4 ms·

Google strikes back at Mississippi attorney general over MPAA subpoenas

46 points by robk 12y ago

sroerick 12y ago
Gosh, this really underscores the horrific irony of the MPAA claiming that their free speech is being stifled.
- RexRollman 12y ago
  It's also why I don't feel sorry for Sony.
vmarsy 12y ago
Did Google started this document when the leak was revealed only a week ago? The number of cases cited in the Table of Authorities [1] is impressive! Do Google's lawyers have some sort of Google Lawsuit search engine to find the relevant cases? [1] https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2746012/Google_v._Jim_Hood_-_Mem_of_Law_ISO_Motion_for_TRO_and_PI_-_filed.0.pdf https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2746012/G...
- dragonwriter 12y ago
  > Do Google's lawyers have some sort of Google Lawsuit search engine to find the relevant cases? I wouldn't be at all surprised if Google is dogfooding some kind of as-yet-internal-only tool of this kind, but most lawyers (and law students) have very powerful legal search tools (which are not at all cheap, because they involve not just algorithmic search -- though they include that -- but also quite a lot of expert human curation) for this purpose.
- RexRollman 12y ago
  Or someone just told them?
wglb 12y ago
See https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8772990 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8772990
defen 12y ago
I didn't know you could sue the AG. So, what happens if Google wins? What happens if they lose?
- dragonwriter 12y ago
  > I didn't know you could sue the AG. You can sue any person (any legal person, which includes both natural persons -- individual human beings -- and juridical persons like corporations, states, etc.) > So, what happens if Google wins? Well, what Google is asking for (and thus, what they would get in a complete win) is specified in the Prayer for Relief beginning on page 32 of the complaint [1]. > What happens if they lose? Essentially, they'd be in the same position they were before the suit. [1] http://www.scribd.com/doc/250574252/Google-v-Hood-complaint-121914#scribd http://www.scribd.com/doc/250574252/Google-v-Hood-complaint-...
  - defen 12y ago
    > You can sue any person Yeah, I guess the "in his official capacity" bit threw me. Obviously you could sue him if he e.g. caused you some personal injury due to his negligent behavior, but for some reason I thought government officials acting in an official capacity were immune from lawsuits.
    - dragonwriter 12y ago
      A suit against a government official "in his official capacity" is in effect a suit against the government, as represented by that official. > but for some reason I thought government officials acting in an official capacity were immune from lawsuits. They are, generally speaking, immune from personal liability for official acts. So, you can't get a damage award against the AG that he has to pay out of his pocket.

46 points by robk 12y ago

sroerick 12y ago

Gosh, this really underscores the horrific irony of the MPAA claiming that their free speech is being stifled.

RexRollman 12y ago
It's also why I don't feel sorry for Sony.

vmarsy 12y ago

Did Google started this document when the leak was revealed only a week ago? The number of cases cited in the Table of Authorities [1] is impressive! Do Google's lawyers have some sort of Google Lawsuit search engine to find the relevant cases? [1] https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2746012/Google_v._Jim_Hood_-_Mem_of_Law_ISO_Motion_for_TRO_and_PI_-_filed.0.pdf https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2746012/G...

dragonwriter 12y ago
> Do Google's lawyers have some sort of Google Lawsuit search engine to find the relevant cases? I wouldn't be at all surprised if Google is dogfooding some kind of as-yet-internal-only tool of this kind, but most lawyers (and law students) have very powerful legal search tools (which are not at all cheap, because they involve not just algorithmic search -- though they include that -- but also quite a lot of expert human curation) for this purpose.
RexRollman 12y ago
Or someone just told them?

wglb 12y ago

See https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8772990 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8772990

defen 12y ago

I didn't know you could sue the AG. So, what happens if Google wins? What happens if they lose?

dragonwriter 12y ago
> I didn't know you could sue the AG. You can sue any person (any legal person, which includes both natural persons -- individual human beings -- and juridical persons like corporations, states, etc.) > So, what happens if Google wins? Well, what Google is asking for (and thus, what they would get in a complete win) is specified in the Prayer for Relief beginning on page 32 of the complaint [1]. > What happens if they lose? Essentially, they'd be in the same position they were before the suit. [1] http://www.scribd.com/doc/250574252/Google-v-Hood-complaint-121914#scribd http://www.scribd.com/doc/250574252/Google-v-Hood-complaint-...
- defen 12y ago
  > You can sue any person Yeah, I guess the "in his official capacity" bit threw me. Obviously you could sue him if he e.g. caused you some personal injury due to his negligent behavior, but for some reason I thought government officials acting in an official capacity were immune from lawsuits.
  - dragonwriter 12y ago
    A suit against a government official "in his official capacity" is in effect a suit against the government, as represented by that official. > but for some reason I thought government officials acting in an official capacity were immune from lawsuits. They are, generally speaking, immune from personal liability for official acts. So, you can't get a damage award against the AG that he has to pay out of his pocket.