JUDGE REFUSES TO OK WEINSTEIN SETTLEMENT

A federal judge Tuesday upended a $25 million proposed civil settlement between Harvey Weinstein, his former film company and dozens of women who have accused him of sexual harassment and misconduct.

In a contentious Tuesday morning hearing, Judge Alvin Hellerstein of the Southern District of New York denied a motion for preliminary approval of the settlement agreement. He questioned its overall fairness, and whether the women, whose allegations vary, constituted a legal class.

Suggesting the settlement plan was misconceived, he also questioned how the money would be allocated and called the millions of dollars in legal fees that would have been allotted to Weinstein and his former company directors “obnoxious.”

The deal, which also includes the New York attorney general and creditors of The Weinstein Co., has been controversial because it did not require Weinstein to admit wrongdoing or make any payments to his alleged victims, relying instead on insurance coverage.