October 9, 2026
The Eighth Circuit has rejected an objector’s bids to rethink its decision to affirm $110.6 million worth of antitrust class action settlements that aim to resolve broker fee claims against the National Association of Realtors and multiple brokerages.
In its brief order filed Wednesday, a three-judge appellate panel denied objector Robert Friedman’s requests for a rehearing en banc or by panel for the court’s September ruling, which rejected arguments by Friedman and the other objectors — James Mullis, Monty March and Benny D. Cheatham — against the settlements.
The antitrust litigation against the realtors’ group and the brokerages alleged that the brokerages charged artificially inflated broker commission fees by following the group’s rules.
In its September decision, the Eighth Circuit ruled that the lower court, the Western District of Missouri, rightfully determined that the settlements are “‘fair, reasonable, and adequate'” under Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.
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The class is represented by Steve Berman, Rio Pierce, Nathan Emmons and Jeannie Evans of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP, by Brandon J.B. Boulware and Jeremy Suhr of Boulware Law LLC, by Robert A. Braun, Benjamin D. Brown, Sabrina Merold and Daniel H. Silverman of Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll LLP, by Eric L. Dirks and Michael A. Williams of Williams Dirks Dameron LLC, by Michael S. Ketchmark and Scott A. McCreight of Ketchmark & McCreight, and by Alexander Aiken, Matthew R. Berry, Floyd Short, Beatrice C. Franklin, Steven G. Sklaver and Marc M. Seltzer of Susman Godfrey LLP.
Read 8th Circ. Won’t Rethink $110M Deal for Broker Fees Suit.