Lee University Data Breach Settlement: Deadline Aug 19
At a glance
- Status
- Closing soon
- Defendant
- Lee University
- Settlement fund
- $1,750,000
- Claim deadline
- August 19, 2026
- No-proof cash option
- Yes — Cash Payment B - estimated $100 payment, subject to pro rata adjustment, no documentation required, or up to Cash Payment A - up to $5,000 in documented out-of-pocket losses; plus 1 year of one-bureau credit monitoring for all claimants
- Max documented payout
- $5,000
- Administrator
- Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
- Official site
- www.leeuniversitydatabreachsettlement.com
- Court
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee
- Case number
- 1:25-cv-107 (Harris et al. v. Lee University), No. 1:25-cv-107
Last verified July 16, 2026
Key dates
| Milestone | Date | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Claim deadline | August 19, 2026 | Last day to file for a payment |
| Opt-out (exclusion) deadline | August 4, 2026 | Last day to leave the settlement and keep the right to sue |
| Objection deadline | August 4, 2026 | Last day to object to the terms |
| Final approval hearing | September 3, 2026 | When the judge decides whether to approve the settlement |
| Expected payout | Not yet scheduled | Payments are not sent until after final approval and any appeals |
Where to file
Lee University Data Breach Settlement (Harris v. Lee University) is administered by Kroll Settlement Administration LLC. The only place to file is the official settlement website:
File at the official sitewww.leeuniversitydatabreachsettlement.com
Filing is free. No legitimate settlement charges a fee to file a claim.
You cannot file on RecordingLaw.com. We are an independent publisher, not the settlement administrator, and we are not affiliated with any court, agency, or defendant.
Lee University, a private university in Cleveland, Tennessee, is the defendant in a class action settlement over a data security incident the school discovered in March 2024. According to Lee University's breach notification, more than 130,000 people were notified that their personal information may have been exposed.
As of July 2026, the claim window for the Lee University Data Breach Settlement (Harris v. Lee University) is open. The deadline to file a claim is August 19, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET. If you received a notice letter from Lee University about this breach, that date is the one to act on.
What happened
Lee University discovered a data security incident in March 2024 involving its computer systems. After investigating, the university determined that personal information belonging to certain individuals may have been exposed, and it sent breach notification letters to the people it identified as affected, more than 130,000 according to that notification.
That group is broad. A university's records typically touch current and former students, alumni, applicants, and employees, so people in any of those categories could have received a notice. If you got a letter from Lee University about this incident, you are very likely a member of the settlement class described below.
Where the settlement stands right now
The case is pending as Harris et al. v. Lee University, case number 1:25-cv-107, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. A final approval hearing is scheduled for September 3, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. ET, at the federal courthouse in Chattanooga.
As of this page's last verification in July 2026, no payout date has been set. That is normal at this stage. Courts generally grant final approval before an administrator calculates and mails payments, so a case with an open claim window and a hearing still weeks away does not yet have a payment timeline.
Two other deadlines matter, and they are not the same thing. The deadline to exclude yourself from the settlement, also called opting out, is August 4, 2026. Opting out means leaving the class entirely: you keep the right to sue Lee University on your own over this breach, but you give up any right to a payment from this settlement fund. The deadline to object is also August 4, 2026. Objecting means staying in the class while telling the court in writing that you think some part of the settlement is unfair. Opting out and objecting are different choices, not the same form.
Who's in the class
The class is defined by notice. It covers the people Lee University identified and notified about the March 2024 data breach, more than 130,000 according to the university's breach notification. That is the test that matters, not a guess about whether your information was technically involved.
If you received a letter or email from Lee University about this breach, you do not need to guess further. If you believe you should have received a notice and did not, the settlement administrator, Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, is the place to check your status through the official settlement website, not this article.
How much you might actually get
The settlement fund is $1,750,000. Every valid claim draws from that same pool, so payments are pro rata. The more people who file, the smaller each payment tends to be, and the final numbers are not locked in until claims close and the court approves fees and costs.
Most class members can choose Cash Payment B, a no-proof cash payment estimated at about $100. You do not need to submit documentation for this option, but like every figure on this page, it is an estimate, not a promise, and it can move up or down once claims are counted.
If you had actual, documented out-of-pocket losses connected to the breach, you can instead file for Cash Payment A, reimbursement of up to $5,000. You choose one option or the other, not both.
Cash is not the only benefit. Everyone who files a valid claim also receives one year of single-bureau credit monitoring, regardless of which cash option they pick. That monitoring is free and stacks on top of whichever payment you choose; it is something the settlement already owes you, not a product you need to buy from a third party.
What proof you need
For the no-proof cash payment, Cash Payment B, you do not submit documentation. A timely, valid claim form is what matters.
For the documented-loss option, Cash Payment A, up to the $5,000 cap, you will need records showing what you spent or lost because of the breach. That can include bank or credit card statements, receipts for identity-protection services you purchased because of the incident, or a written explanation you prepare describing what happened and when. The stronger your paper trail, the stronger that claim.
How to file
Filing is free, and it only happens on the official settlement website. Neither Lee University nor RecordingLaw reviews or processes claims. Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, the court-appointed administrator, handles that.
Decide which option applies to you, the no-proof cash payment or the documented-loss reimbursement, and submit your claim before the August 19, 2026 deadline. No legitimate part of this process will ever ask you to pay a fee to receive money you are owed.
Protect yourself, especially your medical identity
A breach at a university can expose more than people expect. In this case, the official settlement record identifies the categories of information involved: full names, Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, government-issued ID numbers, financial information, and medical information. Not every category applies to every person notified; your notice letter from Lee University is the most reliable description of what was exposed in your case specifically.
Start with a free credit freeze at all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. A freeze blocks new accounts from being opened in your name, and it is free to place and free to lift, at every bureau, every time. Do this before anything else on this page.
A credit freeze will not catch medical identity theft, though, because that is a different kind of misuse. Because medical information was among the categories exposed in this breach, if someone uses your stolen information to obtain medical care, prescriptions, or equipment in your name, it shows up on your health insurer's explanation-of-benefits statements, not your credit report. Go back through recent explanation-of-benefits statements and look for any visit, prescription, or service you do not recognize, and contact your insurer directly if you find one.
After that, use IdentityTheft.gov, the Federal Trade Commission's official recovery site, if you notice signs your information is being misused. It walks you through a free, personalized recovery plan. Keep watching your bank and credit card statements for months after a breach like this one, since fraud does not always show up right away.
If this isn't the breach you're looking for
Lee University is one of many organizations with an open settlement right now. If you are checking whether a different notice letter or a different institution matches a settlement you can file against, RecordingLaw's data breach settlement tracker lists other currently open claims and their deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Lee University data breach settlement still open?
Yes. As of July 2026, the claim window is open, and the deadline to file a claim is August 19, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET. After that date, the settlement administrator cannot accept new claim forms for the Lee University Data Breach Settlement.
What happened in the Lee University data breach?
Lee University, a private university in Cleveland, Tennessee, discovered a data security incident in March 2024. According to Lee University's breach notification, more than 130,000 people were notified that their personal information may have been exposed.
Am I eligible for the Lee University data breach settlement?
You may be eligible if Lee University notified you that your information was involved in the March 2024 data breach. If you are not sure whether you received a notice, contact the settlement administrator, Kroll Settlement Administration LLC, through the official settlement website rather than guessing.
How much money will I get from the Lee University settlement?
It depends on which option you choose and how many valid claims are filed. Most people can choose an estimated $100 no-proof cash payment, called Cash Payment B, while documented losses can be reimbursed up to $5,000 under Cash Payment A. Both figures come from a $1,750,000 fund and are subject to pro-rata adjustment, not guarantees. Everyone who files also gets one year of single-bureau credit monitoring.
Do I need proof to file a claim?
No, not for the no-proof cash payment, Cash Payment B. You only need documentation, such as bank statements or receipts, if you are claiming reimbursement for documented out-of-pocket losses up to $5,000 under Cash Payment A.
How do I file a claim in the Lee University data breach settlement?
File on the official settlement website before the August 19, 2026 deadline. Filing is free; RecordingLaw is not the settlement administrator and cannot file a claim on your behalf.
What is the difference between opting out and objecting?
Opting out, or excluding yourself, means leaving the settlement class, keeping your right to sue Lee University separately, and giving up any payment from this fund; that deadline is August 4, 2026. Objecting means staying in the class while telling the court you think the settlement is unfair; that deadline is also August 4, 2026, but it is a different step from opting out.
When will Lee University data breach settlement payments be sent?
As of July 2026, no payout date has been set. A final approval hearing is scheduled for September 3, 2026, and payments typically follow only after the court grants final approval and any appeal period passes.
What should I do to protect myself besides filing a claim?
Place a free credit freeze at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, since a university data breach can expose sensitive records like Social Security numbers and financial aid information. Also watch your financial statements and use IdentityTheft.gov if you notice signs your information is being misused.
How to tell a settlement notice is real
Check the case name, case number, and court against the official settlement site. Go to that site directly instead of clicking a link in an email or text. Nobody legitimate will call, text, or email out of the blue asking for your Social Security number, bank account, or card details, and nobody will charge you to file. Report anyone who does at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Informational only. Not legal, tax, or financial advice, and not affiliated with any settlement.
RecordingLaw.com is an independent legal-information publisher. We are not a law firm, not a settlement administrator, and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any court, government agency, defendant, or claims administrator described on this page. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.
We do not process claims and we never collect your claim information. You cannot file a claim on RecordingLaw.com. To file, opt out, object, or check your status, use only the official settlement administrator identified above. We link to it for your convenience.
Filing a legitimate claim is free. No legitimate settlement or administrator will charge you a fee to file, or ask for your Social Security number, bank, or card details by unsolicited call, text, or email. If someone does, it is likely a scam. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Deadlines, amounts, and approval status change and are set by the court. We verify against the official administrator and court records, but confirm the current details on the official site before acting. Nothing here guarantees eligibility, a payment, or any amount. Settlement payments may be taxable. See IRS Publication 4345. and consult a tax professional. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state. Affiliate disclosure.
Sources and References
- IdentityTheft.gov, free identity theft recovery plans (Federal Trade Commission)(identitytheft.gov).gov
- Credit Freezes and Fraud Alerts (Federal Trade Commission Consumer Advice)(consumer.ftc.gov).gov
- Harris et al. v. Lee University Data Breach Settlement, Official Settlement Website (Kroll Settlement Administration)(leeuniversitydatabreachsettlement.com)
- Lee University Data Breach Settlement, Frequently Asked Questions (official)(leeuniversitydatabreachsettlement.com)