A San Francisco federal judge has agreed to vacate an $87 million jury verdict to pave the way for the final settlement in a class action over price-fixing in the LCD flat panel market.

Though initially reluctant, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston gave preliminary approval Friday to a $30 million proposed settlement between Toshiba and plaintiffs counsel for direct purchasers of thin-film transistor liquid display screens, known as TFT-LCD screens.