Dealer Named in Meade Instruments Lawsuit Agrees to Cease False Claims of the RCX400 and LX200R Meade Telescopes as Having Advanced “Ritchey-Chrétien” Design Star Instruments and RC Optical Systems Reach Settlement Agreement with Washington-Based Anacortes Telescope and Wild Bird, Inc. in Exchange for Dismissing Them as a Defendant in the Suit
NEW YORK– LAWFUEL – Law News Network –Star Instruments, a leading manufacturer of quality optical systems based in Newnan, Georgia, announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with Anacortes Telescope and Wild Bird, Inc., a Meade Instruments Corporation (NASDAQ: MEAD) dealer located in Anacortes, Washington. No monetary damages were involved in the agreement in exchange for dismissing Anacortes from the lawsuit.
Russell K. Statman, attorney for the Plaintiffs (which also includes RC Optical Systems and an individual who purchased one of the controversial telescopes) stated, “Anacortes’ willingness to cease the objectionable advertising made this settlement easy and inexpensive. That was all the Plaintiffs needed to dismiss them from the lawsuit.” He added that the same settlement agreement was presented to the other dealer defendants and, surprisingly, was rejected within 12 hours by Meade’s counsel, who also represents the other 13 defendants. “It is inexplicable. If the dealers agreed to correct the false advertising, Plaintiffs would agree to dismiss them from the lawsuit as well, with no payment of financial compensation.”
Filed on September 28, 2006 in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York and then later amended on November 1, 2006, the suit names Meade Instruments Corporation and 14 Meade Distributors as being in repeated violation of the Lanham Act and 18 U.S. Code Title § 1962(c). In addition to Star Instruments, the lawsuit also names RC Optical Systems and an individual who purchased one of the controversial telescopes as co-plaintiffs.
The lawsuit alleges that Meade Instruments Corp. and 14 of its distributors knowingly engaged in unlawful conduct by which they falsely described inexpensive telescopes produced by Meade as having the same advanced design as the Hubble Space Telescope. The lawsuit seeks an injunction preventing Meade and the distributors from advertising the inexpensive Meade telescopes as having an advanced “Ritchey-Chrétien” design.
Copies of the amended complaint are available online at http://ecf.nysd.uscourts.gov. The case is Azari et al. v. B&HPhoto-Video.com Corp., No. 06 CIV 7825. The Plaintiffs’ attorney is Russell K. Statman, Esq., (212) 528-8629, email: rks@country-lawyer.net.
ABOUT STAR INSTRUMENTS
Established in 1976, Star Instruments is a leading manufacturer and supplier of professional-quality custom optics. Specializing in Ritchey-Chrétien optical systems for manufacturers of quality tube assemblies and complete telescopes, universities and government agencies including NASA, the company designs, fabricates and performs testing of custom optical systems including Classical Cassegrain, ultraviolet, visual and infrared applications as well as mirrors and lens systems at its headquarters in Newnan, Georgia. Visit http://www.star-instruments.com for more information.
