What it does The order certifies and approves the settlement class, approves the notice, claims process, plan of allocation and distribution, releases, and settlement administration. It authorizes distribution from a non-reversionary $1.5 billion fund, with pro rata per-work payments to eligible copyright owners, and preserves claims concerning works outside the Works List, AI outputs, and future conduct. Anthropic must destroy original files downloaded from Library Genesis or Pirate Library Mirror and copies originating from them, subject to legal-preservation obligations. The court awards Class Counsel $101,561,111 in fees, $2,635,197.46 in expenses, an $18.22 million cost reserve, and $15,000 to each of the three class representatives.

Who it affects The order binds copyright owners of eligible works on the Works List, Anthropic, the named representatives, class counsel, the Settlement Administrator, and the Special Master. It allows late opt-outs by Esquivel and Castells but disallows other late requests, including Donald S. Passman’s.

Why it matters The ruling provides finality for claims concerning the listed works while expressly retaining claims involving excluded works, AI outputs, and future misconduct. It also illustrates judicial scrutiny of megafund fees by using a lodestar multiplier rather than the requested percentage method.

Key dates and numbers

• Settlement fund: $1.5 billion; approximately $3,000 per claimed work.
• Works List: 482,460 works; 440,490 claimed as of April 16, 2026.
• Opt-out deadline: February 9, 2026; final order dated July 20, 2026.
• Fee award: $101,561,111, based on a 3.75 multiplier; 10% withheld pending post-distribution accounting.