Another federal judge blasts Prenda Law over firm's handling of porn-downloading lawsuits
Blasted earlier this year by a federal judge in California over its handling of cases against alleged illegal downloaders of pornography, a Chicago-based law firm known for its mass copyright litigation has been blasted again by a federal judge in Minnesota.
In a blistering Wednesday opinion (PDF), Magistrate Judge Franklin Noel requires Prenda Law and the plaintiff company that brought the cases to reimburse four defendants the entire $3,500 to $6,000 settlements they paid, plus their attorney’s fees and costs, reports Ars Technica.
The judge also indicated that he expects to ask the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, the state attorney general and attorney disciplinary authorities to investigate what he describes as a fraud on the court, perpetrated in the form of fraudulent copyright assignments attached to complaints by plaintiff AF Holdings LLC.
The Prenda firm dissolved this summer, Ars Technica notes.
Popehat, which has covered the case extensively, discusses the factual findings made by Noel that led him to conclude the copyright assignments were fraudulent.
Techdirt also has a story.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Not a Star Trek fan? Former DOJ lawyer provides a guide to judge’s opinion blasting Prenda lawyers”
ABAJournal.com: “Judge boldly uses Star Trek references in opinion blasting lawyers who sued porn downloaders”
Updated at 1:40 p.m. to include information from Popehat post.
