Welcome to the website for the University of Washington COVID Litigation.
A Settlement has been reached in a class action Lawsuit between Defendant University of Washington (“Defendant” or “UW”) and an individual who alleged that he, and the Settlement Class, are entitled to partial refunds of tuition and fees for the Winter Quarter 2020 and/or Spring Quarter 2020 academic term(s) because UW transitioned to remote instruction in March 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with Washington legal mandates. The case is Barry v. University of Washington, Case No. 20-2-13924-6 SEA, in the Superior Court of the State of Washington, King County (the “Lawsuit”). The proposed Settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by UW, and UW denies all allegations of wrongdoing and disclaims all liability with regard to all claims in the Lawsuit. The Court has granted preliminary approval of the Settlement.
You are included in the Settlement Class if you were enrolled in and paid for the University of Washington’s in-person based educational programs, services, and courses for the Winter Quarter 2020 or Spring Quarter 2020 academic term(s). But, you are not a Settlement Class Member if you request to opt out of (i.e., exclude yourself from) the Settlement.
Under the Settlement Agreement, UW will pay $4.0 million into a Settlement Fund. Some of that amount will go to Class Counsel for attorneys’ fees and expenses, some will go to the Class Representative as a Service Award, and some will pay for the costs of administering the settlement. What remains of the$4.0 million will be divided equally among the approximately 56,000 Students in the Settlement Class (who do not request to opt-out of the Settlement) and paid as a Cash Award. Students in the Settlement Class do not need to take any action to receive their Cash Award. Settlement Class Members will automatically receive their Cash Award by check mailed to their last known mailing address. Alternatively, if Settlement Class Members prefer to receive their Cash Award by Venmo or PayPal, or wish to update their mailing address in order to receive their Cash Award by check, Settlement Class Members may visit the Settlement Website to complete an Election Form to provide their Venmo or PayPal information or to update their mailing address.
Who is in the Settlement Class?
You are a member of the Settlement Class if you were enrolled in and paid for the University of Washington’s in-person based educational programs, services, and courses for the Winter Quarter 2020 or Spring Quarter 2020 academic term(s). Excluded from the Settlement Class are:
- UW;
- Any entity in which UW has a controlling interest, and UW’s legal representatives, predecessors, successors, assigns, and non-student employees; and
- The Court and its employees.