Intellectual Property Law

Microsoft Sues 21 for Alleged Software Piracy -- Including Repeat Defendants

By Michael Atkins

Microsoft Corp. announced yesterday it filed 21 federal lawsuits against alleged software pirates. The suits are filed in Georgia, California, Massachusetts, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Oregon, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, and Washington. The Washington suits are against Twilight Computers of Burien and 1 Source Computer Solutions of Vancouver (complaint here).

Microsoft said that eight of the lawsuits are against companies with whom it previously settled. That’s a big deal if the defendants agreed to permanent injunctions, which I assume they did.

The company said at least some of the defendants loaded unlicensed or non-genuine software onto computer hard-disks and then sold the computers to unsuspecting customers.

As Microsoft put it: “These legal actions are about protecting Microsoft’s customers from falling victim to some dealers who operate a business model of peddling pirated and counterfeit software. Some companies previously involved in these lawsuits have discontinued their illegal business practices; others have not. The cases announced today are indicative of the need to ensure that dealers cease their illegal activity so that customers can be sure that they purchase genuine, fully licensed software.”

The Washington case cites are Microsoft Corp. v. Twilight Computers, No. 08-902 (W.D. Wash.) and Microsoft Corp. v. 1 Source Computer Solutions, No. 08-5368 (W.D. Wash.).

Full post as published by Seattle Trademark Lawyer on June 11, 2008 (boomark / email).