Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-md-01827/USCOURTS-cand-3_07-md-01827-22/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 410
Nature of Suit: Antitrust
Cause of Action: 15:1 Antitrust Litigation

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REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL JUDICIAL ASSISTANCE (LETTER ROGATORY) 

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FRANCIS O. SCARPULLA (41059) 

CRAIG C. CORBITT (83251) 

MATTHEW R. SCHULTZ (220641) 

QIANWEI FU (242669) 

ZELLE HOFMANN VOELBEL MASON & GETTE, LLP 

44 Montgomery Street, Suite 3400 

San Francisco, CA 94104 

Telephone: 415-639-0700 

Facsimile: 415-693-0770 

ccorbitt@zelle.com 

JOSEPH M. ALIOTO (42680) 

THERESA D. MOORE (99978) 

ANGELINA ALIOTO-GRACE (206899) 

JOSEPH M. ALIOTO, JR. (215554) 

ALIOTO LAW FIRM 

555 California Street, 31st Floor 

San Francisco, CA 94104 

Telephone: 415-434-8900 

Facsimile: 415-434-9200 

jaliotojr@aliotolaw.com 

JACK W. LEE, Esq. [SBN 71626] 

BRAD YAMAUCHI, Esq. [SBN 73245] 

B. MARK FONG, Esq. [SBN 99672] 

HUGO A. ZIA, Esq. [SBN 122599] 

MINAMI TAMAKI LLP 

360 Post Street, 8th Floor 

San Francisco, California 94108-4903 

Telephone: (415) 788-9000 

Facsimile: (415) 398-3887 

jlee@MinamiTamaki.com 

Interim Co-Lead and Liaison Counsel for Indirect Purchaser Plaintiffs 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT 

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 

SAN FRANCISCO DIVISION

IN RE TFT-LCD (FLAT PANEL)

ANTITRUST LITIGATION 

 

This Document Relates to: 

CANDACE ROWLETTE, a Florida resident; 

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 Case No. C-06-07588 SI 

Master File No. C07-1827 SI 

MDL No. 1827 

REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL 

JUDICIAL ASSISTANCE 

Case M:07-cv-01827-SI Document 332 Filed 10/17/2007 Page 1 of 5 Case 3:07-md-01827-SI Document 349 Filed 10/24/07 Page 1 of 5
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REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL JUDICIAL ASSISTANCE (LETTER ROGATORY) 

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and MICHAEL FRANCIS AYERS, a 

Massachusetts resident, on behalf of themselves 

and all others similarly situated, 

 Plaintiffs, 

v. 

LG PHILIPS LCD CO., LTD.; LG PHILIPS 

LCD AMERICA, INC.; LG ELECTRONICS 

IND.,; SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., 

LTD.; NEC CORPORATION; NEC 

ELECTRONICS AMERICA, INC.; NEC LCD 

TECHNOLOGIES LTD.; HITACHI LTD.; 

HITACHI DISPLAYS, LTD.; HITACHI 

ELECTRONICS DEVICES (USA), INC.; 

HITACHI AMERICA LTD.; IDT 

INTERNATIONAL LTD.;CMO JAPAN CO., 

LTD; INTERNATIONAL DISPLAY 

TECHNOLOGY USA INC.; IPS ALPHA 

TECHNOLOGY, LTD.; ROYAL PHILIPS 

ELECTRONICS NV; SANYO EPSON 

IMAGING DEVICES CORPORATION; 

SANYO ELECTRIC COL, LTD.; SEIKO 

EPSON CORPORATION; SHARP 

CORPORATION; SHARP ELECTRONICS 

CORPORATION; SONY CORPORATION; 

TOSHIBA CORPORATION; TOSHIBA 

MATSUSHITA DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY 

CO. LTD.; MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC 

CORPORATION; AU OPTRONICS CORP.; 

AU OPTRONICS CORPORATION 

AMERICA; CHI MEI OPTOELECTRONICS 

CORPORATION; CHI MEI 

OPTOELECTRONICS USA, INC.; 

CHUNGHWA PICTURE TUBES, LTD.; 

HANNSTAR DISPLAY CORPORATION, 

 Defendants.

 

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(LETTER ROGATORY) 

The United States District Court Northern District of California presents its compliments to 

the Appropriate Judicial Authority of Taiwan, and requests international assistance to effect 

service of process to be used in a civil proceeding before this Court in the above captioned matter. 

Case M:07-cv-01827-SI Document 332 Filed 10/17/2007 Page 2 of 5 Case 3:07-md-01827-SI Document 349 Filed 10/24/07 Page 2 of 5
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REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL JUDICIAL ASSISTANCE (LETTER ROGATORY) 

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I. REQUEST 

This Court requests the assistance described herein as necessary in the interests of justice. 

The assistance requested is that the Appropriate Judicial Authority of Taiwan effect Service of 

Process of: Amended Summons in a Civil Case; Amended Class Action Complaint; Pretrial Order 

No. 5: Case Management; Judge Illston’s Standing Order; Standing Order Re: Cases Designated 

for Electronic Filing; Case Management Conference Order; Dispute Resolution Procedures in the 

Northern District of California handbook; Notice Of Availability Of Magistrate Judge To Exercise 

Jurisdiction; the United States District Court for the Northern District of California’s ECF 

Registration Information Handout; and Certified Translations of these documents on the belownamed corporation: 

AU Optronics Corporation 

No. 1, Li-Hsin Rd. 2, Hsinchu Science Park 

Hsinchu 30078, Taiwan; 

The Appropriate Judicial Authority of Taiwan is requested to serve the documents listed 

above by personal service into the hands of a director, managing agent or other person authorized 

to accept service at the above listed address or in any manner prescribed for the service of such 

documents consistent with the law of Taiwan. 

II. FACTS OF THE CASE 

The Complaint in this action was been filed under Section 16 of the Clayton Act, (15 

U.S.C. § 26), to obtain injunctive relief for violations of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, (15 U.S.C. 

§ 1), and to recover damages and/or restitution under various state antitrust and consumer 

protection laws, including to recover the costs of suit, and reasonable attorneys’ fees. This Court 

has jurisdiction over the federal claims under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1337. The Court has 

jurisdiction over the state law claims under 28 U.S.C. § 1367. 

There are two general categories of cases in these related actions: (1) those brought under 

federal law on behalf of direct purchasers; and (2) those brought generally under state law on 

behalf of indirect purchasers, for which there are over seventy complaints covering twenty-three 

Case M:07-cv-01827-SI Document 332 Filed 10/17/2007 Page 3 of 5 Case 3:07-md-01827-SI Document 349 Filed 10/24/07 Page 3 of 5
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REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL JUDICIAL ASSISTANCE (LETTER ROGATORY) 

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different states. All plaintiffs allege that they purchased Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal 

Display products (“TFT-LCD Products”) either directly or indirectly from defendants or from their 

alleged co-conspirators. Plaintiffs claim damages caused by the defendants’ conspiracy to fix 

prices on TFT-LCD Products sold in the United States and elsewhere. The plaintiffs allege the 

conspiracy began in November 1, 1998 and continued through at least December 31, 2006 (the 

“Class Period”). 

In or about December of 2006, the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of 

Justice (“DOJ”) sent out subpoenas to various companies in connection with an investigation of 

cartel activity in the TFT-LCD industry. Several of these companies being investigated have 

already pled guilty to price-fixing in the DRAM industry and have paid substantial fines to the 

DOJ for those unlawful activities. 

III. RECIPROCITY 

The United States District Court for the Northern District of California would be willing to 

provide similar assistance to the Appropriate Judicial Authority of Taiwan. 

IV. REIMBURSEMENT FOR COSTS 

Lead and Liaison Counsel for the Indirect-Purchaser Plaintiffs have represented that they 

are willing to reimburse the appropriate Judicial Authority of Taiwan for costs incurred in 

executing this Letter Rogatory in an amount not to exceed One Thousand Five Hundred dollars 

($1500.00). If the costs for executing this Letter Rogatory will exceed US $1500, please contact 

Lead and Liaison Counsel for the Indirect-Purchaser Plaintiffs before exceeding this amount. 

Their contact information is as follows: 

Francis O. Scarpulla 

Zelle Hofmann Voebel Mason & Gette LLP 

44 Montgomery Street, Suite 3400 

San Francisco, CA 94104. 

Phone: (415) 693-0700; Fax: (415) 693-0770. 

Jack W. Lee 

Minami Tamaki LLP 

360 Post Street, 8th Fl. 

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REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL JUDICIAL ASSISTANCE (LETTER ROGATORY) 

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San Francisco, CA 94108 

Phone: (415) 788-9000; Fax: (415) 398-3887 

In acknowledgment of the additional time which is needed to prepare and file a responsive 

pleading to the attached documents, the time period is extended to 45 days after service. 

The Court extends to the Appropriate Judicial Authorities of Taiwan assurances of its 

highest consideration. 

DATED: _____________________ By: ___________________________________ 

 Hon. Susan Illston 

 United States District Judge 

450 Golden Gate Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102 

(415) 522-2028 (Tracy Sutton, Calendar Clerk) 

(415) 22-2068 (Yumiko Saito, Docket Clerk)

#3170435v1 

Case M:07-cv-01827-SI Document 332 Filed 10/17/2007 Page 5 of 5

10/23/07

Case 3:07-md-01827-SI Document 349 Filed 10/24/07 Page 5 of 5