Hon. H. Chester Horn, Jr. (Ret.)

• Suit against major automobile manufacturers and their trade association for conspiring delay the development and installation of vehicle air pollution control devices.
• Suit against major manufacturers of master key lock systems for conspiring to fix the prices of lock systems for governmental entities.
• Suit against major distributors of petroleum product alleging that the defendant oil companies conspired to raise or stabilize prices for refined oil products in violation of § 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1; conspired to create an artificial scarcity of crude oil and refined oil products in the western United States, in violation of §§ 1 2 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1 2; and that the defendants conspired not to compete in bidding on the plaintiffs' annual bulk sale petroleum supply contracts, in violation of § 1 of the Sherman Act.
• Suit to enjoin merger of the Lucky Stores supermarket chain with the Alpha Beta supermarket chain. Supreme Court ruled that the California Attorney General could bring this action under section 16 of the Federal clayton Act. The action resulted in a settlement under which the merger was approved with substantial divestiture of markets to a third supermarket company to restore competition in the affected markets.
• Suit against major producer of jeans for vertical price-fixing where manufacturer enforced discounting restrictions on its distributors. Resulted in a multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of consumers in California.

• State regulatory proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission opposing the merger of the San Diego Gas & Electric Company with the Southern California Edison Company. The Commission declined to approve the merger.

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• Suit alleging damages from exposure to asbestos while removing insulation from the defendants boilers. Suit resulted in appeal relating to the “sophisticated user” defense that in turn resulted in a settlement of the case.

• The defendants created three non-profit organizations and then entered into fundraising contracts with them which allowed him to keep 92% of the revenues raised. In a suit by the California Attorney General to enjoin fraudulent fundraising activities on behalf of the charitable organizations. Resulted in an injunction and civil penalties against all defendants and dissolution of the fraudulently created charities and transfer of their funds to other charitable organizations.

• Action by 21 Jewish students who were forcibly evicted from a pool party at a hotel when the hotel owner, who was Muslim, realized a pool party at her hotel involved an active Jewish organization. The alleged violations of the Unruh Civil Rights Act and resulted in a multi-million dollar verdict for the plaintiffs.

• Several multidistrict class action antitrust cases in a variety of industries seeking to recover damages for governmental entities who were victims of price-fixing schemes.
• State of California on behalf of all consumers in California who purchase jeans versus Levi Strauss Co. for Price fixing. Resulted in $12.25 million dollar settlement for the class.

• Contract dispute about house remodel project where the contractor breached agreement to show all fub-contractor bids to homeowner before awarding contracts. Homeowner terminated contractor who sued for damages. Resulted in jury verdict awarding damages to homeowner.

• Dispute over whether tenant who took in a roommate under terms of a written “Roommate Agreement” could evict the roommate without out comply with a local rent control ordinance requirement to give Covid 19 notices to the roommate. Resulted in summary judgment in favor of roommate because the rent control ordinance defined “Landlord” as any person or entity that receive rent for occupancy of a rental unit.
• Eviction action where landlord sought to evict tenant for non-payment of rent. The tenant defended on the ground that the landlord’s failure to remedy infestation problems justified denial of the eviction and lowering of the rent until problems solved. Jury found for tenant and found 50% rent reduction necessary.

• Action based on medical group wrongfully secured the wrong ultrasound report regarding plaintiff’s injuries resulting in unnecessary surgery on plaintiff. Jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff.
• Action based on negligent performance of an open reduction surgery by the defendant doctor resulting in permanent injury to plaintiff. Jury returned a verdict for plaintiff.
• Action based on alleged negligent performance of an embryo implant procedure that failed to result in plaintiff’ s desired pregnancy. The defense argued that plaintiff failed to take the prescribed medications prior to the procedure resulting in the failure of the implant. Jury returned a verdict for the defense.

• Car accident case in which plaintiff was struck while turning left at signal on a green arrow by the defendant who ran the red light. Plaintiff suffered severe injuries to her left arm when her car rolled over as a result of the accident. She received scraping burns that left her lower arm black and covered with scars. She also lost three fingers. As a result of embarrassment from her injuries, she became a hermit for a number of years. The jury awarded her $11 million.
• Auto vs. pedestrian accident in which plaintiff, a former professional dancer, suffered a broken leg and two broken wrists that required multiple surgeries. Plaintiff lost use of arms and leg to a degree that she could no longer perform her dancing or other athletic activities. Jury awarded her $11 million . The case subsequently settled.
• One of plaintiff’s fingers on her dominant right hand was crushed when it got caught in a hole on a conveyor belt at the defendant’s store. She underwent several surgeries. The jury awarded her $3.5 million. The case is currently on appeal.
• Plaintiff’s fourteen year old son collapsed during a P.E. class a school. The coach and other school personnel attempted to revive him with CPR, but failed to use a defibrillator device that was on the campus because they had neve been told it was there or trained in its use in violation of the Health & Safety Code. The jury awarded the plaintiff $15 million.

• In a dispute over fees associated with the Estate of Conrad Hilton, the Attorney general intervened to challenge the attorneys’ fees being claimed in connection with the will contests that had been filed. The Court reduced the fees by $9 million.
• In another estate matter, the Attorney General defended a bequest to charity made by the decedent. The result was the creation of several charities with $20 million in funding.