A federal judge in Albany, N.Y., has granted a temporary reprieve to Madster, an online file-sharing system being sued for copyright infringement by the entertainment industry.
The major record companies, music publishers and Hollywood studios accuse Madster, formerly known as Aimster, of enabling wide-scale piracy.
While that case is pending in federal court in Chicago, a federal court in New York is handling a bankruptcy petition filed by Troy, N.Y.-based Madster's creator, John Deep.
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Tuesday January 07, 2003 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 7 inches; 262 words Type of Material: Correction
Copyright-infringement suit -- An article in Monday's Business section about the Madster online file-sharing service misstated the effect of a Jan. 3 order by a federal judge in Albany, N.Y. U.S. District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn placed a temporary hold on the copyright-infringement lawsuit against Madster that is being heard in federal court in Chicago. The order doesn't lift a preliminary injunction issued in the Chicago case by U.S. District Judge Marvin E. Aspen. Instead, it bars any further action in the lawsuit, maintaining a legal status quo at least until a hearing Thursday in Kahn's court.
On Dec. 2, U.S. District Judge Marvin E. Aspen in Chicago ordered Deep to stop all copyright infringements by Madster while the lawsuit was pending. But U.S. District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn in Albany suspended Aspen's order Friday, citing the potential damage to Madster's creditors. He also scheduled a hearing for Thursday on the issue.
The latest order allows Deep to distribute Madster's software again. But Deep said in an interview that he wouldn't take any action before Thursday's hearing.
*
-- Jon Healey
