MS trial opponents allowed to share information

MS on Trial Microsoft had a bad day yesterday when federal Judge Janet Hall ruled in the district Court in Bridgeport, Connecticut that MS would not be granted any further delay in the case brought by Bristol Technologies. Bristol complains that Microsoft has anticompetitively manipulated access to Windows APIs, in contravention of the Sherman Act. That wasn't all however: the judge agreed that Bristol could share its information with the other organisations having an antitrust case against Microsoft -- and reciprocation is likely. Of great concern to Microsoft, quite apart from the merits of the case, is that it will be a jury trial, with selection starting on Thursday, and the trial beginning on 2 June. It is expected to last six to eight weeks, on preliminary estimates. Quite often litigants employ jury selection consultants who specialise in identifying jurors likely to be most advantageous to their client's case. In this instance, it is likely that the jury will favour Bristol as a local company, and the underdog. Of the current batch of cases against Microsoft, this one will probably be the first to decided. In the event that Microsoft loses, the decision is likely to have a severe ill-effect on the other ones. ® Complete Register trial coverage