14 DAY TRIAL // Finally, for this weekend's beginning, a lawsuit-related piece of news. As it simply looks like 2007 will beyond any doubt become the "I will sue you"-year of the first decade of the 21st century, one more resounding complaint shakes the digital industry. After everybody suing Microsoft, everybody suing Apple Inc. and everybody suing the rest, one more blow to the 4 major, as far as the music industry is concerned.
AnywhereCD, a music sales web service built by Michael Robertson (founder of MP3.com as well) sues Warner Music Group (WMG) and it looks like there is trouble on the way. As the filed complaint specs, the legal action has been filed due to WMG's bad faith damaging statements regarding AnywhereCD breaking the terms of their contract and illegally selling music.
Now, it simply seems (in this very early stage) that WMG were not at all happy with AnywhereCD selling both CDs and MP3 files of the purchased albums... There is no surprise to this, as WMG is (as countless times I've said) one of the 4 major record companies behind the DRM-wars and in complete disagreement with unprotected music files sales. Even more, WMG and their fellow stand behind RIAA and all the piles of s**t RIAA puts up from time to time. It would have been quite abnormal for WMG to shut their hole up as "non-DRM MP3" was the headline.
Bad luck for the Warners as AnywhereCD hasn't hesitated one instant before they've decided to sue, seeking a declaratory judgement, repairing their damaged business image and ruling that contract they have which is still in full effect and last but not least, financial "damages arising out of Defendant's malicious and bad faith tortious interference with AnywhereCD's business and prospective business relations, defamation of AnywhereCD's business, trade libel and breach of contract".
I am not a lawyer, neither am I a judge, but this looks like serious allegations for WMG and I guess they won't get out that easy of this crap they crawled into by themselves. The 44th point of the filed complaint states that "AnywhereCD has been damaged in an amount to be determined at trial, together with punitive damages". Well, WMG, good luck with the DRM!
Stay tuned for more, soon!