Case Details

Year Initiated/Committed

2004

Year Resolved

2009

Settlement Amount

$100 million

Court

Chancery Court of Hinds County Mississippi

Docket Number

G2004-1542

Lead State

MS

Participating States

MS

Defendant(s)

Microsoft Corp.

Case Description

The state sued Microsoft in 2004 on behalf of governmental purchasers and as parens patriae for its citizens claiming the company monopolized the market for software and caused customers to pay more for software than they would have if there had been competition. Microsoft agreed to pay Mississippi $40 million. Up to $60 million in hardware/software vouchers will be provided to consumers, businesses, all county/local/municipal government entities, public schools and public school districts. Depending on how many vouchers go unclaimed, Mississippi could get an addition $8 million. All Mississippi residents, businesses, county/local governments or schools that purchased Microsoft products or computers containing Microsoft products between January 1, 1996 and June 2009 were eligible to receive a voucher of $12 or $5 (depending on which products were purchased). The vouchers could be used towards the purchase of any software or hardware product (not just Microsoft).