RealPage antitrust lawsuits over rent prices consolidated in Tennessee

April 10, 20238:55 PM UTCUpdated ago

The witness stand (rear L) and the judge's chair (rear C), face towards the defense table (L) and prosecution table (R), in Part 31, Room 1333 of the New York State Supreme Court, Criminal Term at 100 Centre Street, in New York — REUTERS/Chip East

Summary
Companies

Nearly two dozen suits filed in Seattle, Texas and other courts
Litigation assigned to Chief Judge Crenshaw in Middle District of Tennessee

(Reuters) - More than 20 lawsuits accusing technology company RealPage Inc of conspiring with multifamily residential property managers to keep rental prices artificially high will be consolidated in Nashville federal court, according to a Monday order from the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.

The lawsuits primarily from renters of multifamily apartments were filed against RealPage and other defendants in Seattle, Boston, Colorado, New York and elsewhere over several months.

RealPage had sought to consolidate complaints in federal court in Texas, its home state, while some plaintiffs said Washington state federal court should be the forum. Plaintiffs in three cases supported the Nashville-based Middle District of Tennessee.

The multidistrict panel ordered 21 cases to be transferred to Chief U.S. District Judge Waverly Crenshaw Jr, an Obama-era federal court appointee who has served on the bench since 2017.

Nashville federal court was "geographically central" and "accessible" for the national litigation, the multidistrict litigation panel said.

The panel said it was assigning the litigation to a venue that isn't often used for as a host court for multidistrict cases with "an experienced judge who has not yet overseen a multidistrict litigation."

A representative from RealPage and a lawyer for the company from Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

The complaints alleged defendants in the price-fixing scheme used a revenue management software program — made by RealPage — to unlawfully coordinate on pricing and vacancy.

RealPage and other defendants have denied plaintiffs' allegations.

Plaintiffs' lawyer Steve Berman of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro, whose firm was among the first to bring cases, had argued for Seattle federal court.

Berman did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Crenshaw, the judge, was previously a partner at the former firm Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, which merged this year with Holland & Knight.

His work at the firm focused on representing companies in labor and employment disputes. He provided legal services to clients in industries including real estate, telecommunications, pharmacy and insurance.

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