Opinion
03 Civ. 2937 (WHP), 03 Civ. 2938 (WHP), 03 Civ. 2939 (WHP), 03 Civ. 2940 (WHP), 03 Civ. 2941 (WHP), 03 Civ. 2942 (WHP), 03 Civ. 2943 (WHP), 03 Civ. 2944 (WHP), 03 Civ. 2945 (WHP), 03 Civ. 2946 (WHP), 03 Civ. 2947 (WHP), 03 Civ. 2948 (WHP), 04 Civ. 6909 (WHP), 04 Civ. 6910 (WHP).
April 13, 2005
ORDER
By Order dated January 31, 2005, this Court authorized and directed Professor Francis E. McGovern, the Distribution Fund Administrator (the "Administrator"), to publish and advertise the "Global Research Analyst Settlement Distribution Fund Plan" ("Plan") to inform the investing public of its terms and invite comments. That Plan relates to the following investment banks: (1) Bear, Stearns Co. Inc., (2) J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., (3) Lehman Brothers Inc., (4) Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner Smith Inc., (5) U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Inc., (6) UBS Securities LLC, (7) Goldman, Sachs Co., (8) Citigroup Global Markets Inc., (9) Credit Suisse First Boston LLC, (10) Morgan Stanley Co. Inc., (11) Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., and (12) Thomas Weisel Partners LLC.
On April 11, 2005, this Court conducted a Fairness Hearing concerning the Plan.
On April 13, 2005, the Administrator notified this Court that he has learned of two additional submissions of the investing public. The Administrator has distributed copies of those submissions to all parties. This Court directs the Securities and Exchange Commission and the defendants to provide their comments regarding these submissions to the Court, the Administrator and each other by April 19, 2005. The Administrator is directed to submit his comments to the Court and all parties by April 21, 2005.
The Clerk is directed to file copies of this Order in all of the captioned actions.