Overview
- The Supreme Court on Wednesday set a deadline of September 25 for California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 11 co‑plaintiffs to respond to Iowa and Montana’s motion asking the justices to block the multistate antitrust lawsuit.
- A separate federal hearing in Oakland is set for September 24 on Paramount’s request that the 12 states post a $1.88 billion bond to cover losses from the merger delay.
- Contract terms will start a 25¢ per‑share ticking fee on October 1 that amounts to roughly $7 million a day and about $650 million per quarter, which Paramount says justifies its bond demand.
- Iowa and Montana argue the blue‑state suit is a politicized action that harms their economies while the coalition of 12 states and the Writers Guild say the case is a straight antitrust challenge; many other regulators including the U.S. DOJ, the U.K., and Mexico have already cleared the deal.
- A merits trial in the Northern District of California remains set for March 2, 2027, and the upcoming Sept. 24–25 dates will shape whether the merger’s timetable, settlement leverage, or Supreme Court review change that schedule.