Federal Court Dismisses Claims Against Bear Stearns Based on RMBS Credit Ratings

On March 30, 2012, Judge Laura Taylor Swain of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York dismissed claims based on credit ratings brought by several retirement and pension funds against Bear Stearns & Co., Inc. and related affiliates in connection with the sale of RMBS pass-through certificates. Plaintiff brought claims under Section 11, 12(a)(2) and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933. The court found that plaintiffs failed to plead that the rating agencies disbelieved their ratings, but granted plaintiffs leave to amend to allege Bear Stearns was aware of the inaccuracy of the credit ratings. The court, however, declined to dismiss claims that Bear Stearns made misrepresentations concerning the quality of the underlying loans in its offering documents. It also rejected Bear Stearns’ argument that plaintiffs lacked standing to sue on tranches they did not purchase. Decision.