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RIAA hits minor swap suit setback

A federal judge rules that the Recording Industry Association of America must file separate lawsuits for each anonymous "John Doe."

Headshot of John Borland
Headshot of John Borland
John Borland Staff Writer, CNET News.com
John Borland
covers the intersection of digital entertainment and broadband.
John Borland
A federal judge in Philadelphia ruled Friday that the Recording Industry Association of America must file separate lawsuits for each anonymous "John Doe" individual it is suing for file swapping.

Previously, the RIAA had bundled 203 individual cases, all of which involve Comcast as an Internet service provider, into a single suit filed in that court. Separating and refiling them will involve more time and money but will not substantially change the RIAA's legal arguments. Elsewhere, judges have allowed the RIAA's bundled suits to go ahead.