Defendant Wins Vs RIAA

A defendant in a lawsuit filed by the RIAA has won a payout from the music organization for her court battle over file sharing, the Electronic Frontier Foundation reports. Judge Lee West has ruled that the RIAA must compensate the target of its suit, Oklahoma resident Debbie Foster, for all her attorneys' fees. West justified his decision by pointing out that Foster was essentially bullied by the music labels, which had demanded that the Oklahoma woman pay a settlement or else face a potentially crushing legal struggle.

The judge had already ruled in favor of Foster last year after it was learned that the RIAA had only obtained an IP address associated with her account. West further condemned the organization's tactics by highlighting Foster's inexperience, saying that she "does not know Kazaa from a kazoo."

The ruling could represent an end to the RIAA's frequent lawsuits against alleged music pirates by eliminating the financial incentive for the organization to sue without definite proof. Many have accused the RIAA of trying to conduct an intimidation campaign by making it financially impractical to challenge its claims.

By Electronista Staff