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RIAA Backs Down In Austin, Texas

NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "In November, 2004, several judges in the federal court in Austin, Texas, got together and ordered the RIAA to cease and desist from its practice of joining multiple 'John Does' in a single case. The RIAA blithely ignored the order, and continued the illegal practice for the next four years, but steering clear of Austin. In 2008, however, circumstances conspired to force the record companies back to that venue. In Arista v. Does 1-22, in Providence, Rhode Island, they were hoping to get the student identities from Rhode Island College. After the first round, however, they learned that the College was not the ISP; rather, the ISP was an Austin-based company, Apogee Telecom Inc., meaning the RIAA would have to serve its subpoena in Austin. The RIAA did just that, but Apogee — unlike so many other ISP's — did not turn over its subscribers' identities in response to the subpoena, instead filing objections. This meant the RIAA would have to go to court, to try to get the Court to overrule Apogee's objections. Instead, it opted to withdraw the subpoena and drop its case."

2 of 230 comments (clear)

  1. Re:No wonder they failed... by NewYorkCountryLawyer · · Score: 5, Informative

    As a RI resident, I can pretty confidently say that there no "College of Rhode Island".

    Sorry about that. You are of course correct. It's "Rhode Island College". My apologies.

    A person my age should no longer work from memory.

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    Ray Beckerman +5 Insightful
  2. Re:Thou shall not steal! by NewYorkCountryLawyer · · Score: 5, Informative

    Theft is a synonym for stealing.
    Copyright infringement is copyright infringement. I am not aware of a synonym for it.

    The RIAA uses the terms "piracy" and "stealing" in referring to copyright infringement, but do so inaccurately, as part of their propaganda.

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    Ray Beckerman +5 Insightful