For the third time in a matter of weeks, a judge dismissed a federal antitrust case levied against the National Association of REALTORS®.
Maurice Muhammad, a real estate practitioner in Pennsylvania, claimed NAR, Pennsylvania Association of Realtors®, and the Greater Lehigh Valley REALTORS® were in violation of antitrust, civil rights, due process and state consumer protection laws. His allegations centered on MLS access, accusing the defendants of antitrust violations and discrimination.
A U.S. District Judge dismissed Muhammad’s claims with prejudice in a 50-page opinion, on Thursday. Dismissal with prejudice prevents Muhammad from refiling the same claim.
“We are pleased the court has dismissed the case with prejudice,” says NAR General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs Jon Waclawski. “This decision reinforces the National Association of REALTORS®’ position that its policies foster competition and are not discriminatory. Like other national membership organizations, NAR’s integrated structure is essential to the value we provide our members, including a unified voice on policy issues, a uniform Code of Ethics, and valuable tools and professional development opportunities that help members get to, and execute, their next transaction.”
The ruling is welcome news for the association, after securing back-to-back dismissals in the Homie and Eytalis lawsuits, on July 15 and 22, respectively.
