Federal District Judge Denies Class Certification in Funeral Industry Antitrust Litigation

Federal District Judge Denies Class Certification in Funeral Industry
Antitrust Litigation

BATESVILLE, Ind., March 30 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 26, 2009, Kenneth M. Hoyt,
United States District Judge in the Southern District of Texas (Houston),
ruled in support of the memoranda and recommendations of U.S. Magistrate Judge
Calvin Botley, and denied class certification in two previously disclosed
antitrust lawsuits against Batesville Casket Company, Inc., a wholly owned
subsidiary of Hillenbrand, Inc.

As previously reported, a self-styled consumer advocacy group, the Funeral
Consumers Alliance, and several consumers who had purchased Batesville caskets
had filed a purported class-action lawsuit against Batesville Casket Company,
Hill-Rom Holdings and three of Batesville's funeral home customers, alleging
that the defendants violated antitrust laws. A related lawsuit was filed by
four current and former independent casket retailers, alleging similar
violations.

"We are pleased with the rulings in these lawsuits, which are a major step
forward in the court's recognizing the legitimacy of our century-old policy of
selling only through licensed funeral homes," said Kenneth A. Camp,
Hillenbrand's president and chief executive officer.

The plaintiffs in both cases now have the option to petition the United States
Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit no later than April 9, 2009, for leave
to appeal Judge Hoyt's decision.

For further information and background on these cases, please refer to
Hillenbrand's most recent SEC Form 10-Q and to the rulings posted on our Web
site, http://www.hillenbrandinc.com.

ABOUT HILLENBRAND, INC.
Hillenbrand, Inc. (www.HillenbrandInc.com) is the holding company for
Batesville Casket Company, a leader in the North American death care industry
through the sale of funeral services products, including burial caskets,
cremation caskets, containers and urns, selection room display fixturing and
other personalization and memorialization products. HI-INC-C

SOURCE Hillenbrand, Inc.

Investor Relations: Mark R. Lanning, Vice President of Investor Relations and
Treasurer of Hillenbrand, Inc., +1-812-934-7256 , mrlanning@hillenbrand.com