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US: Pixar, Disney cartoon antitrust class action suit dismissed

By  |  April 6, 2015

A federal judge has thrown out an antitrust lawsuit accusing major Hollywood animation studios of trying to drive down animators’ wages through an illegal anti-poaching conspiracy.

In a decision on Friday, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, Calif., said the four-year statute of limitations ran out long before the animators in September sued Walt Disney Co. and its Lucasfilm and Pixar units, Sony Corp, DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc and 21st Century Fox Inc’s Blue Sky Studios.

Koh also found no proof that the studios ran a “continuing” conspiracy not to raid each other for talent or tried to cover up their paper trail, which could justify stopping the clock.

“The allegation that defendants engaged in a secret conspiracy does not show that defendants took affirmative steps to mislead,” Koh wrote in a 32-page decision.

 

Full Content: Deadline Hollywood

 

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