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Recently, Verna Law, P.C. sign a new client who was sued for copyright infringement. Verna Law, P.C. has had about four cases in the last year that look exactly the same as this particular case.
What do they all have in common?
One, they all received a subpoena notice from their Internet service provider.
Two, they were downloading material that they shouldn’t have and that’s what the copyright infringement is.
Three, what they were downloading was pornography.
I’ve developed a bit of a strategy to handle cases like this. What all clients have in common when they’re defendants in a copyright infringement suit in which the copyright owner sends a subpoena notice to the ISP is that, of course, nobody wants to be identified as the defendant in a lawsuit like this in federal court.
A lawsuit like this requires a plaintiff to file against a John
Doe defendant with an IP address.
Well, for people who have downloaded porn, it’s sensitive and those defendants don’t
want to be identified publicly in court.
Step number one for all of my new clients is keeping identities anonymous and as John Doe. This includes contacting opposing counsel and stating the client wishes to remain a John Due and that we’re going to settle this case quietly. I, then, make my appearance in the case, and then we sign a stipulation between the parties that states that the defendant can remain a John Doe. And then we talk about what the damages are for the infringement.
We try to keep everything quiet.
We try to keep the defendants anonymous and that this way, especially if that person is a professional, that professional will never be linked to this particular lawsuit because, of course, then we’ll agree between the parties to keep the settlement confidential.
It’s a case where copyright law intersects with, I hope, a lot of practicality, and that’s kind of my strategy for handling these particular cases. Keep it anonymous, keep the settlement confidential. And then this way, that linkage will never actually be made.
Here is a list of recent cases filed for copyright infringement (for downloading pornography):
Most of these cases follow the same pattern. The defendant is a John Doe at a subscriber IP address.
Cases Filed in the Michigan Eastern District Court (16) in 2017:
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP ) Address 107.4.109.143 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10426)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP ) Address 107.4.109.143 (Case No. 5:17-cv-10426)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 68.32.2.28 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10432)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 68.49.201.228 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10442)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 68.49.243.199 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10443)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 68.49.243.199 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10445)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 68.55.89.28 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10444)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 68.55.89.28 (Case No. 4:17-cv-10444)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 68.56.223.52 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10446)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 68.56.223.52 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10447)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 68.60.174.21 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10448)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 98.209.250.195 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10449)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 98.224.223.170 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10450)
MALIBU MEDIA, LCC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 99.37.173.71 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10451)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP Address 68.40.27.99 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10441)
Cases Filed in the New Jersey District Court (38)
MALIBU MEDIA , LLC. v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 24.0.207.93 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01239)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE (Case No. 2:17-cv-01246)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE (Case No. 2:17-cv-01251)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 100.1.206.172 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01172)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 108.167.50 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01185)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 108.5.52.134 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01182)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 108.53.147.136 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01183)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 108.53.252.54 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01193)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 173.3.124.255 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01228)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 173.3.54.44 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01232)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 173.63.249.136 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01233)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 173.70.197.251 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01234)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 173.70.93.127 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01236)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 67.82.37.90 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01252)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 67.83.64.114 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01271)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 67.83.77.86 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01272)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 69.117.66.98 (Case No. 3:17-cv-01261)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 69.118.248.215 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01273)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 69.122.18.0 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01275)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 69.141.237.206 (Case No. 3:17-cv-01262)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 72.82.239.77 (Case No. 3:17-cv-01265)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 72.88.211.121 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01279)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 73.10.138.235 (Case No. 3:17-cv-01266)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address 73.199.240.186 (Case No. 3:17-cv-01229)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address 96.248.95.37 (Case No. 3:17-cv-01268)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER IP ADDRESS 108.35.167.198 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01180)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER IP ADDRESS 108.53.193.228 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01188)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC v. JOHN DOE, SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 100.8.116.23 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01179)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC. v. JOHN DOE (Case No. 2:17-cv-01237)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC. v. JOHN DOE (Case No. 2:17-cv-01240)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC. v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 69.124.120.156 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01276)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC. v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 71.172.15.229 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01277)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC. v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 73.160.218.175 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01307)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC. v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 73.194.168.244 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01310)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC. v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 73.197.106.118 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01315)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC. v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 73.248.226.136 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01317)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC. v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 76.116.108.250 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01319)
MALIBU MEDIA, LLC. v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 96.57.99.138 (Case No. 2:17-cv-01321)
Cases filed recently:
California Northern District Court:
STRIKE 3 HOLDINGS, LLC v. DOE (Case No. 5:17-cv-05960)
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address 108.217.228.232 (Case No. 3:17-cv-06055)
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address 24.143.239.235 (Case No. 3:17-cv-06060)
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address 24.4.239.115 (Case No. 3:17-cv-06057)
STRIKE 3 HOLDINGS, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address 73.252.213.89 (Case No. 5:17-cv-05963)
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address 76.126.131.175 (Case No. 3:17-cv-06058)
Michigan Eastern District Court:
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. John Doe subscriber assigned IP address 108.236.213.91 (Case No. 2:17-cv-13279)
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. John Doe subscriber assigned IP address 24.127.245.75 (Case No. 2:17-cv-13281)
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. John Doe subscriber assigned IP address 24.192.177.96 (Case No. 2:17-cv-13282)
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. John Doe subscriber assigned IP address 24.192.208.158 (Case No. 2:17-cv-13283)
New Jersey District Court:
STRIKE 3 HOLDINGS, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 100.35.148.30 (Case No. 3:17-cv-10314)
STRIKE 3 HOLDINGS, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 173.54.7.225 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10305)
STRIKE 3 HOLDINGS, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 24.191.216.200 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10297)
STRIKE 3 HOLDINGS, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 69.141.228.16 (Case No. 1:17-cv-10276)
STRIKE 3 HOLDINGS, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 73.194.91.109 (Case No. 3:17-cv-10308)
STRIKE 3 HOLDINGS, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 73.195.102.8 (Case No. 2:17-cv-10290)
STRIKE 3 HOLDINGS, LLC v. JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP ADDRESS 73.196.168.172 (Case No. 1:17-cv-10285)
Michigan Western District Court:
Strike Three Holdings, LLC v. John Doe Assigned IP Address 172.15.113.94 (Case No. 1:17-cv-01000)
Strike Three Holdings, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address 107.4.34.188 (Case No. 1:17-cv-01001)
Strike Three Holdings, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address 68.56.45.203 (Case No. 1:17-cv-01002)
Strike Three Holdings, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address 73.161.220.250 (Case No. 1:17-cv-01003)
Strike Three Holdings, LLC v. JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address 96.36.2.82 (Case No. 1:17-cv-01005)
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