“It’s just wasted money,” Judge Donato said. “You’ve done a poor job of telling people, ‘Here are your checks, cash them’.”
The judge instructed Harrington to collaborate with Angeion Group to implement a more “aggressive” outreach plan and file a detailed report within 30 days outlining steps to ensure that developers receive their payments.
Discrepancies in Payment Distribution
Further complicating matters, approximately $11.4 million—about 20% of the remaining settlement funds—has yet to be distributed due to insufficient tax and contact information for about 4% of the class members. Harrington noted that obtaining taxpayer identification numbers is a legal requirement for issuing payments exceeding $600.
Judge Donato, dissatisfied with the progress, demanded a clearer timeline: “When will this money get into the hands of developers?” he pressed. Harrington could only respond with “as soon as possible,” prompting the judge to call for more definitive answers.
Google Deal Atty Fee Trims : Impact on Attorney Fees
The $90 million settlement was approved in January, ending claims that Google’s Play Store policies unfairly restricted competition and forced developers to use its in-app payment system. At that time, Judge Donato awarded the plaintiffs’ counsel their full $26 million fee request but held back 25% pending a post-distribution accounting. In light of the recent issues, the judge has indicated that this fee will face significant cuts.
