Lawsuit Thrown Overboard

The judge who approved a larger settlement on one class action, has stopped another.

Disney, Sony & DreamWorks Animation Antitrust Class Action Tossed

More than six months after the first lawsuit was filed over anti-poaching and wage-fixing allegations, the ‘toon studios have seen the now-consolidated class-action case go the way of hand drawing as genre standard, at least for now.

“As Plaintiffs have failed to allege an essential element of fraudulent concealment, and the Court has also concluded that Plaintiffs’ claims, as currently alleged, are time barred, the Court grants Defendants’ motion to dismiss Plaintiffs’ CAC,” said a federal judge on Good Friday in the action from a trio of digital artists against the major animation studios. ...

Me, I think there's been a long-time effort of studios to steer clear of the kinds of bidding wars that went on for artists' services in the 1990s. And I think the avoidance has been successful.

But thinking there's wage collusion and proving it are two different things. So we'll see if hard evidence can be produced, or this is the end of the line.