From: wixer!pacoid@cactus.org (Paco Xander Nathan)
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 93 18:28:45 PST
To: fringeware@wixer.cactus.org
Subject: We have a verdict. (fwd)
Message-ID: <9303150755.AA27651@wixer>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


For Lists That Care About Computer Privacy:

In case you didn't catch this elsewheres..  I've been covering the
SJG vs. SS trial for certain magazines.  Hopefully you'll be able
to read soon an in-depth, first hand account of the fiasco our paid 
officials attempted to conduct during the SS trial.

The bueno news is that individuals and small companies can actually 
sue the US Fed govt for privacy violations, and win.

Judge Sparks didn't give a whole lot of airplay to the *damages*
sustained, but this is an important step forward.  The flood 
gates are opened..

pxn.
----

Forwarded message:
> From cs.utexas.edu!tic.com!sjackson@cactus.org  Sun Mar 14 16:25:06 1993
> Date: Sun, 14 Mar 93 15:05:19 -0600
> From: tic.com!sjackson@cactus.org (Steve Jackson)
> Message-Id: <9303142105.AA17568@aahsa.tic.com>
> To: ...
> Subject: We have a verdict.
> 
> We won.
>  
> Pete Kennedy, our attorney at George, Donaldson & Ford, called me
> with the news about 3:30 today. Apparently the decision came in late
> Friday while Pete was at the CFP.
>  
> The judge ruled for us on both the PPA and ECPA, though he says that
> taking the computer out the door was not an "interception." (I have not
> read the decision yet, so no quotes here.)
>  
> He awarded damages of $1,000 per plaintiff under the ECPA.
>  
> Under the PPA, he awarded SJ Games $42,259 for lost profits in 1990, and
> out of pocket costs of $8,781.
>  
> Our attorneys are also entitled to submit a request for their costs.
>  
> No word on appeal yet.
>  
> Look for a more complete and coherent account after we all read
> the decision.
>  
> Please copy this announcement to all electronic and other media.
>  
> Thanks for your support through all this!