Microsoft Seeks Dismissal Of Class-Action Suits

Microsoft Corp. has reportedly asked
the federal judge charged with consolidating all the third-party
antitrust lawsuits against the company to summarily dismiss them due
to lack of standing.

An Associated Press report today said the software giant filed a
40-page document in US District Court in Baltimore, which argues that
because consumers purchase Microsoft operating systems through their
computer manufacturers or retailers, antitrust law does not apply.
The company asked Judge J. Frederick Motz to dismiss or summarily
rule in Microsoft's favor in 62 class-action cases, most of which
were brought following the ruling by US District Judge Thomas
Penfield Jackson in Washington that the company violated federal
antitrust laws.

The report noted that Microsoft has launched an appeal against
Jackson's ruling and his order to split the company into two separate
entities. The US Supreme Court is slated to decide this fall whether
to hear the company's appeal or to first send it to the US Court of
Appeals. The AP report added that under federal law, which also
applies to a number of state courts, consumers must buy products
directly from the alleged monopolist in order to collect damages in
an antitrust case.

Reported By Newsbytes.com, http://www.newsbytes.com.