/raid1/www/Hosts/bankrupt/CAR_Public/030127.mbx                C L A S S   A C T I O N   R E P O R T E R

                Monday, January 27, 2003, Vol. 5, No. 18

                            Headlines

APRIA HEALTHCARE: Court Rejects Appeal of Securities Lawsuit Dismissal
CALIFORNIA: Dockworkers Settle Labor Dispute Upsetting To Pacific Trade
CITIGROUP INC.: Sandy Weill To Undergo Questioning in NJ Brokers' Suit
COLORADO: ACLU Releases Report Stating Military Invention in Spy Files
COMPUTER ASSOCIATES: Employees Commence Suit For ERISA Violations in NY

GEORGIA: Predatory Lending Law Prompts Mortgage Lenders To Leave State
HUFCO-DELAWARE, EVENFLO: Recalls 364,000 Wood Cribs Over Injury Hazard
ILLINOIS: Chicago Requires Firms To Disclose Past Slave Trade Profits
MCDONALD'S CORPORATION: Insurers' Group Praises Obesity Suit Dismissal
MERANT PLC: Court Grants Final Approval to Securities Suit Settlement

MICHIGAN: Evicts Inmates' Attorneys In Marathon Property Rights Lawsuit
MICHIGAN: Court To Decide If Warren Suit Will Proceed As Class Action
MINNESOTA: Two State Universities Settle Gender Discrimination Lawsuits
MISSOURI: Judge Says School May Not Calculate Exact Tuition Fee Amount
MONSTERHUT INC.: NY Court Bars Firm From Sending Unsolicited E-mails

NATIONAL AUSTRALIA: Clients Commence Lawsuit Over Payments For Losses
NEW MEXICO: 22-Year-Old Foster Care Lawsuit Survives Attempt To Dismiss
PENNSYLVANIA: Court Dismisses Suit Over Mental Health Care Budget Cuts
QUALCOMM INC.: Former Employees Launch Fiduciary Duty Suit in CA Court
SILICON LABORATORIES: Enters Mediation To Settle Securities Fraud Suit

TELSIM GROUP: Top Exec a "No-show" In UK Court Trial Over $2B Default
TERRORIST ATTACK: Compensation Fund Awards $500,000 To Lesbian Partner
TOBACCO LITIGATION: Philip Morris Explains Use of "Light" Term in Trial
UNITED STATES: Treasury Sec. Nominee Named in Securities Fraud Lawsuits
WORLDCOM INC.: Security Holders To Seek At Least $77B Compensation

                     New Securities Fraud Cases

AMERICREDIT CORPORATION: Charles Piven Commences Securities Suit in TX
ARIBA INC.: Charles Piven Commences Securities Fraud Lawsuit in N.D. CA
CLEARONE COMMUNICATIONS: Milberg Weiss Commences Securities Suit in UT
CLEARONE COMMUNICATIONS: Glancy & Binkow Commences UT Securities Suit
CLEARONE COMMUNICATIONS: Schiffrin & Barroway Files UT Securities Suit

MERRILL LYNCH: Charles Piven Commences Securities Fraud Suit in S.D. NY
MOTOROLA INC.: Emerson Poynter Commences Securities Lawsuit in S.D. NY
SPIEGEL INC.: Pomerantz Haudek Commences Securities Lawsuit in N.D. IL
VERITAS SOFTWARE: Charles Piven Commences Securities Lawsuit in N.D. CA

                            *********

APRIA HEALTHCARE: Court Rejects Appeal of Securities Lawsuit Dismissal
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit dismissed the
plaintiffs' appeal of the dismissal of the securities class action filed
against Apria Healthcare Group, Inc. (NYSE: AHG)

The suit, which also names the Company's Chief Executive, Philip L. Carter,
alleges that the defendants made false and/or misleading public statements
by not announcing until July 16, 2001 the amount of potential damages
asserted by the investigations conducted by the US Attorney's office in Los
Angeles and the US Department of Health and Human Services.  These
investigations concern the documentation supporting the Company's billing
for services provided to patients whose healthcare costs are paid by
Medicare and other federal programs.

The Company filed a motion for dismissal, which the court granted with leave
to amend on June 14, 2002.  Plaintiff elected not to amend its complaint,
but filed a notice of appeal on July 15, 2002.  The appeal was dismissed as
premature.  On October 10, 2002, the court entered a judgment in favor of
the defendants and dismissed the action with prejudice.

Yesterday, the appeals court, acting on a stipulation by the parties,
entered an order dismissing the appeal.  This action leaves in place the
court's judgment and finally terminates the litigation in favor of the
Company.

Apria provides home respiratory therapy, home infusion and home medical
equipment through approximately 400 branches serving patients in 50 states.
With over $1.2 billion in annual revenues, it is the nation's leading
homecare company.

For more information, contact Lawrence M. Higby, Chief Executive Officer by
Phone: 949-639-4960 or contact James E. Baker, Chief Financial Officer by
Phone: 949-639-2080


CALIFORNIA: Dockworkers Settle Labor Dispute Upsetting To Pacific Trade
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
West Coast dockworkers overwhelmingly approved, recently, a new six year
contract, formally ending a protracted labor dispute that hamstrung Pacific
trade last fall, until the federal government intervened, Associated Press
Newswires reports.

Nearly 90 percent of International Longshore and Warehouse Union members who
voted approved the multi-billion-dollar deal, which should bring labor peace
to 29 major ports that badly need to modernize, and should do so under the
pact.

Slightly more than 7,400 members voted for the deal, while nearly 900 voted
against it.  This was the largest margin of victory for any longshoremen's
contract, according to union officials.


CITIGROUP INC.: Sandy Weill To Undergo Questioning in NJ Brokers' Suit
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Citigroup, Inc. top executive Sandy Weill has been ordered to appear in New
Jersey Superior Court to answer charges that he misled former brokers
nationwide for as much as $500 million, the New York Post reports.

The suit was commenced by brokers Mel Rosen and James Fox, along with 118
other high-earners in New Jersey, alleging they were cheated out of
stock-plan money they plowed into Salomon Smith Barney, Citigroup's
investment banking arm, when they worked at its New Jersey offices.  The
lawsuit has been certified as a class action with six other similar lawsuits
around the nation involving former Smith Barney employees who are seeking
return of their stock plan investments.  Claims involve more than $500
million.

A Superior Court Judge in Newark ordered Mr. Weill to appear at his
deposition and set a trial date for April 28, the New York Post states.


COLORADO: ACLU Releases Report Stating Military Invention in Spy Files
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The American Civil Liberties Union released a document Wednesday that
indicates Denver police expected help from the Air Force in identifying
protesters at Peterson Air Force Base in 1999, Rocky Mountain News reports.
This is allegedly the first indication of a military involvement in Denver's
"spy files" case.

The April 1,1999 police intelligence report is about a peaceful
demonstration by members of the American Friends Service Committee outside
Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs in 1999.  The report states that
about 20 people drove from the American Friends office in Denver to the
March 27, 1999, peace demonstration.  Police obtained license plate numbers
for cars used to transport the protesters from Denver.

The report said "there were no arrests or incidents" at the protest but
states that Colorado Springs police and the Air Force Office of Special
Investigations "monitored the group and will supply intelligence information
soon."

"This document indicates that the Denver police department expected to
receive information about the participants in a peaceful demonstration from
both the Air Force Office of Special Investigations as well as the Colorado
Springs Police Department," ACLU legal director Mark Silverstein told Rocky
Mountain News.

Maj. Mike Richmond, OSI spokesperson at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland,
said intelligence gathering by OSI at a peaceful protest would be
unacceptable and said he did not believe it happened.  "A peaceful protest
outside a military installation is not a crime, and we would not have a role
unless a criminal act would have been committed at the event," he told Rocky
Mountain News.

As for the report's statement about OSI supplying intelligence information,
Mr. Richmond suggested it resulted form "a poor choice of words or even a
misunderstanding between agencies."

Mr. Silverstein said the document raises questions about what other federal
agencies may have received information from the Denver Police Department
about peaceful protesters characterized by Denver police as "criminal
extremists."  This may be the tip of the iceberg, he said, according to
Rocky Mountain News.

The ACLU filed a federal class action lawsuit on behalf of peaceful
protesters named in Denver police department intelligence files.  Assistant
City Attorney Stan Sharoff declined to comment on the ACLU lawsuit, saying
he hadn't seen the filing.


COMPUTER ASSOCIATES: Employees Commence Suit For ERISA Violations in NY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Computer Associates International, Inc. faces a class action filed in the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York on behalf
of the Computer Associates Savings Harvest Plan and the participants and
beneficiaries of the Harvest Plan for a class period running from March 30,
1998 through November 25, 2002.  The suit names as defendants the Company
and:

     (1) the Company's Board of Directors,

     (2) the Harvest Plan,

     (3) the Administrative Committee of the Harvest Plan

     (4) Charles B. Wang,

     (5) Sanjay Kumar,

     (6) Ira Zar,

     (7) Russell M. Artzt,

     (8) Willem F.P. de Vogel,

     (9) Irving Goldstein (now deceased),

    (10) Richard A. Grasso,

    (11) Shirley Strum Kenny,

    (12) Alfonse M. D'Amato,

    (13) Roel Pieper,

    (14) Lewis S. Ranieri,

    (15) Linus W. L. Cheung,

    (16) Jay W. Lorsch,

    (17) Robert E. La Blanc,

    (18) Alex Serge Vieux,

    (19) Thomas H. Wyman (now deceased) and

    (20) various unidentified alleged fiduciaries of the Harvest
         Plan

The suit asserts claims of breach of fiduciary duty under ERISA, the federal
Employee Retirement Security Act.  The complaint seeks damages in an
unspecified amount.  As of the date hereof, the Company has not been served
with the complaint, nor, to the Company's knowledge, have any of the other
defendants.


GEORGIA: Predatory Lending Law Prompts Mortgage Lenders To Leave State
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A state law designed to protect homeowners from predatory lending is scaring
away lenders and could make it harder for Georgians to get mortgage loans,
the Associated Press Newswires reports.

The Georgia Fair Lending Act already has prompted 26 lenders to pull out of
the state.  With Standard & Poor having decided to cease rating
investments covered under the law, it is believed many banks may follow
in their wake.  The law was approved last April and applies to home loans of
less than $322,700.  The Act protects borrowers from exorbitant terms,
including prepayment penalties and many fees on high- interest loans.  Other
states have predatory lending laws, but Georgia's is unique in allowing
borrowers to seek punitive damages from lenders and anyone down the
financial chain who bought the loan or a security that covers the loan.

Banks or other institutions that offer home loans often sell them to large
companies like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which often bundle groups of
loans together and sell them on the open market like bonds.  Investors
decide which ones to buy based on how agencies like Standard & Poor's rate
them.

Mortgage-backed securities are often composed of many loans bundled
together, and the rating agency is concerned that the Georgia law could
affect the entire bundle, not just the single predatory loan.  A provision
of the law, which is a deterrent, is the one making almost everyone involved
in the lending process - bankers, brokers and anyone
buying the right to collect payments - liable if the loan is found to
be predatory.  Penalties include up to six months in jail and a $1,000
fine per violation.

On February 1, Standard & Poor's will stop rating mortgage-backed securities
that include loans covered by the Georgia Fair Lending Act.

Many legislators and experts in the field commented on this strange set of
affairs -- the predatory lending bill is hurting the same people it was
designed to protect.  One of them Robert Long, legislative director of the
Georgia Association of Mortgage Brokers, said that a flight of lenders could
make it hard for prospective homeowners to find competitive loans.


HUFCO-DELAWARE, EVENFLO: Recalls 364,000 Wood Cribs Over Injury Hazard
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hufco-Delaware Company and Evenflo Company, Inc. are cooperating with the
United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) by recalling about
364,000 portable wood cribs.  If the hardware used to assemble the crib is
not tight, the mattress support platform and mattress can fall to the floor.

This poses a risk of injury to young children in the crib.  There have been
41 reports of mattresses falling through portable wood cribs.  Of these
incidents, 17 children suffered bumps, bruises or scratches.

The portable cribs are made of wood and are smaller than traditional baby
cribs.  The majority of these portable wood cribs were sold under the
Gerry(r) brand name, and some were sold under the Evenflo(r) brand name. The
recalled portable wood cribs have one of the following model numbers that
can be found on a label on the mattress platform underneath the mattress:

8212  8222  8232  8242  8252  8282  8301  8302  8311  8312  8321  8322  8331
8332  8341  8342  8351  8352  8381  8382  8512  8522  8532  8542  8552  8582
8712  8752

Department and baby products stores nationwide sold these portable wood
cribs from January 1991 through December 2002 for about $99.

For more information, contact the Company by Phone: (800) 582-9359 or visit
the Website: http://www.evenflo.com/cs/sc/cssc99.phtml?rid=EFR2&src=WEB


ILLINOIS: Chicago Requires Firms To Disclose Past Slave Trade Profits
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting February 6, corporations seeking to do business with the city of
Chicago, will be required to disclose whether they ever profited from the
slave trade, Newsweek (January 27, 2003) reports.

A new city law, the Slavery Era Disclosure Ordinance, sponsored by Mayor
Richard M. Daley and two city officials, Alderwoman Dorothy Tillman and
Alderman Edward Burke, is based on a California law passed two years ago.
The California law requires insurers who did business during the slave era
to look back into their records and report the names of slaves they insured
and the holders who owned the policies.

The Chicago ordinance goes beyond that, however.  It requires all businesses
entering into city contracts to file documentation with the Department of
Purchasing disclosing any profits made from the slave trade.

Mayor Daley told Newsweek he thought the disclosure requirement was a good
idea.  It is not yet known how many companies will be affected by the
ordinance, but the law's supporters are awaiting the filings of several
defendants named in a class action being consolidated in Chicago, that says
they, or their parent companies, profited from slave labor.

The ordinance is not supposed to be a punitive measure.  Disclosure is aimed
at information that will supposedly help those in present time better
understand the past.  It is unclear, as yet, whether it can be enforced.


MCDONALD'S CORPORATION: Insurers' Group Praises Obesity Suit Dismissal
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Alliance of American Insurers hailed the decision by New York federal
court judge Robert Sweet to dismiss a class action filed against McDonald's
Corporation on behalf of its customers, alleging that McDonald's food caused
health problems like obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure, the National
Underwriter reports.

"This lawsuit, while ending favorably for the defense--McDonald's--should
send a clear signal that our legal system is under attack," Kenneth
Schloman, Alliance Washington counsel, said.  "While we certainly applaud
Judge Sweet's decision as a victory for common sense, this is another
example of the kind of lawsuit that is strangling our courts."

AIA said it supports civil justice reform with the goal of ensuring
fairness, balance and predictability in America's legal system and actions
like the McDonald's suit "drive up the cost of living for all Americans, the
National Underwriter said.  Consumers, invariably, wind up footing the
'lawsuit tax' in the form of higher prices for goods and services."

However, plaintiffs' attorney Samuel Hirsch said more legal action will be
initiated.  A call to plaintiffs' attorney Samuel Hirsch in New York was not
immediately returned.  Mr. Hirsch said the lawsuit will be amended and
refiled within a month, the Associated Press reports.


MERANT PLC: Court Grants Final Approval to Securities Suit Settlement
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The United States District Court for the Northern District of California
granted final approval to the settlement of a securities class action filed
against Merant plc (London Stock Exchange:MRN), and certain of its officers
and directors, on behalf of purchasers of the American depositary shares of
the Company during the period from June 17, 1998 to November 12, 1998.  The
class includes the former shareholders of Intersolv, Inc. who acquired
American Depositary Shares (ADS) of the Company in connection with the
merger involving the two companies.

The suit was originally filed as seven class action suits in December 1998
and January 1999 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New
York.  The court later ordered the seven cases consolidated and a
consolidated amended complaint was filed in June 1999.

The consolidated complaint alleged various violations of the U.S. Securities
Act of 1933 and the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and charges the
defendants with failure to disclose material nonpublic information
concerning the Company's business condition and prospects.

All payments made under the settlement and associated costs have been paid
by Merant's insurance carrier and, as a result, the settlement will not
impact Merant's financial statements in either historic or future periods.


MICHIGAN: Evicts Inmates' Attorneys In Marathon Property Rights Lawsuit
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
In the latest episode of a dispute dating to 1988, attorneys representing
inmates in a lawsuit over personal property rights are being removed from
the prison's property, Associated Press Newswires reports.  Prison Legal
Services, housed on the jail's premises, was the only on-site prison legal
services, running an almost instant class action industry for the inmates,
in the nation.

Lawyers with Prison Legal Services of Michigan have been occupying trailers
inside the Charles Egeler Reception and Guidance Center in this Jackson
County community for the past five years.  Department of Corrections
officials want the trailers removed, saying they need the space for storage
and that the trailers obstruct the guards' view of parts of the prison.

The state's Court of Appeals ruled in February 2002, that Prison Legal
Services, whose attorneys represent all inmates in the property rights case,
had to leave the Egeler facility once the discovery process ended.  The
appeals court ruled again on December 27, saying the government's power to
run Egeler as it sees fit outweighs the inmates'
demand for on-site legal services.

"A court cannot unreasonably intrude into prison management merely to
give prisoners more effective access than the Constitution requires,"
the court wrote.

When it all began, in 1988, Cain vs. Department of Corrections was a
dispute brought by four prisoners over what personal property inmates
could keep with them in their cells.  However, it soon grew into a broad
class action involving ass 47,000 state inmates and the prison
classification system, the criteria by which the department shifts prisoners
between levels of security.

Inmates and their lawyers fear Prison Legal Services' eviction from Egeler
could be the beginning of the end of the reforms they have won.  The
government also has begun dismantling the team of convicts who has been
assisting Prison Legal Services.  Last week, the eight inmates who had been
working on the case as paralegals were transferred from Egeler to eight
separate prisons.

State officials say that, despite inmates' claims of inadequate access to
the courts, no other prison system in the nation has had to give rent-free
office space within its walls to lawyers who are suing it.  That arrangement
was ordered by Ingham County Circuit Judge James Giddings, who has had
jurisdiction over the prisoners' lawsuit for years.

Prison Legal Services has asked the appeals court to agree to hear Prison
Legal Services' request that the appeals court reconsider the order forcing
the lawyers out.


MICHIGAN: Court To Decide If Warren Suit Will Proceed As Class Action
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The Michigan Court of Appeals will decide whether a lawsuit filed by Warren,
Detroit residents whose basements, lawns and sidewalks were damaged by
overzealous tree roots can continue as a class action, the Detroit Free
Press reports.

The suit alleges that the trees planted by developers have ruined sidewalks
and lawns and invaded underground pipes, causing sewage to flow into
basements.  As many as 7,000 residents say they have been affected by the
tree roots, the Detroit Free Press states.  A city ordinance requires
residents to have at least one tree planted on city property between the
sidewalk and curb in front of every home.

The distinction would allow for one lawyer to argue the case on behalf of
several residents.  Attorneys for the residents and the City of Warren made
their arguments January 15 to a panel of three Michigan Court of Appeals
judges in Detroit.

Warren Deputy Mayor Mike Greiner told the Detroit Free Press the ordinance
was meant to create picturesque neighborhoods.  The fast-growing trees that
were chosen for the medians had shallow roots, he said.  However, he says
the city has paid half the cost of about 600 tree removals and fixed
sidewalks in front of more than 6,000 homes citywide.

Attorney Gerard Mantese, who has filed two lawsuits on behalf of 34
residents, says the city is liable for damage like basement flooding caused
by broken pipes and lawn upheaval.  "It's appalling to think that the city
can give a partial remedy," Mr. Mantese told the Free Press.

Mr. Greiner disagrees.  He said damages to private property are not the
city's responsibility.  "This Gerald Mantese is barking up the wrong tree
because we have pretty much solved the problem," Mr. Greiner told the Free
Press.

Mr. Mantese filed lawsuits in May 2000 and December 2000. A Macomb County
Circuit Court judge denied a request for class action classification.  The
Michigan Court of Appeals then ruled in favor of the residents.  However,
Warren residents appealed to the Michigan Supreme Court.  In May, the
Supreme Court ruled that the Michigan Court of Appeals should take up the
issue again, the Detroit Free Press reports.  A decision by the Appeals
Court is expected in two to three months.


MINNESOTA: Two State Universities Settle Gender Discrimination Lawsuits
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Two Minnesota state universities agreed to settle several class actions
filed by women professors, alleging they were paid less than men to teach,
St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.  The settlements have yet to be formally
approved by a federal judge.

Under the settlement, 324 women professors at Minnesota State University,
Mankato, would divide $360,000 in back pay. Thirty-eight women currently
teaching there would divide pay increases totaling $145,779.  At Winona
State University, 208 women would divide $150,000 in back pay.  Fourteen
currently teaching there would divide pay increases totaling $51,808, the
St. Paul Pioneer Press states.

The original plaintiff in each case would each get an additional $15,000,
and the settlements also call for the universities to pay attorneys' fees
and costs of almost $1.2 million.  MnSCU's lawyer said the deal would avoid
costly, disruptive litigation.

These settlements come on the heels of another $1 million-plus settlement
last month, although that was for three professors at St. Cloud State
University who alleged anti-Semitism, the St. Paul Pioneer Press states.


MISSOURI: Judge Says School May Not Calculate Exact Tuition Fee Amount
----------------------------------------------------------------------
St. Louis County Circuit Judge Kenneth M. Romines ordered that the
University of Missouri be spared from having to calculate the exact tuition
fee paid since 1993 by approximately 150,000 of its students in a class
action alleging the university wrongly collected more than $450 million in
tuition, the St. Louis Post Dispatch states.

Last month, Judge Romines decided in favor of the suit's plaintiffs, who
alleged that the university's four campuses - Columbia, St. Louis, Kansas
City and Rolla - violated a statute by charging tuition to in-state
undergraduate students.  The suit is based on an obscure 1939 law that
states qualified youths living in Missouri who are over the age of 16 shall
not be charged tuition for undergraduate programs.

In 1986, the Board of Curators changed a flat-fee approach and began
charging students "an educational fee" for each credit hour they took.
Judge Romines ruled that the terms "educational fee" and "tuition" are
synonymous, despite arguments by former university President Manuel T.
Pacheco to the contrary, thus the university had been breaking the law since
1986.  The ruling affects tuition only back to 1993 because of a five-year
statute of limitations.

Defense lawyers had been concerned about a mountain of paperwork that might
have taken months, or even years, to bring the kind of finality to the case
at the trial court level that usually is required to make an appeal, the St.
Louis Post Dispatch states. One argument by its lawyers is that the school
is a state entity and therefore enjoys sovereign immunity - the doctrine
that the state cannot be sued for monetary damages.  Under another theory,
university lawyers argue that the old statute was repealed by implication.

Judge Romines said Thursday that an appeal of his order should be filed
immediately with the Missouri Court of Appeals at St. Louis.


MONSTERHUT INC.: NY Court Bars Firm From Sending Unsolicited E-mails
--------------------------------------------------------------------
New York Supreme Court Justice Lottie E. Wilkins permanently enjoined Niagra
Falls company Monsterhut, Inc. from sending commercial e-mails to Internet
subscribers without their permission, the Associated Press reports.

New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer sued the Company after 750,000
computer users alleged that the Company had been sending "computer spam"
messages to them since March 2001.  The Company also told the consumers that
they had "opted in" to receive the emails.

Mr. Spitzer said MonsterHut.com told its clients - and later, the court -
that the recipients had agreed to receive e-mail through "third party,
permission-based" agreements.  This meant that MonsterHut.com got the
computer users' names from organizations that had already gotten permission
to send ads to them, AP states.

Judge Wilkins ruled that MonsterHut.com had "not offered any proof or legal
basis to demonstrate that their practice conforms with industry-wide
accepted 'opt in' protocols."  She barred the firm from further "fraudulent,
deceptive and illegal acts and practices" pertaining to e-mail advertising.


NATIONAL AUSTRALIA: Clients Commence Lawsuit Over Payments For Losses
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Disgruntled clients of National Australia Bank wealth management unit MLC,
who were promised $60 million in compensation in August for losses on
superannuation products, are considering taking court action because of the
delays in receiving payments, Australian Financial Review reports.

The problems with unit price reductions, which occurred on October 30, 2001,
affected about 270,000 National Australia Financial Management investors who
had $4.5 billion in funds under management, but they are yet to be
compensated.

Senior planners inside MLC have said that the bank has taken no action yet
to compensate investors.  An internal bank memo obtained by the Australian
Financial Review said that MLC was still working through a number of issues
because of the complexity of the administrative systems and taxation issues
involved.

"We anticipate commencing delivery of the compensation in late November and
expect the process of making compensation to continue well into next year,"
the memo said.

A spokeswoman for NAB said investors had been informed of the delay in
payments in the annual reports provided to fund members.  The spokeswoman
added, "We are looking at making the first phase in coming weeks.  The
process will continue throughout the year."


NEW MEXICO: 22-Year-Old Foster Care Lawsuit Survives Attempt To Dismiss
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
US District Judge John E. Conway denied a motion to dismiss the 22-year-old
class-action lawsuit involving children in New Mexico's foster care system,
the Albuquerque Journal reports.

Judge Conway concluded that the Children, Youth and Families Department is
still bound by a 1998 settlement agreement in the case.  In his opinion,
Judge Conway said, "It is the court's fervent hope that the parties will
redirect their energies from litigating this case to problem-solving and
addressing the permanency needs of children in the department's care and
custody."

A consent decree, on hold since 1999, when lawyers for CYFD sought to have
the case dismissed, sets the guidelines intended to reduce the amount of
time children spend in foster care.  Both parties entered into the consent
decree in 1983, which arose out of the 1980 class action brought by
Children's Rights Inc., and contended the children often languished for
years in foster care.  The decree was renegotiated in 1998 and sets
standards for CYFD in areas including staff training and qualifications,
adoption, citizen review boards, case planning and records keeping, among
other things.

In response to Judge Conway's recent opinion, Susan Lambiase, associate
director of Children's Rights Inc., said, "a settlement agreement that has
been dormant since 1999, can now be used again to protect abused and
neglected children in New Mexico.  We will plan accordingly," said Ms.
Lambiase.


PENNSYLVANIA: Court Dismisses Suit Over Mental Health Care Budget Cuts
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The United States District Court in Pennsylvania dismissed a class action
filed against the state by parents of mentally retarded patients, hoping to
force the state to fulfill an $853 million plan to expand residential and
vocational services, the TimesLeader.com reports.

The suit was filed by four advocacy groups representing about 21,000
mentally disabled state residents.  The suit seeks funding for community
living programs, job coaches, in-home support and day programs.  Families
face waiting lists of 10 years or more for small, community-based
residential settings for the mentally retarded.

A 2001 Temple University survey cited by the plaintiffs found 21,379
mentally retarded citizens, ages 21 to 70, on waiting lists for residential
or vocational services - 8,310 of them considered "emergency/critical"
cases, TimesLeader.com reports.  The lead plaintiff, Hana Sabree of
Roxborough, said her son Hassan, 22, has been on waiting lists for services
since he was born.

The plaintiffs seek to maintain former Governor Tom Ridge's five-year
spending plan.  Gov. Ridge's successor Mark Schweiker proposed a 30 percent
cut in year three of Mr. Ridge's plan to balance the state's growing budget
deficit.  State officials said the plan, if fully implemented, would benefit
the mentally retarded at the expense of other Pennsylvanians.

Individuals have no say, legally, in how the state spends its Medicaid
dollars, US District Judge Herbert J. Hutton ruled, according to the
TimesLeader.com.  "The individuals referenced (in the Medicaid program) are
merely beneficiaries, not persons entitled to privately enforce the
statute," Judge Hutton wrote.  Only the federal government can sue states
for not complying with Medicaid dictates, Hutton said in a ruling last week.

"We definitely disagree with the judge's conclusions, and we will be
appealing," Ilene W. Shane, director of the Disabilities Law Project in
Philadelphia, which filed the suit in May, told TimesLeader.com.


QUALCOMM INC.: Former Employees Launch Fiduciary Duty Suit in CA Court
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Qualcomm, Inc. faces a class action filed by 21 former employees filed in
San Diego, California Superior Court, ostensibly on behalf of themselves and
other former employees of the Company who purportedly are similarly situated
and who opted out of "Sprague, et al v. QUALCOMM," a class action lawsuit
previously filed against the Company that was resolved in April 2001.  The
complaint alleges claims for:

     (1) declaratory relief,

     (2) breach of contract,

     (3) breach of fiduciary duty,

     (4) fraud,

     (5) suppression of material facts,

     (6) rescission,

     (7) specific performance and

     (8) work, labor and services

The complaint seeks declaratory relief, economic damages, punitive damages,
attorneys' fees and unspecified amounts of interest.  Although there can be
no assurance that an unfavorable outcome of the dispute would not have a
material adverse effect on the Company's operating
results, liquidity or financial position, the Company believes the claims
are without merit and will vigorously defend the action.


SILICON LABORATORIES: Enters Mediation To Settle Securities Fraud Suit
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Silicon Laboratories entered mediations for the consolidated securities
class action pending in the United States District Court for the Southern
District of New York against it, four officers individually and the three
investment banking firms who served as representatives of the underwriters
in connection with its initial public offering of common stock which became
effective on March 23, 2000.

The suit alleges that the registration statement and prospectus for the
Company's initial public offering did not disclose that:

     (1) the underwriters solicited and received additional, excessive
         and undisclosed commissions from certain investors; and

     (2) the underwriters had agreed to allocate shares of the offering
         in exchange for a commitment from the customers to purchase
         additional shares in the aftermarket at pre-determined higher
         prices.

On April 19, 2002, a consolidated amended complaint, which is now the
operative complaint, was filed in the same court.  The action is being
coordinated with over 300 other nearly identical actions filed against other
companies.

A court order dated October 9, 2002 dismissed without prejudice numerous
individual defendants, including the four officers of the Company who had
been named individually.  On July 15, 2002, the Company moved to dismiss all
claims against it and the individual defendants.  The court has not ruled on
this motion.

Although mediation is underway, there are no assurances that such
discussions will result in any meaningful progress towards an acceptable
settlement.  The Company intends to vigorously contest this case, and is
unable at this time to determine whether the outcome of the litigation will
have a material impact on the Company's results of operations or financial
condition in any future period.


TELSIM GROUP: Top Exec a "No-show" In UK Court Trial Over $2B Default
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Kemal Uzan, patriarch of the Turkish family whose Telsim Group has defaulted
on about $2 billion of vendor financing owed to Motorola and Nokia, recently
failed to appear in London's High Court for an examination about his assets,
the Financial Times reports.

Mr. Uzan's son, Murat Hakan Uzan, also did not appear.  Mr. Justice Cooke,
hearing the case, said the failure to show indicated that the two Turkish
businessmen were in contempt of court, which opens the way for Motorola to
seek jail or financial sanctions against them.

However, while Motorola continues to pursue its case in the High Court and
prepares for a trial of the underlying issues in a New York court next
month, the Telsim Group faces several lawsuits from its own shareholders in
the United States courts over the Telsim debacle.  Amongst the latest is a
class action filed by Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach on behalf of
shareholders between the class period February 3, 2000 and April 6, 2001.
This latter lawsuit claims Telsim, and other named defendants, issued
misleading statements about an agreement with Telsim involving $1.5 billion.

At the High Court hearing, Mr. Justice Cooke rejected an application by
lawyers for the Uzan family to delay the examination on the assets until
after certain Court of Appeals hearings, related to the case, which were to
be held next week.  The lawyers also sought to explain their client's
failure to show on the grounds that a Turkish court injunction, sought by
the Telsim employees, apparently had been obtained late last week.

However, Mr. Justice Cooke said that the defendants had "gone out of their
way" to get that injunction and that it was "part and parcel of a
continuing course of action" designed to prevent compliance with foreign
courts.


TERRORIST ATTACK: Compensation Fund Awards $500,000 To Lesbian Partner
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gay rights advocates hailed as a "milestone" the September 11th Victims
Compensation Fund's decision to award $500,000 to the lesbian partner of a
woman who died at the Pentagon.

Sheila Hein, 51, a civilian Army management analyst who died when a hijacked
American Airlines jet slammed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia was
wearing a gold band given to her by Peggy Neff, her partner of 18 years.
Another emerald ring that had been a gift from Ms. Neff, was missing from
Ms. Hein's remains, the Associated Press reports.

Ms. Neff was not eligible for state aid under Virginia laws, but the fund's
Special Master Kenneth Feinberg concluded that Ms. Neff was entitled to
compensation.  Mr. Feinberg wrote on November 26 that Ms. Neff had accepted
$557,390, AP reports.  The letter released this week by the Lambda Legal
Defense and Education Fund, which represented Ms. Neff, was first reported
by the Washington Post.  Ms. Neff's lawyers called the decision "a huge step
forward for the federal government."

It was unclear whether the decision set a precedent for other same-sex
partners of those who died in the attacks.


TOBACCO LITIGATION: Philip Morris Explains Use of "Light" Term in Trial
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cigarette-maker Philip Morris, Inc. says it never meant people to believe
that smoking "light" cigarettes is less harmful than smoking regular ones,
in its opening remarks in the Illinois courtroom on Wednesday, the Associate
Press Newswires reports.

The world's largest tobacco company is defending itself against a consumer
fraud class action, filed on behalf of Illinois residents who smoke the
defendant's Marlboro Lights and Cambridge Lights brands.

The trial is being heard by Madison County Circuit Court Judge Nicholas
Byron, without a jury.  It marks the first trial in the nation in which a
tobacco company is accused of consumer fraud for allegedly trying to
persuade people that "light" cigarettes were less harmful.

A federal study in November 2001, as well as other recent research, has
shown that "light" cigarettes are not necessarily better for smokers' health
than regular brands.  Plaintiffs' lawyers contend Philip Morris executives
have known for years that smokers mistakenly consider "light" cigarettes to
be less hazardous, and they committed fraud by
perpetuating and exploiting that myth when the company sold them.

On Wednesday, Philip Morris' Chicago-based attorney, George Lombardi in his
opening argument contended smokers do not generally believe the term "light"
means less harmful.  He says people associate it with the
flavor of the tobacco.  However, the first witness, William Farone, who
served as director of applied research at Philip Morris Inc. in Richmond,
Virginia, from 1977 to 1984, testified that executives there thought
otherwise.

"It was generally recognized by top management that "light" was intended to
convey the idea it was reduced risk ... of disease," Mr. Farone said.  Mr.
Farone also said the company's scientists and managers operated under the
assumption that taking the toxins out of cigarettes - that is, inventing a
cigarette that really is less harmful for smokers - would fail on the market
because it would not satisfy addicted smokers.  Further, such a cigarette
would not cause customers to become addicted and therefore buy more.

The plaintiffs' lawyers, led by East St. Louis-based Stephen Tillery, want
Philip Morris to pay around $7 billion in damages.  Both sides agree that
the "light " brands register lower levels of harmful chemicals than regular
brands do when tested by a machine mandated by the Federal Trade Commission
for testing cigarettes.


UNITED STATES: Treasury Sec. Nominee Named in Securities Fraud Lawsuits
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
President Bush's nominee for Treasury secretary and other directors of a
gas-utility company were sued in a securities class action, Friday's Wall
Street Journal reports.

John Snow was a director and a member of the audit committee of Columbia Gas
System Inc., one of the country's biggest gas utilities, when it reported a
massive loss due to adverse movements in natural-gas prices in June 1991.
It filed for bankruptcy-court protection a month later, the Wall Street
Journal states.

Shareholder suits are common when a company's stock plunges, and there is no
indication Mr. Snow - who now is chief executive of CSX Corp., and is widely
expected to be confirmed - played a direct role in causing Columbia's
problems.  He "was a recent board member at the time," a White House
spokeswoman said, according to Quicken.com.  "Many of the issues in the
lawsuit preceded his directorship.  The company denied all the claims and
settled the matter.  The Securities and Exchange Commission reviewed it and
didn't take any action."

Still, Mr. Snow's record as a director and executive are under scrutiny
because of heightened corporate-governance standards in the wake of Enron
Corp.'s collapse and because the Bush administration has championed him as a
governance leader, the Wall Street Journal states.  He already faces
questions over his governance record at CSX.


WORLDCOM INC.: Security Holders To Seek At Least $77B Compensation
------------------------------------------------------------------
Lawyers for security holders suing WorldCom Inc. filed notices of claims
against the bankrupt telecommunications company, which are expected to total
at least $77 billion, according to court filings, Reuters English News
Service reports.  The filings in US Bankruptcy Court were made on behalf of
the shareholders and bondholders who comprise the plaintiffs in a class
action against WorldCom.

The Company, which in its heyday was the largest carrier of traffic over the
Internet and the second-largest US long-distance provider, filed for Chapter
11 bankruptcy protection in July amid a cloud of accounting malfeasance.

The New York State Common Retirement Fund was appointed lead plaintiff
for the security holders on August 15.  The class action seeks to represent
all those who purchased publicly traded shares, bonds or
notes of WorldCom between April 29, 1999 and June 25, 2002.

                     New Securities Fraud Cases

AMERICREDIT CORPORATION: Charles Piven Commences Securities Suit in TX
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, PA initiated a securities class action
on behalf of shareholders who purchased, converted, exchanged or otherwise
acquired the common stock of AmeriCredit Corporation (NYSE:ACF) between
April 14, 1999 and September 16, 2002, inclusive.  Counsel for the Plaintiff
in this case has indicated an intention to expand the class period to as
late as January 15, 2003 to include those who have purchased, converted,
exchanged or otherwise acquired the common stock of AmeriCredit Corporation
between September 16, 2002 and January 15, 2003.

The case is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern
District of Texas against the Company and certain of its officers and
directors.  The action charges that defendants violated federal securities
laws by issuing a series of materially false and misleading statements to
the market throughout the class period which statements had the effect of
artificially inflating the market price of the Company's securities.

For more details, contact Charles J. Piven, PA by Mail: The World Trade
Center-Baltimore, 401 East Pratt Street, Suite 2525, Baltimore, Maryland
21202 by Phone: 410-986-0036 or by E-mail: hoffman@pivenlaw.com


ARIBA INC.: Charles Piven Commences Securities Fraud Lawsuit in N.D. CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, PA initiated a securities class action
on behalf of shareholders who purchased, converted, exchanged or otherwise
acquired the common stock of Ariba, Inc. (Nasdaq:ARBAE) between January 11,
2000 and January 15, 2003, inclusive, in the United States District Court
for the Northern District of California against the Company and certain of
its officers and directors.

The action charges that defendants violated federal securities laws by
issuing a series of materially false and misleading statements to the market
throughout the class period which statements had the effect of artificially
inflating the market price of the Company's securities.

For more details, contact Charles J. Piven, PA by Mail: The World Trade
Center-Baltimore, 401 East Pratt Street, Suite 2525, Baltimore, Maryland
21202 by Phone: 410-986-0036 or by E-mail: hoffman@pivenlaw.com


CLEARONE COMMUNICATIONS: Milberg Weiss Commences Securities Suit in UT
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes & Lerach LLP initiated a securities class action
in the United States District Court for the District of Utah on behalf of
purchasers of ClearOne Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLRO) publicly traded
securities during the period between April 17, 2001 and January 15, 2003.

The complaint charges ClearOne and certain of its officers and directors
with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The complaint
alleges that during the class period, defendants caused ClearOne's shares to
trade at artificially inflated levels through the issuance of false and
misleading financial statements.  As a result of this inflation, the Company
was able to complete a private offering of 1.2 million shares, raising
proceeds of $25.5 million on December 11, 2001.

On January 15, 2003, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a
complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Utah
seeking a temporary restraining order and preliminary and permanent
injunctions against the Company, Frances M. Flood, the Company's Chairman,
CEO and President, and Susie S. Strohm, the Company's CFO and Vice President
of Finance.

The stock dropped below $1.50 per share on this news, more than 90% lower
than its class period high.

For more details, contact William Lerach by Phone: 800/449-4900 by E-mail:
wsl@milberg.com or visit the firm's Website: http://www.milberg.com


CLEARONE COMMUNICATIONS: Glancy & Binkow Commences UT Securities Suit
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Glancy & Binkow LLP initiated a securities class action on behalf of all
persons and institutions who purchased securities of ClearOne
Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq:CLRO) between January 1, 2001, and January 15,
2003, inclusive, in the United States District Court in Utah.

The suit charges ClearOne and certain of its executive officers with
violations of federal securities laws.  Among other things, plaintiff claims
that defendants' material omissions and the dissemination of materially
false and misleading statements concerning ClearOne's revenue and earnings
caused ClearOne's stock price to become artificially inflated, inflicting
damages on investors.

The suit alleges that, in order to inflate the price of ClearOne's stock,
defendants caused the Company to falsely report its financial results during
the class period through improper revenue recognition practices, including
recognizing revenue for shipments to distributors even though the
distributors had the right to return or exchange unsold goods.  On January
15, 2003, the last day of the class period, the Securities and Exchange
Commission filed a federal lawsuit alleging that defendants violated
numerous federal securities laws, primarily through a program of "channel
stuffing" -- shipping large amounts of inventory to the company's
distributors with the understanding that the distributors did not have to
pay for these products until the distributors resold the products, and that
in some instances the distributors were given the right to return or
exchange products the distributors were unable to sell.

For more details, contact Lionel Z. Glancy or Michael Goldberg by Phone:
(310) 201-9161 or (888) 773-9224 or by E-mail: info@glancylaw.com


CLEARONE COMMUNICATIONS: Schiffrin & Barroway Files UT Securities Suit
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Schiffrin & Barroway, LLP initiated a securities class action in the United
States District Court for the District of Utah, Central Division, on behalf
of all purchasers of the common stock of ClearOne Communications, Inc.
(Nasdaq:CLRO) between April 17, 2001, and January 14, 2003, inclusive.
Specifically, this class period includes the following members:

     (1) all purchasers of Gentner Communications' common stock from
         April 17, 2001 through January 1, 2002, trading under the
         ticker symbol GTNR;

     (2) all purchasers of ClearOne Communications' common stock from
         January 2, 2002 through March 14, 2002, trading under the
         ticker symbol GTNR;

     (3) all purchasers of ClearOne Communications' stock from March
         15, 2002 when it began trading under the ticker symbol CLRO
         through January 14, 2003.

The complaint charges the Company and certain of its officers and directors
with issuing false and misleading statements concerning its business and
financial condition.  Specifically, the complaint alleges that defendants'
material omissions and the dissemination of materially false and misleading
statements concerning ClearOne's revenue and earnings caused ClearOne's
stock price to become artificially inflated, inflicting damages on
investors.  The suit alleges that:

     (i) the Company lacked sufficient internal controls and therefore
         was unable to understand its true financial standing,
         including the fact that ClearOne had inadequate and improper
         internal and financial controls and accounting practices;

    (ii) the Company had improper accounting of the revenues, income
         and accounts receivables by recording certain transaction with
         its distributors and resellers as sales when in fact the
         transactions did not meet the requirements of Generally
         Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) for sales;

   (iii) the Company's improper treatment of its transactions and
         revenue recognition policies resulted in material
         overstatement of revenue, income and accounts receivable at
         all relevant times.

The scheme deceived the investing public regarding ClearOne's business,
operations and management and the intrinsic value of the Company's shares at
artificially inflated prices.

For more details, contact Marc A. Topaz or Stuart L. Berman by Phone:
1-888-299-7706 (toll free) or 1-610-667-7706 by E-mail: info@sbclasslaw.com
or visit the firm's Website: http://www.sbclasslaw.com


MERRILL LYNCH: Charles Piven Commences Securities Fraud Suit in S.D. NY
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, PA initiated a securities class action
on behalf of all purchasers of all four share classes of Merrill Lynch Focus
Twenty Fund shares (Nasdaq:MAFOX) (Nasdaq:MBFOX) (Nasdaq:MCFOX)
(Nasdaq:MDFOX) from the date of the Focus Twenty Fund's initial public
offering (which took place on or about March 3, 2000 through December 23,
2002, inclusive against:

     (1) Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.,

     (2) Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc.,

     (3) Merrill Lynch Focus Twenty Fund, Inc., and

     (4) other Merrill Lynch-affiliated entities

The suit alleges violations of Sections 11, 12 and 15 of the Securities Act
of 1933 and of the Investment Company Act of 1940, and is pending in the
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The relationships among the defendants that have been alleged in the
Complaint include that the defendants are:

     (i) the underwriters for the common stock of certain of the
         companies in the Focus Twenty Fund's portfolio;

    (ii) the investment bankers and corporate finance specialists for
         certain of the companies whose securities are in the Fund's
         portfolio;

   (iii) seeking to obtain additional investment banking business from
         these present and former clients and from other companies
         whose shares also were/are in the Fund's portfolio;

    (iv) the issuers of the shares in the Fund;

     (v) preparing and publicly disseminating research reports and
         recommendations on many of the companies whose shares were in
         the Fund's portfolio; and

    (vi) the broker for certain members of the class

This action is alleged to arise as a result of the issuance by the
defendants of shares in the Fund, and the Complaint alleges material
misstatements and omissions by defendants in the Prospectus and other
incorporated documents, relating to defendants' conflicts of interest, which
include but are not limited to the following:

     (a) defendants failed to disclose and omitted material
         information that Merrill Lynch had had investment banking
         relationships with, including having brought public, certain
         of the companies whose securities were part of the Fund's
         portfolio; defendants disclosed neither this general fact nor
         the identities of the particular companies with which it had
         investment banking relationships;

     (b) defendants failed to disclose and omitted material information
         concerning that Merrill Lynch was continuing to seek
         investment banking relationships with many of the companies
         whose securities were part of the Fund's portfolio; and

     (c) defendants failed to disclose and omitted material information
         concerning that a material part of the total compensation paid
         to Merrill Lynch research analysts was based upon obtaining
         investment banking business for Merrill Lynch and not upon the
         accuracy of their research about a given company.

Hence, the suit alleges, Merrill Lynch and its affiliated companies
including the Fund recommended investments in and/or invested in companies
in order to enhance Merrill Lynch's opportunity to obtain investment banking
business from those companies (without regard to whether they were good
investments for the investors including plaintiffs and the class).

In the suit, Plaintiffs seek to recover damages or rescission on behalf of
all those who purchased shares of any class of the Focus Twenty Fund during
the class period, from the Fund's initial public offering (which took place
on or about March 3, 2000) through December 23, 2002. If you purchased
shares during the class period, and either lost money on the transaction or
still hold the securities, you may wish to join in the action to serve as
lead plaintiff.

For more details, contact Charles J. Piven by Mail: The World Trade
Center-Baltimore, 401 East Pratt Street, Suite 2525, Baltimore, Maryland
21202 by Phone: 410-986-0036 or by E-mail: piven@pivenlaw.com


MOTOROLA INC.: Emerson Poynter Commences Securities Lawsuit in S.D. NY
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Emerson Poynter LLP initiated a securities class action in the United States
District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of all
persons or entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Motorola, Inc.
securities (NYSE:MOT) between February 3, 2000 and May 14, 2001, both dates
inclusive.  Carl F. Koenemann, the Company's CFO during the class period, is
the named defendant in the action.

The suit alleges that defendant violated Section 10(b) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 and breached his fiduciary duty to the Class by issuing
a series of materially false and misleading statements about the Company's
financial results.  In particular, it is alleged that Motorola's vendor
financing commitments were never properly disclosed, including over $1.7
billion in vendor financing to a single customer in Turkey.  The suit
alleges that as a result of these false and misleading statements the price
of Motorola common stock was artificially inflated throughout the class
period causing plaintiff and the other members of the class to suffer
damages.

For more details, contact Tanya R. Autry by Phone: (800) 663-9817 by E-mail:
tanya@emersonfirm.com


SPIEGEL INC.: Pomerantz Haudek Commences Securities Lawsuit in N.D. IL
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pomerantz Haudek Block Grossman & Gross LLP initiated a securities class
action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of
Illinois (Eastern Division) against Spiegel, Inc. (Other OTC:SPGLA) and four
of the Company's senior officers on behalf of investors who purchased the
common stock of Spiegel during the period between April 24, 2001 and April
19, 2002, inclusive.

The lawsuit alleges that defendants issued and/or failed to correct
financial statements and results of operations which were false and
misleading and prepared in violation of Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles (GAAP), due, among other things, to Spiegel's accounting of its
credit card business which improperly inflated its income and earnings,
failed to account for increasing charge-offs, and grossly inflated the value
of its securitized receivables.

On April 19, 2002, Spiegel revealed to the market information concerning the
deterioration of its credit card business and its impact on Spiegel's'
overall business.  In addition, the Company reported that it had not filed
its Form 10-K for the 2001 fiscal year.  In response to the news, Spiegel's
Class A Non-Voting shares fell from a high of $3.15 on April 19, 2002 to a
low of $1.01 on April 22, 2002 or a decline of more than 90% from the Class
Period high of $10.71.  One June 3, 2002, the NASD delisted the Company's
Class A common stock on the Nasdaq National Market System effective June 2,
2002, "based on the Company's filing delinquencies and other public interest
concerns."

For more details, contact Andrew G. Tolan by Phone: (888) 476-6529 ((888)
4-POMLAW) by E-mail: agtolan@pomlaw.com or visit the firm's Website:
http://www.pomlaw.com


VERITAS SOFTWARE: Charles Piven Commences Securities Lawsuit in N.D. CA
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Law Offices Of Charles J. Piven, PA initiated a securities class action
on behalf of shareholders who purchased, converted, exchanged or otherwise
acquired the common stock of VERITAS Software Corporation (Nasdaq:VRTS)
between January 24, 2001 and January 16, 2003, inclusive, in the United
States District Court for the Northern District of California against the
Company and certain of its officers and directors.

The action charges that defendants violated federal securities laws by
issuing a series of materially false and misleading statements to the market
throughout the class period which statements had the effect of artificially
inflating the market price of the Company's securities.

For more details, contact Charles J. Piven by Mail: The World Trade
Center-Baltimore, 401 East Pratt Street, Suite 2525, Baltimore, Maryland
21202 by Phone: 410-986-0036 or by E-mail: hoffman@pivenlaw.com


                              *********


S U B S C R I P T I O N   I N F O R M A T I O N

Class Action Reporter is a daily newsletter, co-published by
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Beard Group, Inc., Washington, D.C.  Enid Sterling, Aurora Fatima Antonio
and Lyndsey Resnick, Editors.

Copyright 2002.  All rights reserved.  ISSN 1525-2272.

This material is copyrighted and any commercial use, resale or publication
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Information contained herein is obtained from sources believed to be
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