7. HOW DO I MAKE A CLAIM AND GET A PAYMENT?
To make a claim for payment, please complete one of the claim forms (Statutory Damage Claim Form, Short Claim Form, or Long Claim Form) available on the Internet at
https://www.paypal.com/settlement/. To make a valid claim, you will need to (1) fill out the claim form electronically and (2) print the signature page of your claim form, sign it and return it by mail to the address provided on the claim form. You must complete the claims procedure no later than October 23, 2004. Your payment will be transferred electronically to your PayPal account. If you do not have a current, unrestricted PayPal account or you indicate on the claim form that you prefer to receive a check, payment will be made in the form of a check, sent by first class mail to the address provided on the claim form. If you are paid by check, a $1.00 charge will be deducted from your payment to cover the cost of issuing and mailing the check. The claims administrator will not issue checks for less than $1.00. Such amounts will instead be reallocated to those claimants who are entitled to receive distributions.
8. WHAT AM I GIVING UP IF I PARTICIPATE IN THE SETTLEMENT?
If you do not exclude yourself from the class and the settlement is granted final approval, the judgment entered upon approval of the settlement will dismiss the lawsuit with prejudice, and will release any and all claims, demands, rights, liabilities, and causes of action of every nature and description whatsoever, known or unknown, matured or unmatured, at law or in equity, existing under federal or state law, that were or could have been asserted in the Litigation against the Released Persons, including without limitation, claims under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, California Business and Professions Code §§ 17200 et seq.; the California Consumers Legal Remedies Act, Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1750 et seq.; and for PayPal's alleged conversion, breach of the User Agreement or other contract, money had and received, unjust enrichment, and negligence under California law or any other state or federal law arising out of, among other things, PayPal's restriction or limitation of accounts; PayPal's dispute resolution policies, practices and procedures; PayPal's debit of accounts following the receipt of chargebacks, buyer complaints, reports of unauthorized access or in connection with its Seller Protection Policy, Buyer Complaint Process or Buyer Protection Policy; PayPal's alleged conversion of funds; and PayPal's compliance with the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 1693 et seq., or any similar legislation arising under the laws of any state. You will be permanently barred from bringing any such claims that arose prior to February 1, 2004. With regard to accounts that were limited prior to February 1, 2004, however, you will not be releasing claims to recover any balance that remained in the account 180 days after the account was initially limited.
In summary, if you do not exclude yourself, you will not be able to sue, continue to sue, or be part of another lawsuit against PayPal relating to the legal issues in this case. You will be bound by all proceedings, orders, and judgments entered in connection with the settlement, whether favorable or unfavorable, and will be represented by the Representative Plaintiffs and Class Counsel for purposes of the settlement. If you do not exclude yourself from the class, and the settlement is granted final approval, your claims against PayPal and its affiliates will be released as described above. If you are a class member, you may, if you wish, appear in this lawsuit through your own attorney at your own expense. You need not do so to participate in the settlement, however.
9. WHAT IF I WANT TO EXCLUDE MYSELF (OPT-OUT) FROM THE SETTLEMENT?
If you do not want to remain a member of the class and participate in the settlement, then you must mail or deliver (email is not considered adequate), such that it is RECEIVED on or before September 7, 2004, (1) an original written, signed request for exclusion to Co-Lead Counsel at the following address:
Co Lead Counsel:
PayPal Class Action Settlement
A. J. De Bartolomeo
Girard Gibbs & De Bartolomeo LLP
601 California Street, Suite 1400
San Francisco, California 94108
and (2) a copy of the written signed request to PayPal's counsel at the following address:
PayPal's counsel:
PayPal Class Action Settlement
Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP
One Market
Spear Street Tower
San Francisco, California 94105
This request for exclusion must contain your name and address; be signed by you; and include the reference "In re PayPal Litigation, Case No. CV-02-1227-JF (PVT)."
If you exclude yourself from the class, you will not participate in the settlement and cannot receive any payment from the settlement. Your claims will not be released.
10. HOW WILL THE LAWYERS FOR THE CLASS BE PAID?
From the inception of the litigation in early 2002 to the present, Class Counsel have not received any payment for their services in prosecuting the case, nor have they been reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses. If the Court approves the proposed settlement, Class Counsel will make a motion to the Court for an award of attorneys' fees of up to $3,332,500 and reimbursement of expenses of up to $135,000, to be paid from the $9.25 million settlement fund. Class Counsel will also seek reimbursement from the settlement fund on behalf of certain of the named plaintiffs in the litigation for reimbursement of their expenses related to their service as class representatives in the litigation, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $15,000. The motion will be heard at the settlement hearing described below in Section 11.
Class Counsel's motion for an award of attorneys' fees and reimbursement of expenses is based on various factors that include the benefits obtained for the class through litigation. These benefits include the $9.25 million cash settlement and PayPal's agreement to the injunctive relief requirements. In addition, certain changes to PayPal's business practices are attributable in part to this litigation, including PayPal's decision to undertake to return to its customers approximately $5.1 million in those accounts to which access was limited for 180 days or more; modifications to PayPal's arbitration provision in its User Agreement and its replacement with a clause that limits PayPal's ability to compel arbitration where the total amount of the award sought is $10,000 or greater; and various other changes in PayPal's business practices during the pendency of the litigation.
Class Counsel submitted their proposed request for attorneys' fees to the Magistrate Judge who had previously presided over discovery and settlement discussions. Class Counsel's request for attorneys' fees is equal to the amount recommended by the Magistrate Judge.
11. WHEN AND HOW WILL THE COURT DECIDE WHETHER TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT?
The Court will hold a hearing on September 24, 2004, at 9:00 a.m., before the Honorable Jeremy Fogel, United States District Judge, United States District Court for the Northern District of California, Courtroom 3, 5th Floor, 280 South First Street, San Jose, California 95113. The purpose of the hearing will be to determine (a) whether the proposed settlement should be approved as fair, reasonable, and adequate; (b) whether the application by Class Counsel for an award of attorneys' fees and expenses should be granted; and (c) whether the lawsuit and class members' claims should be dismissed with prejudice pursuant to the settlement. The Court reserves the right to adjourn or continue the hearing without further notice to the class.
You may attend the hearing if you wish, but are not required to do so to participate in the settlement.
If the settlement is not approved by the Court, the lawsuit will proceed. If there are further actions taken in the case that affect your rights, you will receive notice as determined by the Court.