MasterCard seeks separation from Visa in merchant litigation

MasterCard has announced that it has asked the court to order separate trials of MasterCard and Visa in the Wal-Mart/merchant anti-trust lawsuit.

„After more than six years of litigation, 350 fact and expert depositions, and the exchange of millions of documents, plaintiffs have not - and cannot - prove by any evidence, much less a preponderance of evidence, any conspiracy between MasterCard and Visa,‰ Noah J. Hanft, MasterCard‚s general counsel, said. „MasterCard believes that if given the opportunity to have a full and fair trial based purely on its own acts, the case against it will fail, and its Honor All Cards rule, which requires that merchants who agree to accept MasterCard accept all MasterCard-branded cards, will be recognized as being pro-competitive and providing American consumers with the broadest choice of payment options in the world,‰ Hanft said.