On March 12, 2009, ALJ Charles E. Bullock issued an order granting a joint motion to stay the investigation filed in Certain Flash Memory Chips and Products Containing the Same (Inv. No. 337-TA-664).  According to the order, the private parties filed a motion to stay the investigation for ninety days to gain the necessary approvals to effectuate the agreed-upon settlement between the Spansion complainants and the Samsung respondents, which would result in termination of the investigation. 

Further, according to the order, on March 11, 2009 Spansion filed a notice of commencement of bankruptcy proceedings and an automatic stay in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.  Although Spansion and Samsung have fully agreed to the settlement agreement, because Spansion filed for bankruptcy, the settlement agreement is subject to the Bankruptcy Court’s approval which may take up to ninety days.