UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. H&R BLOCK, INC. et al

Filing 107

ORDER granting 35 Motion for Permanent Injunction. Signed by Judge Beryl A. Howell on 10/31/2011. (lcbah2)

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
Plaintiff,
v.

Civil Action No. 11-00948 (BAH)

H&R BLOCK, INC., et al.,
Defendants.
ORDER
This matter comes before the Court on the plaintiff’s motion for a permanent injunction
against the acquisition of 2SS Holdings, Inc. (“TaxACT”) by H&R Block, Inc. (“HRB”). Upon
consideration of all the evidence before the Court, including documents and factual and expert
testimony presented at an evidentiary hearing, the applicable law, and the parties’ legal
memoranda and arguments, the Court finds that the proposed acquisition of TaxACT by HRB
violates Section 7 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 18, for the reasons explained in the
accompanying Memorandum Opinion.1 Accordingly, it is hereby
ORDERED that, for the reasons explained in the accompanying Memorandum Opinion,
the plaintiff’s motion for a permanent injunction is GRANTED; and it is further
ORDERED that HRB and any parent, affiliate, subsidiary, or division thereof are
enjoined and restrained, pursuant to Section 15 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 25, from
acquiring any stock, assets, or other interest, directly or indirectly, in defendant TaxACT; and it
is further

1

The accompanying Memorandum Opinion has been filed under seal to enable the parties to review it and to redact
any confidential business information. Once the parties have had an opportunity to redact any confidential
information, the Memorandum Opinion will be filed on the public docket.

ORDERED that the defendants take any and all necessary steps to prevent any of their
domestic or foreign agents, divisions, subsidiaries, affiliates, partnerships, and joint ventures
from completing such acquisition, and from taking any steps or actions in furtherance thereof;
and it is further
ORDERED that the defendants return all confidential information received directly or
indirectly from one another and destroy all notes relating to such information; and it is further
ORDERED that the parties to this case shall review the Memorandum Opinion that
accompanies this Order and shall redact any confidential business information that should not be
disclosed publicly. The parties shall jointly contact Chambers on or before November 4, 2011
with any recommended redactions.

DATED: October 31, 2011

Beryl A. Howell

/s/
BERYL A. HOWELL
United States District Judge