FfLED15 t1AR'1515:45US[IC·ORP
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
DISTRICT OF OREGON
INRE:
COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT CASES StandingOrderNo.: 2016-7
INVOLVING PEER-TO-PEER
FILE-SHARING SOFTWARE AVAILABILITY OF PRO BONO
COUNSEL
PERSONS INVOLVED IN PEER-TO-PEER FILE-SHARING
COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT ACTIONS SHOULD
READ THIS ORDER CAREFULLY
WHEREAS:
A. Various plaintiffs have filed lawsuits in this Court to enforce their copyright in
various motion pictures. In each case, the plaintiff alleges that an unknown party, identified only
by an Internet Protocol ("IP") address, has copied and distributed their motion pictures without
their consent through a public BitTorrent or other file-sharing network.
B. In an effort to obtain the identity of the "subscriber"- namely, the person or other
entity to which an Internet Service Provider ("ISP") assigned the account associated with the
alleged infringing activity -plaintiffs have served the ISP with a formal legal document, called a
subpoena. In many instances the ISP will identify an individual person or company as the
subscriber who was assigned a particular IP address at the time of the accused download of the
motion picture. The subscriber may or may not be the same as the alleged infringer. In order to
find out whether the subscriber is an innocent third party (and whether the subscriber has
information that may help the plaintiff to identify the alleged infringer), plaintiffs request the
Court to enter Orders allowing them to take certain actions, such as issuing a subpoena to the
subscriber for a deposition.
1- STANDING ORDER
C. Notwithstanding contrary information available through the Internet, if a subscriber or
defendant ignores a Court Order, a subpoena seeking the subscriber's deposition, or a Sununons
and Complaint, then plaintiff may ask the Court for relief, including an award of attorney fees,
and possibly the entry of a default judgment for money damages.
D. Accordingly, it is important that subscribers and defendants seek proper legal advice
concerning their rights and obligations.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:
1. Subscribers and defendants are urged to consult an attorney as soon as possible. An
attorney may be found by contacting the Oregon State Bar's Lawyer Referral Service online at
www.oregonstatebar.org or by calling 503-684-3763 (in the Portland metropolitan area) or toll
free elsewhere in Oregon at 800-452-7636.
2. For those subscribers and defendants who cannot afford to hire an attorney, the Court
has established a panel of attorneys who are willing to provide assistance and advice at no charge
for up to three (3) hours. To obtain this free service, subscribers and defendants must contact the
following person and request appointment of counsel from the Court's Copyright Litigation
Panel:
NicoleT. Munoz, Pro Bono Panel Administrator
U.S. District Court, District of Oregon
740 U.S. Courthouse 11000 S.W. Third Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97204
Phone: (503) 326-80141 Fax: (503) 326-8010
Email:
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Done on behalf of the Court on this l,"·; day' of ' \\(,.' 1 L'·. , 2016.
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MICHAEL W. MOSM;\,N
CHIEF U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE
• This Order will be posted publicly on the District Court's web page at:
https://www.ord.uscourts.gov/index.php/court-info/standing-orders
2- STANDING ORDER
