consequences of certain unresolved proceedings are not presently determinable, the outcome of any proceeding is inherently uncertain and an adverse outcome from certain matters could have a material effect on the financial position, results of operations, or cash flows of the Company in any given reporting period.
City of Providence
On April 18, 2014, the City of Providence, Rhode Island filed a securities class action lawsuit in the federal district court for the Southern District of New York (“Lower Court”) against Bats and Direct Edge Holdings LLC, as well as 14 other securities exchanges. The action purports to be brought on behalf of all public investors who purchased and/or sold shares of stock in the United States since April 18, 2009 on a registered public stock exchange (“Exchange Defendants”) or a U.S.-based alternate trading venue and were injured as a result of the alleged misconduct detailed in the complaint, which includes allegations that the Exchange Defendants committed fraud through a variety of business practices associated with, among other things, what is commonly referred to as high frequency trading. On May 2, 2014 and May 20, 2014, American European Insurance Company and Harel Insurance Co., Ltd. each filed substantially similar class action lawsuits against the Exchange Defendants which were ultimately consolidated with the City of Providence, Rhode Island securities class action lawsuit. On June 18, 2015, the Lower Court held oral argument on the pending Motion to Dismiss and thereafter, on August 26, 2015, the Lower Court issued an Opinion and Order granting Exchange Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss, dismissing the complaint in full. On September 24, 2015, Plaintiffs filed a Notice of Appeal with the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (“2nd Circuit”), seeking to appeal the August 26, 2015 dismissal opinion and order. On January 7, 2016, Plaintiffs filed their opening brief with the 2nd Circuit and on April 7, 2019, the Exchange Defendants filed their opposition brief with the 2nd Circuit. Oral argument was held on August 24, 2016. Following oral argument, the 2nd Circuit issued an order requesting that the SEC submit an amicus brief on whether the Lower Court had jurisdiction and whether the Exchange Defendants have immunity in the claims alleged. The SEC filed its amicus brief with the 2nd Circuit on November 28, 2016 and Plaintiffs and the Exchange Defendants filed their respective supplemental response briefs on December 12, 2016. On December 19, 2017, the 2nd Circuit reversed the Lower Court’s dismissal and remanded the case back to the Lower Court. On March 13, 2018, the 2nd Circuit denied the Exchange Defendants’ motion for re-hearing. The Exchange Defendants filed their opening brief for their motion to dismiss May 18, 2018, Plaintiffs’ response was filed June 15, 2018 and the Exchange Defendants’ reply was filed June 29, 2018. On May 28, 2019, the Lower Court issued an opinion and order denying the Exchange Defendants’ motion to dismiss. On June 17, 2019, the Exchange Defendants filed a motion seeking interlocutory appeal of the May 28, 2019 dismissal order, which was denied July 16, 2019. Exchange Defendants filed their answers on July 25, 2019. Targeted discovery regarding class certification and legal preclusion concluded on April 26, 2021. On May 28, 2021, (1) Plaintiffs filed a Motion for Class Certification, (2) Bats and NYSE filed a joint Motion for Summary Judgment on Grounds of Legal Preclusion and a joint Motion for Summary Judgment on Grounds of Lack of Article III Standing, and (3) Nasdaq filed a Motion for Summary Judgment for Legal Preclusion. Briefing on these dispositive motions concluded in December 2021. The parties also filed motions to exclude some of the other’s experts. Oral argument regarding the joint Motion for Lack of Article III Standing and Exchange Defendant’s motion to exclude the testimony of one of Plaintiffs’ experts occurred on March 11, 2022. On March 28, 2022, the Lower Court entered an opinion and order dismissing all of Plaintiffs’ claims, without prejudice, against the Exchange Defendants and ordered that judgment be entered for the Defendant Exchanges. On April 25, 2022, Plaintiffs filed a Notice of Appeal with the 2nd Circuit, seeking to appeal the March 28, 2022 dismissal order and the judgment entered against them. During May and June 2022, all of the Exchange Defendants entered into settlement agreements with Plaintiffs and Plaintiffs moved to dismiss their pending appeals from the March 28, 2022, dismissal order. On June 13, 2022, the 2nd Circuit dismissed Plaintiffs’ appeals with respect to Bats and Direct Edge Holdings LLC and the litigation is concluded.
VIX Litigation
On March 20, 2018, a putative class action complaint captioned Tomasulo v. Cboe Exchange, Inc., et al., No. 18-cv-02025 was filed in federal district court for the Northern District of Illinois alleging that the Company intentionally designed its products, operated its platforms, and formulated the method for calculating VIX and the Special Opening Quotation, (i.e., the special VIX value designed by the Company and calculated on the settlement date of VIX derivatives prior to the opening of trading), in a manner that could be collusively manipulated by a group of entities named as John Doe defendants. A number of similar putative class actions, some of which did not name the Company as a party, were filed in federal court in Illinois and New York on behalf of investors in certain volatility-related products. On June 14, 2018, the