Leeman v. Monogram International, Inc., et al.

On October 19, 2006, the San Francisco County Superior Court entered a Consent Judgment in Leeman v. Monogram International, Inc., which resolved citizen enforcer Dr. Leeman's allegations that the defendants Monogram International and United Pacific sold stained mugs and other ceramicware with artwork or designs on the exterior containing the heavy metal lead in the State of California without providing the requisite health hazard warnings.

As part of the settlement, Monogram International and United Pacific agreed to provide customers with interim Proposition 65 warnings beginning on August 23, 2006. Monogram International and United Pacific further committed that as of July 1, 2007, all of the mugs and other ceramicware with exterior artwork or designs it offered for sale in California would comply witho the stringent lead content standards outlined in Section 2.3 of the Consent Judgment, thereby ensuring the mugs and ceramicware would be virtually free of lead.

The settlement requires settlement payments of $145,000, divided therein between civil penalties, 75% of which are paid to California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and compensation to whistleblower Dr. Leeman and her counsel for their successful enforcement of this matter in the public interest.