Weichert has reached a settlement in a case often known as Hooper, based on new court docket paperwork. EXp’s settlement in that case sparked pushback from plaintiffs in a distinct lawsuit.
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A month after eXp Realty used a now-contested technique to succeed in a fee lawsuit settlement, new court docket paperwork present that Weichert has deployed the identical technique for its personal settlement.
The paperwork state that Weichert Actual Property Associates reached its settlement settlement on Nov. 5 in a case often known as Hooper. Nonetheless, the paperwork have been filed in a distinct and better-known case often known as Gibson. The paperwork have been filed in that completely different case as a result of Weichert is asking the Gibson choose to “stay,” or pause, the corporate’s half in that lawsuit whereas the settlement proceeds in Hooper.
The paperwork don’t say how a lot Weichert might have agreed to pay. Inman has reached out to the corporate and can replace this story with any response it gives.
The settlement is notable as a result of it follows eXp’s playbook. In eXp’s case, the corporate introduced a $34 million settlement with the Hooper plaintiffs in early October. Nonetheless, weeks later the plaintiffs within the Gibson case criticized the settlement as too small. They claimed that the digital brokerage settled the Hooper go well with with a purpose to get a greater deal than they may have by settling the Gibson case.
The Gibson plaintiffs need to pressure the corporate again to the negotiating desk of their lawsuit.
At challenge is a apply often known as a “reverse auction,” which primarily quantities to a defendant buying round amongst comparable class actions fits to search out essentially the most advantageous settlement phrases. As soon as one go well with is settled, it sometimes resolves different copycat fits as effectively. On this case, which means eXp or Weichert settling within the Hooper case would additionally resolve Gibson — even when the Gibson plaintiffs aren’t proud of the phrases of the decision.
For its half, eXp this week pushed again towards criticism of its deal. The corporate argued that its settlement quantity will not be too small, but in addition claimed that there isn’t any rule barring it from settling Hooper as an alternative of Gibson.
The battle over eXp’s settlement remains to be ongoing, and it stays to be seen if nonetheless extra corporations might take an identical strategy to wrapping up their very own fee litigation.
Learn the brand new paperwork discussing Weichert’s settlement right here (if the paperwork don’t seem, refresh the web page):
E-mail Jim Dalrymple II
