Judge OKs Microsoft Settlement With Calif.

Microsoft Corp. won court approval for a $1.1-billion antitrust settlement with California consumers over how much it charged for software.

San Francisco Superior Court Judge Paul Alvarado had delayed approval for a month to let lawyers decide on the form that will be used to notify consumers how to apply for refunds.

The notice will soon appear in newspapers and be sent to consumers via e-mail and regular mail. Consumers who purchased Microsoft products from Feb. 18, 1995, to Dec. 15, 2001, can request the claims form through a Web site and a toll-free telephone number.

Shares of Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft rose 20 cents to $26.89 on Nasdaq.