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CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Contingencies
CONTINGENCIES

Following the Company’s November 10, 2014 earnings release and filing of the restated interim financial statements for the quarterly periods ended March 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014 (the “November 2014 Announcement”), shareholders of the Company filed five putative class actions against the Company and Paul G. Boynton, Hans E. Vanden Noort, David L. Nunes, and H. Edwin Kiker arising from circumstances described in the November 2014 Announcement, entitled respectively:

Sating v. Rayonier Inc. et al, Civil Action No. 3:14-cv-01395; filed November 12, 2014 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida;

Keasler v. Rayonier Inc. et al, Civil Action No. 3:14-cv-01398, filed November 13, 2014 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida;

Lake Worth Firefighters’ Pension Trust Fund v. Rayonier Inc. et al, Civil Action No. 3:14-cv-01403, filed November 13, 2014 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida;

Christie v. Rayonier Inc. et al, Civil Action No. 3:14-cv-01429, filed November 21, 2014 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida; and

Brown v. Rayonier Inc. et al, Civil Action No. 1:14-cv-08986, initially filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and later transferred to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida and assigned as Civil Action No. 3:14-cv-01474.

On January 9, 2015, the five securities actions were consolidated into one putative class action entitled In re Rayonier Inc. Securities Litigation, Case No. 3:14-cv-01395-TJC-JBT, in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida. The plaintiffs alleged that the defendants made false and/or misleading statements in violation of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder. The plaintiffs sought unspecified monetary damages and attorneys’ fees and costs. Two shareholders, the Pension Trust Fund for Operating Engineers and the Lake Worth Firefighters’ Pension Trust Fund moved for appointment as lead plaintiff on January 12, 2015, which was granted on February 25, 2015. On April 7, 2015, the plaintiffs filed a Consolidated Class Action Complaint (the “Amended Complaint”). In the Amended Complaint, plaintiffs added allegations as to and added as a defendant N. Lynn Wilson, a former officer of Rayonier. Although the Amended Complaint does not contain any allegations as to David L. Nunes or H. Edwin Kiker, they have not yet been formally dismissed from the case as defendants. Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss is due not later than May 15, 2015. The court has set a hearing on the motion for August 25, 2015. At this preliminary stage, the Company cannot determine whether there is a reasonable possibility that a loss has been incurred nor can the range of any potential loss be estimated.

On November 26, 2014, December 29, 2014, January 26, 2015, and February 13, 2015, the Company received separate letters from shareholders requesting that the Company investigate or pursue derivative claims against certain officers and directors related to the November 2014 Announcement. Although these demands do not identify any claims against the Company, the Company could potentially incur certain obligations to advance expenses and provide indemnification to certain current and former officers and directors of the Company. The Company may also incur expenses as a result of any costs arising from the investigation of the claims alleged in the various demands. At this preliminary stage, the ultimate outcome of these matters cannot be predicted, nor can the range of potential expenses the Company may incur as a result of the obligations identified above be estimated.

In November 2014, the Company received a subpoena from the SEC seeking documents related to the Company’s amended reports filed with the SEC on November 10, 2014. The Company is cooperating with the SEC and complying with the subpoena. The Company does not currently believe that the investigation will have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, or cash flow, but cannot predict the timing or outcome of the SEC investigation.

The Company has also been named as a defendant in various other lawsuits and claims arising in the normal course of business. While the Company has procured reasonable and customary insurance covering risks normally occurring in connection with its businesses, it has in certain cases retained some risk through the operation of self-insurance, primarily in the areas of workers’ compensation, property insurance and general liability. These pending lawsuits and claims, either individually or in the aggregate, are not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flow.