Google Files Answer After SCOTUS Rejects Cert. in Securities Lawsuit


On March 7, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States denied a petition for a writ of certiorari from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the federal securities litigation pending against defendants Google LLC; its parent Alphabet Inc.; and corporate insiders Lawrence Page, Sundar Pichai, Keith Enright and John Kent Walker.  

The Lead Plaintiff is the State of Rhode Island, Office of Rhode Island Treasurer on behalf of the Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island.. Lead Plaintiff alleges that Defendants violated Section 10(b) and Rule 10(b)(5) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in connection with inadequate disclosures pertaining to a security vulnerability on Google+ , Google’s social media service that was shut down in 2018.

On March 23, the defendants filed their Answer to the amended complaint. The Defendants deny liability, assert affirmative defenses and allege that certain allegations do not require a response  because they have been dismissed.

The District Court dismissed the action on February 5, 2020.  The Ninth Circuit affirmed the District Court’s dismissal in part and reversed in part on June 16, 2021.  Defendants sought Supreme Court review of Ninth Circuit’s decision, which the Supreme Court declined to do in denying the writ.

Lead Plaintiff is represented by Robbins Geller Rudman & Down LLP.  Defendants are represented by Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.

Law Street has previously reported on developments in this litigation, including efforts of those backing Google’s SCOTUS petition.