Lawyers to get $30M From Advertiser's Google Settlement

I got about five copies of this SPAM in today:

-----Original Message-----
From: Clicksettlement [mailto:clicksettlement@xmr3.com]
Sent: Saturday, May 20, 2006 5:42 PM
To: christian@nielsentech.com
Subject: Important Legal Notice Regarding Your Google AdWords Account

This court-ordered notice may affect your legal rights. Please read it carefully. If you purchased online advertising from Google between January 1, 2002 and the present, you are a class member in a class-action lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Miller County, Arkansas. This notice is to inform you of the Court's certification of a class; the nature of the claims alleged; your right to participate in, or exclude yourself from, the class; a proposed settlement; and how you can claim an award of advertising credits under the settlement. Please read the attached notice. 

You can get more information at: www.clicksettlement.com.

Please do not reply to this message

Esta notificação de ordem judicial pode afetar seus direitos legais. Por favor, leia com atenção. Se tiver adquirido anúncios on-line da Google entre 1 de janeiro de 2002 e a data de hoje, você faz parte de uma ação judicial coletiva na Comarca de Miller County, Arkansas. Esta notificação tem como objetivo informá-lo sobre o recurso judicial da ação coletiva; a natureza do processo judicial; o seu direito de participar ou não; a ação coletiva, o acordo proposto, e como solicitar indenização em créditos para anúncio através de um acordo. Para solicitar uma cópia da notificação em anexo em português, favor enviar um email para:  clicksettlementpo@enotice.info

Toto soudem narízené oznámení muze ovlivnit vase zákonná práva. Prosím prectete si je pozorne. Pokud jste zakoupili reklamu on-line od Google mezi 1. lednem 2002 a soucasností, jste clenem skupiny ve skupinovém soudním sporu u obvodového soudu okresu Miller County ve státe Arkansas. Toto oznámení vás informuje o soudním potvrzení skupiny; o charakteru údajných skod; o vasem právu se zúcastnit nebo se vyloucit ze skupiny; o navrhovaném vyporádání; a jak muzete vznést nárok na odmenu ve forme dobropisu na reklamu v rámci vyporádání. Pro vyzádání kopie prilozeného oznámení v cestine zaslete prosím e-mail na adresu: clicksettlementcz@enotice.info.

Deze van gerechtswege verstrekte bekendmaking kan implicaties hebben voor uw wettelijke rechten.  Verzoeke hem aandachtig te lezen.  Als u in de periode van 1 januari 2002 tot op heden online-advertenties van Google hebt gekocht, bent u 'class member' in een 'class action' geding dat in het Circuit Court van Miller County, Arkansas (VS) aanhangig is gemaakt.  Deze bekendmaking dient om u op de hoogte te stellen van de certificatie van een 'class'; van de aard van de aantijgingen; van uw recht tot deelname aan, of uitsluiting van, de 'class'; van een voorgestelde schikking alsmede van de wijze waarop u aanspraak kunt maken op vergoeding van advertentiekosten binnen het kader van de schikking.  Stuur voor een Nederlandstalig exemplaar van de geappendeerde bekendmaking een E-mail aan het volgende adres:  clicksettlementdu@enotice.info.

Tällä tuomioistuimen määräämällä ilmoituksella on mahdollisesti vaikutusta laillisiin oikeuksiinne. Lukekaa se huolellisesti. Mikäli olette ostanut Googlelta Internet-mainoksia alkaen tammikuun 1 päivästä 2002 nykyhetkeen saakka, olette ryhmän jäsen ryhmäkanteessa, joka on jätetty Miller Countyn piirituomioistuimelle Arkansasissa. Tämän ilmoituksen tarkoituksena on tiedottaa teille, että tuomioistuin on vahvistanut ryhmän olemassaolon, väitettyjen vaateiden luonteen, teidän oikeutenne osallistua ryhmään tai olla osallistumatta siihen, ehdotetun sovintosopimuksen sekä menettelyn, jonka avulla voitte vaatia mainoshyvitysten myöntämistä sopimuksen nojalla. Saadaksenne kopion oheisesta ilmoituksesta suomen kielellä, olkaa hyvä ja lähettäkää sähköpostiviesti osoitteella  clicksettlementfi@enotice.info.

La présente notification mandatée par les tribunaux peut affecter vos droits en vertu de la loi. Veuillez la lire attentivement. Si vous avez payé pour faire de la publicité en ligne en utilisant Google entre le 1er janvier 2002 et la date d'aujourd'hui, vous êtes automatiquement membre d'un groupe faisant un recours collectif en justice au tribunal d'instance du comté de Miller, en Arkansas. La présente notification a pour objet de vous informer de la reconnaissance par le tribunal de l'action en justice susmentionnée comme recours collectif ; de la nature des plaintes alléguées ; de votre droit de participer ou de refuser de participer au recours collectif ; d'une offre de règlement à l'amiable ; et de la façon dont vous pouvez revendiquer des crédits à valoir sur de la publicité en application dudit règlement. Pour demander à recevoir un exemplaire de la notification jointe en langue française, veuillez envoyer un courriel à cette adresse :   clicksettlementfr@enotice.info.

Diese gerichtlich angeordnete Mitteilung kann Ihre Rechte als Käufer berühren. Bitte sorgfältig durchlesen. Wenn Sie in der Zeit vom 1. Januar 2002 bis heute Online-Werbung von Google gekauft haben, sind Sie Partei einer beim Circuit Court of Miller County (US-Gericht), im US-Bundesstaat Arkansas anhängig gemachten Sammelklage. Mit dieser Mitteilung werden Sie von der Entscheidung des Gerichts bezüglich der Annahme einer Klägergruppe im Sinne einer Sammelklage, über die Art der geltend gemachten Ansprüche, über Ihr Recht, der Sammelklage als Partei beizutreten bzw. auf einen  Beitritt zu verzichten, über Vergleichsangebote zur Beilegung des Rechtsstreits und über die Art und Weise, wie Sie auf Grund eines Vergleichs gerichtlich zuerkannte Werbegutschriften beanspruchen können. Ein Exemplar der deutschen Version der beigefügten Mitteilung können Sie per Email unter folgender Adresse anfordern: clicksettlementge@enotice.info.

????? ?? ????? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ?? ???????? ????????. ?? ????? ???? ??????. ?? ???? ????? ????? ????? Google ???? 1 ?????? 2002 ??? ?????? ??????, ??? ?????? ?????? ??????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ???? ????? ?????? ????? Miller ?????? ??????. ????? ?? ????? ?? ??? ????? ??????? ?? ????? ????? ??????? ?? ??? ??? ?????; ?? ???? ?? ??????? ???????; ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ??????? ?? ?????? ?? ???? ?????? ???????; ?? ???? ????? ?????; ????? ???????? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ????? ?????? ?????? ???? ?????. ??? ????? ????? ????? ???? ?? ?????? ??????? ??????, ?? ????? ???"? ?? ??????: clicksettlementhe@enotice.info.

A bírósági végzés alapján kiadott jelen közlemény érintheti a törvényes jogaikat, ezért olvassák el gondosan. Amennyiben 2002. január 1-tol kezdve mostanáig bármikor online hirdetést vásároltak a Google cégtol, akkor részesei az Arkansas állambeli Miller County bíróságán benyújtott csoportos keresetnek. A közlemény a következokrol ad tájékoztatást: a bíróság tanúsítja a csoport meglétét; ismerteti a kárigényt; a csoporthoz való tartozás és az abból való kimaradás jogát; a javasolt rendezést; valamint azt, hogy annak alapján hogyan lehet hirdetési keretigényt benyújtani. A csatolt közlemény magyar nyelvu változatát a clicksettlementhu@enotice.info címre írt elektronikus levélben lehet igényelni.

Questa notifica ordinata dal tribunale può influire sui suoi diritti legali. È pregato di leggerla attentamente. Se lei ha acquistato pubblicità in linea da Google nel perioda dal primo gennaio 2002 ad oggi, lei può far parte di una azione legale collettiva intentata presso la corte di circuito della contea di Miller, Arkansas. Con questa notifica lei viene informato della certificazione legale di azione collettiva; della natura delle rivendicazioni asserite; del suo diritto di parteciparvi o di esservi escluso; della composizione proposta e del modo in cui può rivendicare un risarcimento per crediti pubblicitari ai sensi della composizione stessa. Per richiedere una copia della notifica allegata in italiano, è pregato di inviare una e-mail a questo indirizzo: clicksettlementit@enotice.info.

??????????????????????????????????????????????2002?1?1??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

????????????????????????????????????????clicksettlementja@enotice.info

? ?? ?? ??? ??? ?? ??? ??? ?? ? ????. ? ??? ??? ???? ????. 2002? 1? 1??? ?? ??? Google??? ??? ??? ???? ??, ??? ???? ?? ??? ????? ??? ?? ??? ??? ???. ? ???, ??? ?? ??, ?? ???? ??, ??? ?? ?? ?? ?? ?? ??, ?? ???, ???? ?? ?? ???? ??? ???? ?? ?? ???? ????? ?? ????. ?? ???? ??? ?? ????, ?? ??? ???? ?????:  clicksettlementko@enotice.info.

Denne rettslige kunngjøringen er utferdiget i henhold til domsbeslutning og kan påvirke dine juridiske rettigheter. Les nøye gjennom den. Hvis du har kjøpt nettannonse eller -reklame fra Google mellom 1. januar 2002 og dagens dato, inngår du som medlem av et gruppesøksmål i Circuit Court of Miller County, Arkansas (USA). Denne kunngjøringen informerer deg om rettens sertifisering av en gruppe, de påståtte kravenes natur, retten din til å være med i eller stå utenfor gruppen, et forliksforslag samt hvordan du kan melde deg for å få annonseringskredit i henhold til forliket. Hvis du ønsker et eksemplar av vedlagte kunngjøring på norsk, skal du sende en e-post til følgende adresse: clicksettlementno@enotice.info.

Niniejsze, wydane nakazem sadowym zawiadomienie moze miec wplyw na przyslugujace Ci prawa. Przeczytaj je uwaznie. Jezeli w okresie od 1 stycznia 2002 do chwili  obecnej zakupiles od firmy Google reklame internetowa, kwalifikujesz sie jako uczestnik grupy, w imieniu której wytaczany jest tej firmie pozew grupowy przed Sadem Obwodowym Powiatu Miller w stanie Arkansas. Celem tego zawiadomienia jest poinformowanie Ciebie o zatwierdzeniu przez Sad grupy pozywajacej, o charakterze roszczen, o Twoim prawie do uczestniczenia w grupie lub wykluczenia sie z niej, o proponowanym porozumieniu polubownym oraz o tym, jak nalezy zglaszac sie o przyznanie kredytów reklamowych przewidzianych w porozumieniu. Po egzemplarz zawiadomienia w jezyku polskim nalezy zwrócic sie poczta elektroniczna na adres: clicksettlementpl@enotice.info


????????? ??????????? ?? ????????????? ???? ????? ????? ????????? ? ????? ???????? ??????, ??????? ?????? ??????????? ????????? ???. ???? ?? ??????????? ??????? ? ?????? ?????? ? ???????? Google ? ?????? ? 1 ?????? 2002 ???? ?? ????????? ?????, ?? ????????? ???????? ? ?????? ?????????? ????, ????????????? ? ???????? ???? ???????? ?????? (???? ????????). ????????? ?? ????????? ? ??????????? ?? ?????????? ?????????? ???? ?????; ? ????????? ??????????? ??????????; ? ????? ????? ??????? ? ???? ??? ?????? ?? ??????? ????????; ? ???????????? ??????????????, ? ????? ? ??????? ????????????? ?????????? ?? ??????????? ???????????? ????????? ????? ? ?????? ??????????????. ???????? ????????? ???????????? ??????????? ?? ??????? ????? ????? ?? ??????????? ????? ?? ??????:  clicksettlementru@enotice.info.

???????????????????????????????2002?1?1?????Google??????,??????????(Miller County)??????????????????????????????????;???????;???,????????????;????;??????????????????????????????,????????clicksettlementch@enotice.info?

Este aviso ordenado por el tribunal puede afectar sus derechos legales. Sírvase leerlo detenidamente. Si usted compró publicidad en línea a Google entre el 1º de enero de 2002 y el presente, usted es miembro de una clase en una demanda judicial de acción colectiva interpuesta en el Tribunal de Primera Instancia del Condado Miller, Arkansas. Este aviso es para informarle sobre la certificación de la clase que efectuó el Tribunal; la naturaleza de las demandas argumentadas; su derecho a participar o no participar en la clase; un acuerdo extra-judicial propuesto; y cómo usted puede reclamar se le adjudiquen créditos para publicidad en virtud del acuerdo extra-judicial. Para solicitar una copia del aviso adjunto en español, envíe un correo electrónico a esta dirección: clicksettlementsp@enotice.info.

Detta rättsliga meddelande är utfärdat enligt domstolsbeslut och kan påverka dina juridiska rättigheter. Meddelandet ska läsas noggrant. Om du köpte online-annons av Google mellan 1 januari 2002 och dagens datum innebär det att du är medlem i en grupptalan vars stämningsansökning har inlämnats i Circuit Court of Miller County, Arkansas (USA). Meddelandet är avsett att underrätta dig om domstolens certifiering av grupp, anspråkens beskaffenhet, din rättighet att gå med i eller gå ur gruppen, förlikningsförslag, samt hur man anmäler sig för att få annonseringskredit enligt förlikningen. För att erhålla ett exemplar av det bifogade rättsliga meddelandet på svenska, var god skicka ett e-postmeddelande till följande adress:  clicksettlementsw@enotice.info.

???????????????????????????????2002?1?1?????Google??????,??????????(Miller County)??????????????????????????????????;???????;???,????????????;????;??????????????????????????????,????????clicksettlementct@enotice.info?

Mahkeme tarafindan çikarilan bu bildirim yasal haklarinizi etkileyebilir. Lütfen dikkatle okuyun. 1 Ocak 2002 tarihinden bugüne kadar geçen süre içinde Google'den online reklam satin aldiysaniz ABD'nin Arkansas Eyaleti'nin Miller Ilçesi Bölge Mahkemesi'nde açilan bir toplu davaya davaci olarak katilmaktasiniz. Bu bildirim size Mahkeme'nin bu dava grubunu kabulü, dava dilekçesinin içerigi, sizin bu davaya katilma veya bu davanin disinda kalma hakkiniz, dava grubu, teklif edilen anlasma ve yapilan anlasma sonucu alacaginiz reklam kredilerini nasil alacaginiz konusunda bilgiler sunulmaktadir. Ekteki bildirimin Türkçe bir nüshasini istiyorsaniz lütfen clicksettlementtu@enotice.info adresine e-posta gönderin.

This court-ordered notice may affect your legal rights. Please read it carefully. If you purchased online advertising from Google between January 1, 2002 and the present, you are a class member in a class-action lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Miller County, Arkansas. This notice is to inform you of the Court's certification of a class; the nature of the claims alleged; your right to participate in, or exclude yourself from, the class; a proposed settlement; and how you can claim an award of advertising credits under the settlement. To request a copy of the attached notice in English, please send an email to this address: clicksettlementuk@enotice.info.

Denne retskendelse påvirker muligvis dine juridiske rettigheder. Læs den grundigt igennem. Hvis du købte online-reklamer fra Google mellem d. 1. januar 2002 og i dag, er du medlem af et kollektivt søgsmål ved distriktsdomstolen i Miller County, Arkansas i USA. Denne meddelelse har til formål at informere dig om rettens certificering af en klasse; arten af de påstande der gøres gældende; din ret til deltagelse i eller udelukkelse fra klassen; en foreslået retsforlig; og hvorledes du ifølge retsforliget kan gøre krav på erstatning i form af reklametilgodehavender. Få en dansk version af den vedhæftede kendelse tilsendt ved at e-maile denne adresse: clicksettlementda@enotice.info.

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The following was in an attached PDF file:

Notice of Pendency and Settlement of Class Action, Settlement Hearing and Claims Procedure This court-ordered notice may affect your legal rights. Please read it carefully.

If you purchased online advertising from Google between January 1, 2002 and the present, you are a class member in a classaction lawsuit, Lane’s Gifts and Collectibles et al. v. Google, Inc. et al., Case No. CV-2005-52-1, in the Circuit Court of Miller County, Arkansas. This notice is to inform you of the Court’s certification of a class; the nature of the claims alleged; your right to participate in, or exclude yourself from, the class; a proposed settlement; and how you can claim an award of advertising credits under the settlement. If you purchased online advertising from Google on behalf of another party, please forward this notice to the advertiser.

• The settlement will provide advertising credits to class members who certify that they were the victims of “click fraud” or other invalid or improper clicks on online advertisements purchased from Google on or after January 1, 2002.

• The settlement will resolve claims that Google breached its contracts with advertisers and violated other laws by failing to adequately detect and stop “click fraud” or other invalid or improper clicks on online advertisements.

• If you are a member of the class, your legal rights are affected by whether you act or do not act.

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS

Do Nothing
You will automatically be eligible to submit a claim form for Google advertising credits and will give up your ability to sue Google over the subject matter of this case.

Exclude Yourself
You will not be able to submit a claim form for Google advertising credits. This is the only option that allows you to bring or participate in another lawsuit against Google about the subject matter of this case.

Object
Write to the Court and parties about why you don’t like the settlement.

• These rights and options—and the deadlines to exercise them—are explained in this notice.

• The Court in charge of this case still has to decide whether to approve the settlement. Awards of advertising credits will be made only if the Court approves the settlement. If someone appeals from the Court’s approval of the settlement, awards of credits will not occur until the appeal is resolved.

WHAT IS THIS CASE ABOUT?
Plaintiffs Lane’s Gifts and Collectibles and Max Caulfield d/b/a Caulfield Investigations allege that Google breached its contracts with class members, unjustly enriched itself, and engaged in a civil conspiracy by failing to adequately detect and stop “click fraud” or other invalid or improper clicks on online advertisements. Google denies plaintiffs’ allegations and contends that all payments that it has received from class members for online advertising were legally and properly charged, and that it has neither breached its contracts with class members nor violated any other law through the actions alleged in the case. The Court has not made a determination whether plaintiffs’ or Google’s contentions are correct.

WHY IS THERE A SETTLEMENT?
The Court did not decide in favor of plaintiffs or Google. Instead, both sides agreed to a settlement. That way, both sides avoid the cost and uncertainty of further litigation.

AM I AFFECTED BY THE SETTLEMENT?
If you fit within the definition of the class that the Court has certified, then you are a member of the class and you will be affected by the settlement. The class that the court has certified is defined as:
All persons or entities, together with any officer, employee or agent of the same, that purchased advertising on the Internet from Google on or after January 1, 2002, regardless where the ad was displayed.

WHAT WILL I GET FROM THE SETTLEMENT?
Under the settlement, Google will establish a $90 million settlement fund, of which a portion will be used to pay class counsel’s fees and costs, and the remainder will be available to class members in the form of advertising credits that may be applied to up to 50% of the cost of future online advertising purchased from Google. To receive credits, you must submit a valid and timely claim form. Credits will be awarded on a pro rata basis, taking into account the amount that you paid to Google for the ads and the total amount of credits available. For example, if the amounts that you paid to Google for the affected ads were 1% of Google’s revenues from online advertising since January 1, 2002, you would be eligible to receive 1% of the total available credits. You must certify in your claim form the percentage of your ads you believe were affected by “click fraud”.

HOW DO I SUBMIT A CLAIM FORM?
To receive a claim form, visit the following website between June 19, 2006 and August 4, 2006 and enter the requested information.
www.clicksettlement.com
If you do not submit your Claim Form by August 4, 2006, your claim will be deemed late and will be rejected.

2
WHAT ARE THE ATTORNEYS GOING TO BE PAID?
The Court will decide the amount of fees to be paid to class counsel and the extent to which the expenses that they incurred in working on the case should be reimbursed. Class counsel intend to seek a maximum of 33 ⅓ percent of the settlement fund, or $30 million, in attorneys’ fees and expenses in this case. Under the settlement, Google has agreed that it will not oppose an award of up to $30 million to class counsel.

WHEN WILL THE COURT DECIDE WHETHER TO APPROVE THE SETTLEMENT?
The Court has scheduled a hearing on July 24 and 25 beginning at 9:00 a.m. to consider whether the settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate and to determine the amount of the fees and expenses to be awarded to class counsel. The hearing will be held in the Juvenile Courtroom at 305 E 5th Street, Texarkana, Arkansas 71854. It is possible that the hearing may be postponed.

HOW DO I REMAIN A CLASS MEMBER?
You do not need to do anything to remain a class member. You will be bound by all orders and judgments of the Court, whether favorable or not. You will be represented by class counsel. You do not have to pay class counsel. If you remain in the class, you will be eligible to submit a claim form for Google advertising credits online between June 19, 2006 and August 4, 2006. In return you will be giving up any claim for damages against Google relating to the subject matter of this case.

WHAT AM I GIVING UP TO RECEIVE ADVERTISING CREDITS OR STAY IN THE CLASS?
Unless you exclude yourself (opt out), you are staying in the class, and that means you can’t sue, continue to sue, or be part of any other lawsuit against Google relating to the subject matter of this case. It also means that all of the Court’s orders will apply to you and legally bind you. The legal issues in this case involve allegations that Google breached its contracts with advertisers and violated other laws by failing to adequately detect and stop “click fraud” or other invalid or improper clicks on online advertisements.

Any member of the class who does not opt out fully and finally releases and waives all claims, demands, rights, liabilities, and causes of action of any nature that were asserted or might have been asserted, under any law whatsoever, that arise out of, relate to, or are in connection with the legal claims against Google in this case, or any facts, transactions, events, policies, occurrences, acts, disclosures, statements, omissions or failures to act, which are or could be the basis of claims that the monies Google received for online advertising on or after January 1, 2002 should not have been charged, received or held by Google. Class members who do not opt out also fully and finally release all of those same matters against all of Google’s partners who published online ads provided by Google.

HOW DO I EXCLUDE MYSELF (OPT OUT) FROM THE CLASS?
You may exclude yourself (opt out) from the class if you mail a signed letter asking to be excluded from the Class to the following address:

Google Settlement Opt Out
c/o Gilardi & Co. LLC
P.O. Box 808070
Petaluma, CA 94975-8070

The letter asking to be excluded must be postmarked no later than thirty (30) days after the date this Notice was sent. If you are excluding yourself, the letter must contain your name and address and say that you want to be excluded from the settlement. If you are excluding your company, your letter must contain your company’s name and address, your position in the company, and a statement that you are authorized to act on behalf of the company. If you exclude yourself (opt out), you will not participate in the settlement or receive any of the benefits of the settlement. If you wish to remain a class member,
DO NOT send a letter asking to be excluded.

HOW DO I OBJECT TO THE SETTLEMENT OR THE ATTORNEYS’ FEES?
If you don’t like the settlement and wish to object, you must say so in writing. Mail a letter saying what you do not like about the settlement to all of these addresses:

Clerk of the Miller County Circuit Court
400 Laurel
Texarkana, AR 71854

George L. McWilliams
Patton, Roberts, McWilliams & Capshaw, LLP
2900 St. Michael Drive, Fourth Floor
Texarkana, TX 75503

Daralyn J. Durie
Keker & Van Nest, LLP
710 Sansome St.
San Francisco, CA 94111

The deadline for objection is thirty (30) days after the date this Notice was sent. If you want to object, you must mail your letter early enough so that it is received by the deadline.

If you make an objection by the deadline, and you also want to speak at the hearing, you must ask the Court for permission to do so. You may choose to be represented by counsel, but you will have to pay that counsel.

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I refer to this as SPAM, because the lawyers are behind this and not Google. Personally, I would rather not get ANYTHING BACK, than have the lawyers get what should be OUR MONEY from Google.
I'll have to figure out what I will do...