Court reinstates $675,000 damages for downloading

Lawyer Blogs

A federal appeals court has reinstated a $675,000 judgment against a Boston University student who illegally downloaded and shared songs on the Internet.

In 2009, a jury in Boston awarded $675,000 to the Recording Industry Association of America, representing four record labels, in a lawsuit filed against Joel Tenenbaum.

A judge later reduced the award to $67,500, finding the original penalty "unconstitutionally excessive."

In his appeal, Tenenbaum sought to overturn the penalty. But the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the full award in a ruling Friday.

Tenenbaum's lawyers argue that federal copyright laws and the Digital Theft Deterrence Act were not meant to target consumers. Lawyers representing the recording industry argue that the economic impact of illegal downloading is much greater than the sharing of one song.

Related listings

  • Appeals court to weigh Ark. desegregation case

    Appeals court to weigh Ark. desegregation case

    Lawyer Blogs 09/19/2011

    A federal appeals court is set to hear arguments over whether Arkansas can stop making desegregation payments to Little Rock-area schools more than 50 years after troops escorted nine black students into an all-white school.The 8th U.S. Circuit Court...

  • Illinois high court hears police torture arguments

    Illinois high court hears police torture arguments

    Lawyer Blogs 09/15/2011

    Illinois Supreme Court justices questioned prosecutors Thursday about evidence in the rape conviction of a man who says he was tortured into confessing by Chicago police officers. In oral arguments in a case with potentially far-reaching impact on ho...

  • McCourts to argue over spousal support in LA court

    McCourts to argue over spousal support in LA court

    Lawyer Blogs 09/14/2011

    A judge on Wednesday will consider reducing the amount of spousal support paid by Dodgers owner Frank McCourt to his ex-wife Jamie their divorce battle over ownership of the team. McCourt filed a motion in July indicating that he's paid more than $5 ...

Grounds for Divorce in Ohio - Sylkatis Law, LLC

A divorce in Ohio is filed when there is typically “fault” by one of the parties and party not at “fault” seeks to end the marriage. A court in Ohio may grant a divorce for the following reasons:
• Willful absence of the adverse party for one year
• Adultery
• Extreme cruelty
• Fraudulent contract
• Any gross neglect of duty
• Habitual drunkenness
• Imprisonment in a correctional institution at the time of filing the complaint
• Procurement of a divorce outside this state by the other party

Additionally, there are two “no-fault” basis for which a court may grant a divorce:
• When the parties have, without interruption for one year, lived separate and apart without cohabitation
• Incompatibility, unless denied by either party

However, whether or not the the court grants the divorce for “fault” or not, in Ohio the party not at “fault” will not get a bigger slice of the marital property.

Business News

New York & New Jersey Family Law Matters We represent our clients in all types of proceedings that include termination of parental rights. >> read