Apple and Amazon want to recover more than $2 million in legal fees after winning a lawsuit that accused them of inflating iPhone and iPad prices. The companies were cleared of wrongdoing last September when a U.S. judge dismissed the case.
The lawsuit, filed in 2022 by law firm Hagens Berman on behalf of consumer Steven Floyd, alleged that Apple and Amazon had limited the number of iPhone and iPad resellers on Amazon’s marketplace to keep prices high.
U.S. District Judge Kymberly Evanson dismissed the case after finding that Floyd’s lawyers misled the court about his withdrawal from the case. They said he was difficult to reach while they were actually looking for new plaintiffs to replace him.
Now, both companies are asking the court to make the plaintiffs’ lawyers pay for what they call wasted time and costs. According to the filing, Apple is seeking about $540,000, while Amazon wants roughly $1.4 million. The filing claims that the law firm’s “misrepresentations” forced both companies to spend money and time on issues that would not have existed without the lawyers’ actions.
The court document also says that, under U.S. law, courts can award fees when attorneys act in bad faith. Apple and Amazon argue that this case qualifies because of the alleged misconduct. The companies told the court that their requests are justified and in line with legal standards for recovering costs.
Law Firm Plans to Fight the Demand
Hagens Berman has denied the accusations. In a statement to Reuters, managing partner Steve Berman said that Apple and Amazon “are not entitled to fees” and that the firm will “vigorously contest” the request.
The judge has not yet ruled on whether the companies will receive reimbursement. If approved, the order could set an example for how courts handle claims of attorney misconduct in future antitrust cases.
