Thread: Anybody ever heard anything about this?

So i get a call from my sister today and she is freaking the hell out. Apparently she received a certified letter from a law firm in Washington D.C. that stated a company they represent (Achte-Nuente or some shit like that) is suing her because they saw her IP address linked to downloading an independent movie "Far Cry". Her husband did start to download it, but stopped it and deleted it long before it was finished because it was taking too long. Now she has to file a motion, within 30 days, to protect her identity or her ISP, Time Warner, has to hand over all of her information (name, date of birth, social security number....everything!). She also has to hand over her computer to be searched. And even if she files the motion, the court, in Washington fucking D.C. no less, can still deny it and force Time Warner to hand the information over. So has anyone here ever heard of some shit like this?! They never finished downloading it and it isnt on their computer, so can they really continue a lawsuit? I could think about killing someone and even start saving the money to buy a gun. But if i don't buy the gun and don't through with it you cant fucking arrest me for murder! So what do you law guys here at TPG think about this?!

I think that she should contact a lawyer.

Well she is trying to hold off on that right now because she really doesn't have the money to afford one. Granted if she has to she will, but she is going to call Time Warner and talk to them about what they should do because they have dealt with this kind of situation before.

Originally Posted by moving-target

fuckin ri double assholes but i dont think they would do her anything over 1 movie sounds like another case of them trying to make an example out of people

That's exactly what it is. I personally think its just a scare tactic.

I think the question you need to be asking is why the hell your brother-in-law was downloading a Uwe Boll movie in the first place.

All jokes aside, as fucked up as this sounds, I'd start preparing for at least a few court appearances. There are a lot of movements to get this sort of thing declared illegal and unconstitutional, but for now, you can expect to be legally dragged into legal proceedings no matter how much of a public outcry your ISP puts up.

Originally Posted by moving-target

dunno if this helps quick google search

Achte-Neunte v. Does | Electronic Frontier Foundation


EFF has asked judges in Washington, D.C., to quash subpoenas issued in predatory lawsuits aimed at movie downloaders, arguing in friend-of-the court briefs that the cases, which together target several thousand BitTorrent users, flout legal safeguards for protecting individuals' rights. Public Citizen and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation joined EFF on the briefs.
The lawsuits are the brainchild of a Washington, D.C., law firm calling itself the "U.S. Copyright Group" (USCG). USCG investigators have identified IP addresses they allege are associated with the unauthorized downloading of independent films, including "Far Cry" and "The Hurt Locker." As of June 2010, USCG has filed seven "John Doe" lawsuits in D.C., implicating well over 14,000 individuals, and has issued subpoenas to ISPs seeking the names and addresses of the subscribers associated with those IP addresses. Several ISPs have complied, but Time Warner Cable moved to quash the three subpoenas it received, arguing that USCG is abusing the discovery process.
In briefs filed in support of the cable giant, EFF says the John Doe defendants are being deprived of a fair chance to defend themselves by the strategies adopted by the USCG.

EFF Offers New Help for Targets of Predatory Copyright Infringement Lawsuits

Yeah my sister went to this website and was checking it out. Shes going to call Time Warner today and see what she should do. But again, they never actually finished downloading it and its not on her computer. I think they are just trying to scare a settlement out of her. Either way its complete bullshit.