On January 25, 2021, a similar action to the Moehrl-related antitrust litigations was filed in the Northern District of Illinois (the “Batton Action) alleging violations of federal antitrust law and unjust enrichment. The complaint makes substantially similar allegations and seeks similar relief as the Moehrl-related antitrust litigations but alleges harm to homebuyers rather than sellers. The Company’s motion to dismiss was granted on May 2, 2022, and the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint adding state antitrust and consumer protection claims. On February 20, 2024, the court dismissed plaintiffs’ claim seeking injunctive relief for violations of the Sherman Act and dismissed certain state law claims in Tennessee and Kansas. The court denied the remainder of the Company’s motion to dismiss. On April 15, 2024, the Company filed its answer and motion to dismiss.
The Company intends to vigorously defend against all remaining claims, including appeals. If final approval of the Settlement Agreement is not upheld on appeal, the Company may become involved in additional litigation or other legal proceedings concerning the same or similar claims. As a result, the Company is unable to reasonably estimate the financial impact of the litigation beyond what has been accrued for pursuant to the terms of the Settlement Agreement and the Company cannot predict, beyond the Settlement Amount, whether resolution of these matters would have a material effect on its financial position or results of operations. The Moehrl-related antitrust litigations, the Batton Action, and the Canadian antitrust litigations consist of:
Christopher Moehrl et al. v. The National Association of Realtors, Realogy Holdings Corp., HomeServices of America, Inc., BHH Affiliates, LLC, HSF Affiliates, LLC, The Long & Foster Companies, Inc. RE/MAX, LLC, and Keller Williams Realty, Inc., filed on March 6, 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Scott and Rhonda Burnett et al. v. The National Association of Realtors, Realogy Holdings Corp., HomeServices of America, Inc., BHH Affiliates, LLC, HSF Affiliates, LLC, RE/MAX, LLC, and Keller Williams Realty, Inc., filed on April 29, 2019 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
Jennifer Nosalek et al. v. MLS Property Information Network, Inc., Anywhere Real Estate Inc. (f/k/a Realogy Holdings Corp.), Century 21 Real Estate LLC, Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC, ERA Franchise System LLC, HomeServices of America, Inc., BHH Affiliates, LLC, HSF Affiliates, LLC, RE/MAX, LLC, Polzler & Schneider Holdings Corp., Integra Enterprises Corp., RE/MAX of New England, Inc., RE/MAX Integrated Regions, LLC, and Keller Williams Realty, Inc., filed on December 17, 2020 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Mya Batton et al. v. The National Association of Realtors, Realogy Holdings Corp., HomeServices of America, Inc., BHH Affiliates, LLC, HSF Affiliates, LLC, The Long & Foster Companies, Inc., RE/MAX, LLC, and Keller Williams Realty, Inc., filed on January 25, 2021 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
Mark Sunderland v. Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB), The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), RE/MAX Ontario-Atlantic Canada Inc. o/a RE/MAX INTEGRA, Century 21 Canada Limited Partnership, Residential Income Fund, L.P., Royal Lepage Real Estate Services Ltd., Homelife Realty Services Inc., Right At Home Realty Inc., Forest Hill Real Estate Inc., Harvey Kalles Real Estate Ltd., Max Wright Real Estate Corporation, Chestnut Park Real Estate Limited, Sutton Group Realty Services Ltd. and IPRO Realty Ltd., filed on April 9, 2021 in the Federal Court of Canada.
Kevin McFall v. Canadian Real Estate Association, et. al., filed on January 18, 2024 in the Federal Court of Canada.
Copycat lawsuits to the Moehrl-related antitrust litigations were filed by plaintiff Monty March in the Southern District of New York (the “March Action”), plaintiff Christina Grace in the Northern District of California (the “Grace Action”), plaintiff Willsim Latham, LLC in the Eastern District of California (the “Willsim Action”), and plaintiff Dalton Jensen in the District of Utah (the “Jensen Action”) (together, the “Copycat Cases”). The Company intends to vigorously defend against all claims, including seeking to stay the lawsuits in light of the Settlement Agreement. On December 27, 2023, a motion was filed by plaintiffs in another copycat lawsuit that did not name the Company, seeking to consolidate the copycat lawsuits in a multidistrict litigation, including the Grace Action, the March Action, and the Willsim Action, and many lawsuits that did not name the Company, in the Western District of Missouri for purposes of pretrial activities (the “MDL motion”). The MDL motion was denied based on the procedural posture of the litigation and the NAR settlement, without reaching the issue of whether centralization would be appropriate. In the Grace Action, the March Action, and the Willsim Action, the courts ordered a stay of the matters pending resolution of appeals of the Settlement Agreement. In the Jensen Action, plaintiff filed a notice of voluntary dismissal on May 23, 2024, which the court granted. The Copycat Cases that name the Company consist of: