Alderwoods defeats class certification motions in antitrust actions by consumers and casket distributors

Client(s) Alderwoods Group, Inc.

Jones Day defended Alderwoods Group, Inc. against companion antitrust class actions, one by consumers and the other by independent casket distributors (ICDs), against allegations that Alderwoods conspired with other funeral home defendants and with a casket manufacturer to fix the price of caskets at artificially high levels, to engage in a group boycott of ICDs, and to violate California's unfair competition law. We also defended Alderwoods against claims that it conspired with the other funeral home defendants to monopolize an alleged casket market. Plaintiffs' motions for class certification were defeated in both actions in November 2008.

Funeral Consumers Alliance v. Service Corporation International, No. H-05-03394 (S.D. Tex.); Pioneer Valley Casket Company v. Service Corporation International, No. H-05-3399 (S.D. Tex.)