Ray Beckerman

Member since: Aug 13th, 2006

Ray Beckerman's Latest Comments

Blog Activity

Blog	# of Comments
Download Squad	2 Comments
The Digital Music Weblog	7 Comments

Recent Comments:

An open response to an IFPI board member (Download Squad)

Jun 18th 2007 12:42PM I truly doubt that pediculide is a song writer.

Downloader fights back against RIAA (Download Squad)

Feb 1st 2007 2:17PM I'm not a "piracy defense" lawyer. Piracy has a specific meaning in copyright law, and the RIAA v. consumer cases have nothing whatsoever to do with piracy.

Congratulations to the RIAA legal team (The Digital Music Weblog)

Dec 11th 2006 9:52PM Fantastic, Grant. I loved it!!! Couldn't have been said better. I think you could have a great future in (a) entertainment or (b) the law.

RIAA Lawsuit Roundup (The Digital Music Weblog)

Nov 26th 2006 10:22AM Ms. Lindor's son's computer can have no effect whatsoever on the RIAA's case against Ms. Lindor, a non-computer-user. Which is what makes this so reprehensible. The RIAA is merely trying to abuse the subpoena power that goes with having a pending case.

RIAA Asks for Blanket Gag Order (The Digital Music Weblog)

Sep 5th 2006 9:00AM Thanks for your kind words, Grant.

The key is first amendment, which means we're not talking about Ms. Lindor's rights, but the public's rights, which means we will need some help from the media here, to show the public interest.

Meanwhile, we've won the first round. The judge agreed with us that it would be wrong to do a blanket, advance confidentiality order. The RIAA will have to make its application on a transcript-by-transcript basis.

I hope that the press intervenes.

RIAA tries for uneven playing field in UMG vs. Lindor (The Digital Music Weblog)

Aug 29th 2006 3:37PM 1 correction and 1 update.

Correction: it's not an expert witness, it's fact witness.

Update: the magistrate said no to the RIAA, either (a) you pay Mr. Beckerman $500 so he can fly to LA, or (b)
if you do it by videoconference, you stay in Denver if Mr. Beckerman is in NY.

http://www.ilrweb.com/viewILRPDF.asp?filename=umg_lindor_060828OrderRML

The RIAA vs. John Doe, a layperson's guide to filesharing lawsuits (The Digital Music Weblog)

Aug 13th 2006 10:23AM My link didn't publish. By "here" I meant:
http://info.riaalawsuits.us/documents.htm

The RIAA vs. John Doe, a layperson's guide to filesharing lawsuits (The Digital Music Weblog)

Aug 13th 2006 10:21AM baxko writes : "I realize that the $750/song is high, but how is it unconstitutional?"The courts have held that where the punitive portion of the damages vastly exceeds the actual damages sustained, it is a violation of due process. If you want to understand it, read the UMG v. Lindor motion papers here, and the authorities cited.

The RIAA vs. John Doe, a layperson's guide to filesharing lawsuits (The Digital Music Weblog)

Aug 13th 2006 10:13AM Thanks for your kind words, Grant (except of course for the part about the bread sandwich... I don't think it's as dry as all that).
As I'm sure you understand, the purpose of my blog is to collect solid information and facts. I think this is a very important project, because the RIAA has detailed knowledge of all 20,000 cases, while defendants' lawyers have almost no information. This is why I started my blog, and it is its primary purpose: to give solid, detailed information of what is going on in these cases.
My piece "How the RIAA Litigation Process Works" is intended to be a summary of what is going on, and is not intended to be a substitute for reading the legal documents themselves.It is not intended to be advice to people who are being sued. That is something that I only feel comfortable doing when I know all the facts, and know something about the person I am speaking with.The one piece of advice I can give people, and it's the same advice you give, is to try to find a decent lawyer in your area with whom you can speak.But as to providing good options for people, I have never been able to come up with a good option for anyone. The only options that present themselves are (a) pay an extortionate settlement and sign an improper one-sided settlement agreement, (b) pay lots of money to a lawyer to fight back, and pray the court might reimburse you at the end for all or part of your legal fees, (c) defend yourself in court, which for most people is a very difficult and anxiety-provoking activity, and (d) defend yourself in court with a lawyer advising you, which is less difficult and anxiety-provoking than doing it all by yourself, and less expensive than having a lawyer representing you, but is still difficult and anxiety-provoking, and which still costs money.
At any rate, thank you for your continued coverage of, and interest in, this dark chapter in American legal history.