This is an update report for those following our Comcast late fee class action.  In this certified class action, Oregon Comcast cable television subscribers claim that Comcast illegally assessed late fees for cable TV service. The class seeks damages. Here is the last update on the case. Go to my old blog, here, if you want a copy of the class certification decision.

So Friday, Tim Quenelle and I returned to court to argue discovery and pleading motions. We did something a bit unusual and filed motions to strike various affirmative defenses raised by Comcast.

Judge Baldwin ruled today. He granted the class’s motions to strike the following eight defenses:  Reduction of damages based on losses Comcast claims to have suffered (Sixth Affirmative Defense); Subscribers’ breach of their cable TV subscription agreements (Ninth Affirmative Defense); Failure to timely assert rights under the late fee statute (Tenth Affirmative Defense); Estoppel (Eleventh Affirmative Defense); Laches (Twelfth Affirmative Defense); Ratification (Thirteenth Affirmative Defense); Reservation of Rights; and Comcast’s prayer for attorney fees.

Judge Baldwin denied the class’s motions as to four affirmative defenses: standing of the class representatives, voluntary payment, unclean hands, and set-off for class members’ unpaid balances.

Judge Baldwin’s rulings limit Comcast’s defenses and narrow the scope of the case. It’s another step forward for the class. While there is still far to go, we’re counting it as a great day.

For those interested, here is an update on the Oregon late fee class action against Comcast. The short version is that with my co-counsel, Tim Quenelle, I filed a class action against Comcast for its illegal assessment of cable TV late fees in Oregon.

We filed this case in July 2004. No, that’s not a typo. The case will turn six this summer. More background on the history of the case  here and here.

While Comcast disputes this, the class claims that Comcast illegally billed cable TV late fees in Oregon for years. Comcast claims that it’s done nothing wrong, or if it did, these were simply technical violations. Comcast has many other defenses. That’s their choice, of course.

So the latest–the update–is that Comcast is asking the court to allow it another appeal. This time Comcast wants to appeal the court’s decision to allow the class to seek statutory damages of $200 per person.  Comcast already lost an earlier appeal on whether it could require mandatory arbitration of these claims.

While no one has said this directly to me, it’s pretty apparent that the defense is really to drag this out as long as possible. In that respect, the litigation strategy is ironically the opposite of the speedy internet service that Comcast advertises.  But of course, Comcast makes those choices. I suppose it makes sense if the alternative is facing the prospect of payment of millions to Oregon subscribers.

To hear some self-appointed experts talk, consumer class actions are nothing more than stick-’em-up get-rich opportunities. The damages at issue in this case are calculated in the millions. Comcast billed late fees in six dollar increments. While few consumers lost large sums of money, when you total the numbers you come to realize that billing six bucks a pop from many people is a great way to make money.

Meantime, of course, the lawyers pushing the case soldier on. We get paid if and when we bring the case to a successful conclusion, based on a fee that the court must approve as reasonable and fair. And in the six years we’ve been pushing the case, we’ve invested time and money to move it forward.

If you doubt the wisdom of that, let’s consider the alternatives. We deregulated our economy beginning in the 1980s.  So regulation isn’t an option. Even so, I imagine we can all agree that allowing businesses to illegally collect money is unacceptable.  So what’s left, other than the courthouse, when corporations rip off consumers?

For Comcast Oregon cable TV subscribers who paid late fees, all I can say is that we’ll see this through to the end. That may be another 10 years, but so be it.  My son and I were talking the other day, and he related that he’s been accused of being stubborn. “You come by it honestly,” I replied. The reality of our world is that obstinate consumer class action lawyers are one of consumers’ best weapons against corporate greed running amok.