The Independent Publishing Magazine: Revised Google Book Settlement For November

Wednesday 7 October 2009

Revised Google Book Settlement For November

Following the status conference on the Google Book Settlement case, Judge Denny Chin has agreed to the requests of lawyers for Google to allow a revised agreement to be drawn up in light of the multiple objections from parties, including the US Justice Department, lodged with the Federal Courts. The revised agreement will now be presented to the courts on November 9th with a final hearing scheduled for January 2010. Lawyers in the case have also requested the court allow any objections to the revised agreement for a limited period of time and that these objections be restricted to the new revised agreement.

It still all looks as certain as a house of playing cards staying up in a tornado and this one may well drag on well into 2010.

Comments

3 Comments

3 C O M M E N T S:

Michael W. said...: When I heard of Judge Chin's remarks, I told a number of friends that I smelled a political fix in progress, that this judge might have been bought by the promise of a move from a lowly district court position to the more prestigious Second Circuit's appeals court.

One of those I mentioned that to quickly informed me that my surmise was a reality. On October 6, Obama nominated Judge Chin to precisely the position I predicted, the Second Circuit Appeals Court.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/President-Obama-Nominates-Judge-Denny-Chin-for-United-States-Court-of-Appeals-for-the-Second-Circuit-Judge-O-Rogeriee-Thompson-for-United-States-Court-of-Appeals-for-the-F/

A few months ago, that would have meant little. Google thought it had the settlement in the bag. But an Oct 6 date is almost a perfect match for a political fix.

Google's contribution wasn't to discover. A quick search turn up the relevant data. Google CEO endorsed Obama and his company's employee's were the top donors to Obama's campaign in the Silicon Valley: $485,961. That compares to $20,600 from Google employees for McCain, a 24 to 1 ratio. Compare that to Cisco, with only a four to one ratio between the two candidates.

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/40037/118/

I suspect we're all about to get railroaded.; 7 October 2009 23:39
Mick Rooney said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8 October 2009 01:15
Mick Rooney said...: Michael W

Thanks for your comments and links.

You know it is interesting the points you make about all this. When I post a news item like this I try to just report and be entirely objective. Here, on comments, I feel I can call it as I personally see it.

Two weeks ago I would have said this thing was going to drag on for months, if not another years or so. Now, after today, I'm not so sure. I wasn't in the court today. But there is an odd air of 'what will be decided will be - and it 'ill all work out. Even some banter and court joviality in a matter, some weeks ago, which seemed about the life and death of authors and publishers rights.

Now, in spite of what I reported in the posting, there seems to be an air of 'thou shall be done - and less of all the fuss.

What troubled me most today was the potential limitations to the core objections to the Google Settlement and that the November court date will only now entertain objections based on the new 'revised' settlement - whatever that is going to be.

I feel the loud voices just a few weeks ago have somehow become muted. Is there something going on behind the scenes we are all missing. I for one am sure we are not getting the whole picture here and I sense a definite mood change or at the very least, a lack of earlier urgency and complete abhorrence about what Google were attempting to do.

Have I lost touch or interest or has every other interested party lost touch and interest.

Perhaps thy're all sleeping on todays events!; 8 October 2009 01:31