Microsoft and class counsel have reached proposed settlements of lawsuits pending in a number of states (listed below) in which plaintiffs have alleged that Microsoft unlawfully used anticompetitive means to maintain a monopoly in markets for certain software, and that, as a result, it overcharged consumers who, during specific time periods, licensed in the United States for use in the specific states below Microsoft's operating system software and/or certain of Microsoft's applications software. Microsoft denies these allegations and maintains that it developed and sold high-quality and innovative software products at fair and reasonable prices.
 
The settlements in California, Iowa, and New York have been given final approval, and the periods for making and redeeming claims has passed; however, the cy pres programs in those states are still distributing benefits. The settlements in the Arizona, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin have reached their final deadlines and have concluded.