To: All Persons or Entities Who Owned Genius Products, Inc.
(OTC: GNPR) Common Stock as of April 4, 2009.
The purpose of this Notice is to inform you of a proposed class
action settlement with Genius Products, Inc. (“Genius Products”),
GNPR Investments LLC (“GNPR”), Stephen Bannon, Trevor Drinkwater,
Herbert Hardt, and The Weinstein Company Holdings LLC (“TWC
Holdings”) (collectively, “Defendants”), defendants in the class
action entitled Lanteigne v. Genius Products, Inc. et al, Case No.
BC412610, Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County
(“Action”), and the hearing to be held to consider the fairness,
reasonableness, and adequacy of the proposed Settlement detailed
below (“Final Settlement Hearing”).
Please Read This Notice
Carefully.Your Legal Rights Are Affected Whether You Act or
Do Not Act.A Court Authorized This Notice.This Is Not
A Solicitation From A Lawyer.
Your Legal Rights And Options In
This Settlement
Do Nothing You will receive
compensation if you are authorized to do so and your claims against
Defendants will be released.
Exclude Yourself You
will receive no compensation. This is the only option that allows
you to pursue settled claims against Defendants at your own
expense.
Object Write to the Court about why you do
not like the Settlement. You may, but are not required to, appear
at the Final Settlement Hearing.
These options are detailed more fully
in this Notice.
IMPORTANT DATES
Deadline to Exclude
Yourself:
September 9, 2010
Deadline to Object:
September 9, 2010
Date of Final Settlement
Hearing:
September 16, 2010 at 11:00
a.m.
BASIC INFORMATION
1. What Is The Lawsuit About?
Plaintiff Neil Lanteigne brought this Action and alleged that
Defendants breached their fiduciary duties to Genius Products
shareholders through two groups of related transactions: (1) a
reverse stock split of Genius Products Common Stock caused by TWC
Holdings that gave GNPR majority control of Genius Products, and
(2) after acquiring control of Genius Products, Defendant GNPR’s
issuance of certain warrants, the proceeds of which went only to
GNPR, that were then converted to common stock. Plaintiff alleged
that, through these transactions, GNPR breached its fiduciary
duties, and that other Defendants aided and abetted this
breach.
Defendants deny any wrongdoing whatsoever.
2. Who Is In The Settlement?
The Court directed that, for purposes of the proposed
settlement, everyone who fits this description is a Class
Member:
All persons who owned common stock issued by Genius Products,
Inc. on April 4, 2009. Excluded from the Class are Defendants and
any person, firm, trust, corporation, or other entity related to or
affiliated with any of the Defendants, as well as the recipients of
convertible warrants issued by Genius Products in February 2009
(the “Class”).
3. What Does The Settlement Provide?
The Settlement provides that all Class Members will receive an
additional share of Genius Products, Inc. common stock for each
share of such stock they owned as of April 4, 2009. This additional
share will be provided at no cost to Class Members.
4. Reasons For The Settlement
Because of the risks associated with continuing to litigate and
proceeding to trial, there was a danger Plaintiff would not have
prevailed on any of their claims, in which case the Class would
receive nothing. The amount of damages suffered by the Class was
and is challenged by Defendant. Recoverable damages in this case
are limited to losses caused by conduct actionable under applicable
law and, had the Action gone to trial, Defendants would have
asserted that they had not breached their fiduciary duties to the
Class.
The Court did not decide in favor of Plaintiff or Defendants.
Instead, both sides agreed to a Settlement. In this manner, the
parties avoid the risks and costs of a trial, and Class Members
will receive compensation. Plaintiff and his attorneys believe the
Settlement is in the best interests of all Class Members.
Defendants in this Action, while continuing to deny all allegations
of wrongdoing and liability whatsoever, recognize the expense,
risks and uncertain outcome of litigation and appeals, especially
in a complex action such as this, and wish to avoid the risks and
costs associated with future litigation.
5. Who Are The Lawyers Representing Me?
The Court ordered that the law firm of Finkelstein Thompson LLP
will represent all Class Members. These lawyers are called
Plaintiff’s Counsel. You will not be separately charged for these
lawyers. If you want to be represented by a lawyer, you may hire
one at your own expense.
6. Attorneys’ Fees And Expenses Sought
Plaintiff’s Counsel will apply to the Court for an award of
attorneys’ fees and expenses. Defendants will oppose this
application. Defendants and Plaintiff’s Counsel did not discuss
this fee award until they agreed to the other substantive terms of
the Settlement. Plaintiffs will also apply to the Court for an
incentive award not to exceed $1,000 for the named plaintiff in the
Action. Defendants will not oppose the incentive award.
7. More Details About The Settlement
This Notice summarizes the proposed Settlement. More details are
in the Stipulation of Settlement entered into as of June 11, 2010.
You can download a copy of the complaint, Stipulation of
Settlement, Motion for Preliminary Approval of Settlement, and
other documents related to the Settlement by visiting Finkelstein
Thompson LLP’s website at http://www.finkelsteinthompson.com.
8. Further Information
Further information regarding the Action and this Notice may be
obtained by contacting Plaintiff’s Counsel: Michael G. McLellan,
Esq., Finkelstein Thompson LLP, Duvall Foundry, 1050 30th St. N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20007, Telephone: 202-337-8000 or the Settlement
Administrator: Genius Products, Inc. Stock Settlement, c/o Rust
Consulting, Inc., P.O. Box 2360, Faribault, MN 55021-9060,
Telephone: 877-788-4956 or email:
info@GeniusStockSettlement.com.
PARTICIPATING IN THE
SETTLEMENT
9. How do I Participate In The Settlement?
You need not take any further action to share in the Settlement.
If you are entitled to share in the Settlement, you will receive
your compensation shortly after the Court grants final approval of
the Settlement. You do not need to submit a proof of claim to
receive your consideration.
Additionally, if you do nothing, you will remain a member of the
Class, and that means that if the Settlement is ultimately approved
by the Court, you will release all claims you might have against
Defendants in connection with the issues in this case and that all
of the Court’s orders will apply to you and legally bind you. If
you have litigation pending against Defendants, you should speak to
your lawyer about this Notice.
EXCLUDING YOURSELF FROM THE
SETTLEMENT
If you do not want a payment from this Settlement, but you want
to keep any right you may have to sue or continue to sue Defendants
on your own about the Settled Claims, then you must take steps to
exclude yourself. If you exclude yourself from the Settlement, you
will receive nothing from the Settlement but can pursue claims at
your own expense.
10. How Do I Exclude Myself From The Proposed
Settlement?
To request exclusion from the Settlement Class, you must send a
letter by mail stating you request exclusion from the Class in
Lanteigne v. Genius Products, Inc. et al, Case No. BC412610,
Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County, no later than
September 9, 2010 to:
Clerk of the Court
Superior Court of California
Los Angeles County
600 South Commonwealth Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Michael G. McLellan, Esq.
Finkelstein Thompson LLP
1050 30th Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20007
Counsel for Plaintiff
Stuart A. Shanus, Esq.
Reed Smith LLP
1901 Avenue of the Stars, Suite
700
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Counsel for Defendants
Your letter must state your name, address, daytime telephone
number, signature, and the amount of shares of Genius Products,
Inc. you owned on April 4, 2009. You cannot exclude yourself by
telephone or email. If you exclude yourself, you will not be
legally bound by anything that happens in this lawsuit.
OBJECTING TO THE
SETTLEMENT
11. How Do I Object To The Settlement?
If you are a Class Member, you can object to the Settlement or
to Plaintiff’s Counsel’s application for an award of fees. The
Court will only consider your views if you file a proper objection
within the deadline identified and according to the following
procedures.
To object, you must send a signed letter or other court
submission stating you object to the proposed settlement in
Lanteigne v. Genius Products, Inc. et al, Case No. BC412610,
Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County, no later than
September 9, 2010 to the following addresses:
Clerk of the Court
Superior Court of California
Los Angeles County
600 South Commonwealth Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Michael G. McLellan, Esq.
Finkelstein Thompson LLP
1050 30th Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20007
Counsel for Plaintiff
Stuart A. Shanus
Reed Smith LLP
1901 Avenue of the Stars, Suite
700
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Counsel for Defendants
Your letter must state your name, address, daytime telephone
number, signature, and the amount of shares of Genius Products,
Inc. you owned on April 4, 2009. You do not need to go to the Final
Settlement Hearing to have your written objection considered by the
Court. However, any objector may appear in person or arrange, at
that objector’s expense, for a lawyer to represent the objector at
the Final Settlement Hearing provided that objector has complied
with the procedures set forth in this Notice for filing and serving
a notice of intent to appear.
12. What Is The Difference Between Objecting And
Excluding?
Objecting is simply telling the Court that you do not like
something about the proposed settlement. You can object only if you
stay in the Class. Excluding yourself is telling the Court that you
do not want to be part of the Class. If you exclude yourself, you
have no basis to object because the case no longer affects you.
THE FINAL SETTLEMENT
HEARING
The Court will hold a hearing to decide whether to approve the
proposed Settlement. You may attend and you may ask to speak, but
you do not have to. If you decide to travel to the Final Settlement
Hearing, it will be at your own expense.
13. When And Where Will The Court Decide To Approve
The Settlement?
The Court will hold a Final Settlement Hearing at 11:00 a.m. on
September 16, 2010, in the courtroom of the Honorable Emilie H.
Elias at Department 324, 600 South Commonwealth Ave., Los Angeles,
CA 90005. At this hearing, the Court will consider whether the
Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate, and will consider the
application of Plaintiff’s Counsel for attorneys’ fees and
reimbursement of expenses. The Court will take into consideration
any written objections filed in accordance with the instructions in
this Notice. The Court may also listen to people who have properly
indicated, within the deadline identified above, an intention to
speak at the hearing, but decisions regarding the conduct of the
hearing will be made by the Court. After or at the hearing, the
Court will decide whether to approve the Settlement.
You should be aware that the Court may change the date and time
of the Final Settlement Hearing. Thus, if you want to come to the
hearing, you should check with Plaintiff’s Counsel before coming to
make sure that the date and/or time has not changed.
14. May I Speak At The Hearing?
If you object to the settlement, you may ask the Court for
permission to speak at the Final Settlement Hearing. To do so, you
must include within your objection a statement that it is your
intent to appear at the Final Settlement Hearing. You cannot speak
at the Final Settlement Hearing if you have excluded yourself from
the Class or if you have not provided written notice of your
intention to speak at the Final Settlement Hearing by the deadline
identified.
DO NOT TELEPHONE THE COURT
REGARDING THIS NOTICE.
DATED: June 25, 2010
BY ORDER OF THE SUPERIOR COURT
OFCALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES COUNTY
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