ThomasMore
06-29-2001, 12:18 AM
The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit reversed the antitrust judgment against Microsoft in part, finding that although Microsoft had violated antitrust laws, it should not be broken up.
It further severely rebuked U.S. District Court judge Thomas Penfield Jackson for creating the appearance of partiality by speaking critically of one of the parties before him, during the pendency of the case.
Per the Decision of the Circuit Court of Appeals: <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>[T]he trial judge engaged in impermissible ex parte contacts by holding secret interviews with members of the media and made numerous offensive comments about Microsoft officials in public statements outside of the courtroom, giving rise to an appearance of partiality. Although we find no evidence of actual bias, we hold that the actions of the trial judge seriously tainted the proceedings before the District Court and called into question the integrity of the judicial process.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
To read the story, link to:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,28364,00.html
To read the actual ruling, link to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (a PDF file):
http://msft.cadc.uscourts.gov/cadc/00-5212a.pdf
It further severely rebuked U.S. District Court judge Thomas Penfield Jackson for creating the appearance of partiality by speaking critically of one of the parties before him, during the pendency of the case.
Per the Decision of the Circuit Court of Appeals: <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>[T]he trial judge engaged in impermissible ex parte contacts by holding secret interviews with members of the media and made numerous offensive comments about Microsoft officials in public statements outside of the courtroom, giving rise to an appearance of partiality. Although we find no evidence of actual bias, we hold that the actions of the trial judge seriously tainted the proceedings before the District Court and called into question the integrity of the judicial process.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
To read the story, link to:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,28364,00.html
To read the actual ruling, link to the Circuit Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit (a PDF file):
http://msft.cadc.uscourts.gov/cadc/00-5212a.pdf