A federal appeals court on Wednesday ordered the removal of a California judge who is overseeing an antitrust class action against the publishers of the Barbri bar review course after his rulings have been repeatedly reversed.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit vacated U.S. District Judge Manuel Real’s ruling on attorney fees in a case that alleges West Publishing Corp. and Kaplan Inc. conspired to monopolize the market for the Barbri bar review course. In remanding the dispute, the panel ordered the assignment of a new judge. Real’s rulings, particularly on fees, the court noted, have been reversed three times in a separate case involving antitrust claims against Barbri.
