Arbitration fails in RIAA case against Jammie Thomas-Rasset
updated 01:15 pm EDT, Wed July 7, 2010
RIAA vs Thomas-Rassett case fails at arbitration
The now three-year old RIAA versus Jammie Thomas-Rasset case has resurfaced after a failed third attempt at arbitration. Music labels are complaining about having to cover the costs of the third meeting. The judge, Michael Davis, had ruled that an arbiter, or Special Master, oversee the meeting and the plaintiff (RIAA) cover his payment, at $400 per hour.
The RIAA disagreed that it should be made to pay for the Special Master just because it had more fiscal resources and effectively put an end to an attempt to a negotiated agreement. A fourth arbitration order from the judge is considered unlikely, and a third trial regarding the damages is scheduled for October 4.
The original trial dates back to 2007, where Thomas was accused and found guilty of illegally sharing 24 songs through Kazaa. She had originally been asked to pay near $2 million in a judgment against her but has since had that scaled back to $54,000. [via ArsTechnica]
