Item 1. Legal Proceedings
Item 1. Legal Proceedings
We are a party to, and certain of our property is the subject of, various pending claims and legal proceedings that routinely arise in the ordinary course of our business. We accrue for losses when the loss is deemed probable and the liability can reasonably be estimated. Where a liability is probable and there is a range of estimated loss with no best estimate in the range, we record the minimum estimated liability related to the claim. As additional information becomes available, we assess the potential liability related to our pending litigation and revise our estimates.
A purported class action lawsuit was filed on November 10, 2020 in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (Brown v. JAKKS Pacific, Inc. et al) alleging that the Proxy Statement issued in connection with the shareholder meeting held in June 2020 contained misstatements regarding the manner in which broker votes would be counted and that such votes were improperly included in approving our Reverse Stock Split at the meeting. The purported class action seeks damages in an unspecified amount, alleging breach of fiduciary duties by our directors. We intend to vigorously defend the lawsuit. Since the action was recently commenced, however, we cannot assure you of its outcome and cannot estimate the range of any potential damage award. On April 30, 2021, we held a Special Meeting of the Shareholders to obtain shareholder ratification of the filing of the Certificate of Amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation effecting the Reverse Stock Split, in accordance with ratification procedures under Delaware law, which approval was obtained. We intend to seek settlement and dismissal of the lawsuit.
A putative class action lawsuit was filed on May 18, 2021 in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles (Isaiah Villarica v. Jakks Pacific, Inc.). Plaintiff formerly worked in one of our warehouses and was retained via Workforce Enterprises, a provider of temporary employees. The lawsuit alleges that we violated various California Labor Code provisions governing wage and hour requirements, including that we failed to pay all minimum and overtime wages owed, provide legally compliant meal and rest periods, or reimburse business expenses. The lawsuit further alleges derivative wage and hour claims for failure to timely pay all wages owed at separation of employment, failure to provide accurate wage statements, and unfair business practices. Plaintiff seeks to represent a class consisting of all individuals who have worked for us—either directly or through a staffing agency—in California since November 19, 2016 and who were classified as non-exempt. Plaintiff seeks unpaid wages, meal and rest period premiums, interest, various statutory penalties, attorneys’ fees, and costs, all in unspecified amounts. We intend to vigorously defend the lawsuit. Since the action was recently commenced, however, we cannot assure you of its outcome and cannot estimate the range of any potential damage award.
In the normal course of business, we may provide certain indemnifications and/or other commitments of varying scope to a) our licensors, customers and certain other parties, including against third party claims of intellectual property infringement, and b) our officers, directors and employees, including against third party claims regarding the periods in which they serve in such capacities with us. The duration and amount of such obligations is, in certain cases, indefinite. Our director’s and officer’s liability insurance policy may, however, enable us to recover a portion of any future payments related to our officer, director or employee indemnifications. For the past five years, costs related to director and officer indemnifications have not been significant. Other than certain liabilities recorded in the normal course of business related to royalty payments due our licensors, no liabilities have been recorded for indemnifications and/or other commitments.
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