Appeals Court Affirms Verdict in Oklahoma Poultry Suit

Staff and Wire Reports

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A federal appeals court has upheld a $14.5 million judgment against an Arkansas poultry company in a lawsuit by Oklahoma poultry farmers.

A three-judge panel of the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver voted unanimously last week to reject the appeal by O.K. Industries of Fort Smith.

About 300 poultry farmers in southeastern Oklahoma filed the federal lawsuit in 2002, accusing the company of manipulating the price it paid them to grow chickens.

The farmers were awarded $21.1 million after winning the lawsuit in 2008, but the amount was lowered to $14.5 million by the federal judge in the case.

The farmers were represented by the Oklahoma law firm of Crowe & Dunlevy.

"We are extremely satisfied to see this legal battle end in a victory for our clients, supporting the jury's determination that OK Industries had mistreated Oklahoma farmers," said attorney Charles B. Goodwin, a director at Crowe & Dunlevy.

An attorney for O.K. Industries did not immediately return a phone call for comment.