John Deere settlement: $99M fund for repair costs, file by Dec 31

What the John Deere settlement is about

This is the right-to-repair antitrust case In re Deere & Company Repair Services Antitrust Litigation, in federal court in Rockford, Illinois, before Judge Iain D. Johnston. Farmers and other owners allege that Deere withheld certain repair tools for its large agricultural equipment from customers and independent repair shops, so they had to use authorized dealers for diagnosis, maintenance and repair and paid more than they should have. John Deere denies any wrongdoing, and the court hasn't decided who is right.

The settlement has two parts. Deere agreed to give customers and independent shops access to the digital tools needed for repairs, which every class member gets without filing anything, and the court can enforce that for ten years. Deere also agreed to pay $99 million in cash, which you only get by filing a claim. A separate settlement between Deere, the Federal Trade Commission and five state attorneys general covers repair access too, but it pays individuals no money. Owed lists this case on its John Deere settlement page.

Who qualifies for the John Deere settlement

You're in the class if you or your business purchased repair services (diagnosis, maintenance or repair) for Deere large agricultural equipment from John Deere or one of its authorized dealers in the United States between January 10, 2018 and May 18, 2026. Covered equipment depends in part on electronic control units and includes large and medium tractors (all 6000, 7000, 8000 and 9000 Series models), combines, cotton pickers and strippers, sugarcane harvesters, and tillage, seeding, application equipment and sprayers. The court estimates the class at well over 200,000 members.

Governmental entities, Deere and its affiliates, Deere's officers, directors and employees and their immediate families, and the judge and court staff are excluded. Our guide to antitrust settlements explains how cases like this one reach payments.

How much you could get from the John Deere settlement

Nobody can quote a payout yet; the FAQ says it isn't known. The formula is pro rata by labor hours: your share is the dealer labor hours on your qualifying repairs divided by all hours in valid claims. The FAQ's example is that if your repairs make up 1% of all hours claimed, you receive 1% of the net fund. So your check depends on how heavy your repair bills were and how many other owners file.

The $99 million also isn't all for claimants. Fees, expenses, service awards, notice and administration costs and taxes come out first. By our arithmetic, if the fee and expense caps and all seven service awards were granted in full, roughly $48 million would remain, before administration costs, taxes and interest. The court may award less than the caps, and class counsel's fee motion is due October 30, 2026.

How to file your John Deere settlement claim

Filing is free, and you submit the claim yourself. The easiest path is online at the official site, run by the administrator, Angeion Group. Because your payout depends on labor hours, the form walks through each machine and repair. Pull your dealer invoices first; our guide to proof of purchase for class action claims covers what counts.

1. Gather your equipment details: each machine's PIN (a Product Identification Number of 13 or 17 characters, found on the machine or on repair invoices), its type, roughly when you owned it, and any extended warranty plan or policy number.
2. If you got a postcard or email, open the claim page, answer Yes and enter your Notice ID and Confirmation Code. Review the whole list of repairs from Deere's data, correct errors and add anything missing with supporting documents. See claim ID vs. notice ID if the codes are new to you.
3. If you got no notice or lost your codes, ask the administrator through the site's Contact page or at 1-844-644-4294, or choose the option for people who didn't receive a notice. List each machine and repair, with approximate repair dates and labor hours, and supply records.
4. Use one claim form per Notice ID. Don't combine separate people or businesses in one claim.
5. Prefer paper? Mail the claim form with your documents to Deere Repair Services Antitrust Litigation, Attn: Claim Forms, 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103, postmarked by December 31, 2026. Online filers can choose ACH payment; mailed claims are paid by check.
6. You sign under penalty of perjury, and the administrator can ask for more documents, so keep copies of everything you send.

Key dates for the John Deere settlement

If you do nothing, you stay in the class, get no money, and give up the right to sue Deere over these claims. Opting out means no cash from the settlement; it keeps your right to sue Deere on your own for money. Read how to opt out of a class action settlement before you decide. Opt-out and objection requests must be sent by December 4, 2026, which is earlier than the claim deadline, so mail them early.

Is the John Deere settlement legit?

Yes. The court appointed Angeion Group as the administrator, and the official site is deererepairsettlement.com. The class lawyers, Wexler Boley & Elgersma, Gustafson Gluek and Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, ask the court for fees from the fund, and you aren't charged for them. The administrator's number is 1-844-644-4294. The FAQ asks people not to phone the court or the clerk about the claims process.

Deere customers are an attractive target for look-alike sites. A real class claim never charges a fee to file, and the administrator won't ask you to pay to release money. Type the web address yourself instead of tapping a link in a message, and see how to spot settlement scams for more red flags.

What happens after you file

After the claim deadline, the administrator checks claims against Deere's repair data and your documents, and it can ask for more. The judge then decides at the January 19, 2027 hearing whether to approve the settlement, the plan for dividing the money and the fees. No payments go out until any appeals are resolved and the claims process is complete, so plan on a wait. If your claim is reduced or rejected, you can ask the administrator for reconsideration with a signed written statement and supporting documents. Settlement money paid for business repairs can have tax consequences; see whether you pay taxes on settlement money.

Owed can keep the dates straight: it finds settlements you may qualify for, explains each one in plain English, opens the official claim form, reminds you before deadlines and tracks your claim to payout, while you submit the claim yourself. Owed Pro is $2 for the first week, then $49 per year — one flat membership. Owed never takes a percentage of any payout. See our John Deere settlement page, check what you qualify for, or browse the open settlements directory.

This is general information, not legal advice. Owed isn't a law firm or a settlement administrator; the court and the administrator decide who qualifies and what each person gets.

Glossary

Right to repair

The idea that owners and independent shops should be able to get the tools, parts and software needed to fix equipment without using only the manufacturer's dealers.

Injunctive relief

A court-enforced change in conduct instead of money. Here, Deere must give owners and independent shops access to repair tools, and no claim form is needed to benefit.

Pro rata

A proportional share. Here your payment follows the dealer labor hours on your qualifying repairs compared with everyone's valid claims.

Net settlement fund

What is left of the $99 million after fees, expenses, service awards, administration costs and taxes. Claimants share this amount.

Fairness hearing

The court hearing where the judge decides whether the settlement, fees and plan of allocation are fair. It is set for January 19, 2027.

FAQ