A Californian anti-trust case against DRAM-makers Micron, Infineon, Elpida, Hynix, Samsung, Mosel-Vitelic, NEC, Nanya and Winbond is very near to being settled.
"The parties have informed the Court that they have reached an agreement in principle to the terms of a settlement in this and related actions and are currently negotiating a final settlement agreement," says a court order.
"The parties have informed the Court that they have reached an agreement in principle to the terms of a settlement in this and related actions and are currently negotiating a final settlement agreement," said a U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals order filed Feb. 17.
The plaintiffs in the case have asked the US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to take the case out of its schedule for March.
The case followed a previous case in which computer manufacturers sued the DRAM makers for anti-trust infringements and won the case collecting $325m in damages.
This case was brought by people who bought computers who said they were also hurt by the anti-trust infringements of the DRAM manufacturers, but their claim has been rejected.
The US legal newspaper, The Recorder, points out that Northern District of California Judge Phyllis Hamilton, decided that people buying computers did not have sufficient legal standing to bring claims against the DRAM manufacturers.
"A contrary conclusion runs the risk of opening the floodgates to potential litigation," said Judge Hamilton when she decided the case in 2008.
The plaintiffs appealed against Judge Hamilton's decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Now it appears the parties in the case have reached an agreement, and have asked the Appeals Court to drop the case.