RIAA loses in file sharing case

[schmosef]

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060713-7257.html

[ZokesPro]

*cue the Final Fantasy 'Win Battle' music*

[Dr Mordrid]

Thank God the judge saw fit to issue a finding and not just dismiss after RIAA folded. That makes it easier for other victims to quote this case as precedent.

[KvHagedorn]

Good for her.. but even the damned RIAA is bound to draw the 1 person in 100 with cajones once in awhile.

[Jammrock]

If you read the article, they legally really didn't lose. The lady forced the RIAA to play their hand, i.e. provide solid evidence, and before the court could give a summary judgement the RIAA filed for the case to be withdrawn. This means that the case never went to court and no presidence has been set on this issue. In order for it to be a big blow against the RIAA it has to go to court and the RIAA have to lose the trial.

The Oklahoma lady is going to be compensated by the RIAA for her lawyer costs though, so the RIAA did lose at least a little bit.

[Sasq]

one day, the RIAA is going to get a judge that will not let them withdraw...
on that day, I shall drink much wine in celebration

[cjolley]

In his opinion, Judge Lee R. West wrote, "because this Court finds that the plaintiffs' voluntary dismissal with prejudice services as a complete adjudication of the issues set forth in their complaint and acts as a bar to further action on their claims, the court concludes the matter has been finally adjudicated in the defendant's favor... [which] represents a judicially sanctioned material alteration in the legal relationship between Deborah Foster and the plaintiffs. Ms. Foster is therefore the prevailing party for purposes of the Copyright Act."

They lost, and they know it.
Now everyone will demand the same information at discovery.

[schmosef]

one day, the RIAA is going to get a judge that will not let them withdraw...
on that day, I shall drink much wine in celebration

any excuse, eh sasq?

[schmosef]

They lost, and they know it.
Now everyone will demand the same information at discovery.

If everyone they filed against did the same the RIAA would be so overwhelmed they might just buckle under the strain.

[Wombat]

I don't understand how this is a loss for the RIAA. I think they were just closing an avenue, so that in the suit against the daughter they can say "the courts have ordered that this suit should be directed at the daughter, not her mother."