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LITIGATION | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
LITIGATION | LITIGATION The Company is a party to routine legal proceedings arising out of the normal course of business. Due to the difficult nature of predicting unresolved and future legal claims, the Company cannot anticipate or predict the material adverse effect on its consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows as a result of efforts to comply with, or liabilities pertaining to, legal judgments. At September 30, 2020, two of Titan’s subsidiaries were involved in litigation concerning environmental laws and regulations. In June 2015, Titan Tire Corporation (Titan Tire) and Dico, Inc. (Dico) appealed an order from the U.S. District Court for the South District of Iowa granting the federal government’s motion for summary judgment that found Dico liable for violating the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) and an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrative Order and awarded response costs, civil penalties, and punitive damages. In December 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reversed the District Court’s summary judgment order with respect to “arranger” liability for Titan Tire and Dico under CERCLA and the imposition of punitive damages against Dico for violating the EPA Administrative Order, but affirmed the summary judgment order imposing civil penalties in the amount of $1.62 million against Dico for violating the EPA Administrative Order. The case was remanded to the District Court for a new trial on the remaining issues. The trial occurred in April 2017. On September 5, 2017, the District Court issued an order: (a) concluding Titan Tire and Dico arranged for the disposal of a hazardous substance in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 9607(a); (b) holding Titan Tire and Dico jointly and severally liable for $5.45 million in response costs previously incurred and reported by the United States relating to the alleged violation, including enforcement costs and attorney’s fees; and (c) awarding a declaratory judgment holding Titan Tire and Dico jointly and severally liable for all additional response costs previously incurred but not yet reported or to be incurred in the future, including enforcement costs and attorney’s fees. The District Court also held Dico liable for $5.45 million in punitive damages under 42 U.S.C. § 9607(c)(3) for violating a unilateral administrative order. The punitive damages award does not apply to Titan Tire. The Company accrued a contingent liability of $6.5 million, representing $5.45 million in costs incurred by the United States and $1.05 million of additional response costs, for this order in the quarter ended September 30, 2017. During the third quarter of 2020, the Company accrued an incremental contingent legal accrual of $5.0 million related to the anticipated settlement of the Dico case. As of September 30, 2020, the $11.5 million contingent liability remains outstanding. Titan Tire and Dico appealed the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. On April 11, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the District Court’s September 5, 2017, order. Thereafter, Dico and Titan Tire filed a petition for rehearing with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, which was denied in August 2019. As a result of the current judgment in favor of the United States, and pursuant to Iowa Code § 624.23, a judgment lien exists over Titan Tire’s real property in the State of Iowa. Titan Tire maintains a supersedeas bond in the amount of $6.0 million relating to the judgment. The United States indicated that it does not currently intend to take steps to execute on this judgment lien in light of ongoing settlement discussions between the parties. However, there can be no assurance that the parties will settle this matter on terms acceptable to the parties.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for legal proceedings, legal contingencies, litigation, regulatory and environmental matters and other contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2127136 + Details
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