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CONTINGENCIES
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
CONTINGENCIES  
CONTINGENCIES

 

NOTE 15              CONTINGENCIES

 

Great Lakes v. Essar Steel Minnesota LLC, et al. —  On October 29, 2009, Great Lakes filed suit in the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota, against Essar Minnesota LLC (Essar Minnesota) and certain Foreign Essar Affiliates (collectively, Essar) for breach of its monthly payment obligation under its transportation services agreement with Great Lakes. Great Lakes sought to recover approximately $33 million for past and future payments due under the agreement. On September 16, 2015, following a jury trial, the federal district court judge entered a judgment in the amount of $32.9 million in favor of Great Lakes.  On September 20, 2015, Essar appealed the decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit (Eighth Circuit) based on an allegation of improper jurisdiction and a number of other rulings by the federal district judge. Essar was required to post a performance bond for the full value of the judgment pending appeal.  In July 2016, Essar Minnesota filed for Bankruptcy. The performance bond was released into the bankruptcy court proceedings. The Foreign Essar Affiliates have not filed for bankruptcy. The Eighth Circuit heard the appeal on October 20, 2016.  A decision on the appeal was received in December 2016 and the Eighth Circuit vacated Great Lakes’ judgment against Essar finding that there was no federal jurisdiction. Great Lakes filed a Request for Rehearing with the Eighth Circuit and it was denied in January 2017. Great Lakes currently is proceeding against Essar Minnesota in the bankruptcy court and its case against the Foreign Essar Affiliates in Minnesota state court remains pending. In April, after reaching agreement with creditors on an allowed claim, the Bankruptcy court approved Great Lakes’ claim in the amount of $31.5 million.