A Microsoft Press Release
Court Stays Final Judgment,
Sends Microsoft Case to Supreme Court
WASHINGTON, D.C., June 20, 2000 -- U.S. District
Court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson today stayed all remedies
that he outlined in his final judgment on June 7 in the
government’s antitrust case against Microsoft, pending
resolution of the entire appeal.
As expected, Judge Jackson also granted the government’s
request that he certify the case for consideration by the U.S.
Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has complete discretion over
whether to accept the case, or to simply refer it to the normal
appeals process starting with the U.S. Court of Appeals. Microsoft
has argued that the large number of legal, factual and procedural
issues that will be part of the appeal mean that the case
clearly would benefit from review first by the Appeals Court.
“We're obviously very pleased that the District Court
has rejected the government's arguments and decided to stay the
entire judgment pending appeal,” said Microsoft spokesman
Mark Murray. “This action will allow the appeal to
go forward without unnecessary disruption to consumers and the high-tech
industry, and we are confident that the final judgment will be
reversed on appeal.”
Yesterday, the Appeals Court rejected a government argument
that it lacked jurisdiction in the Microsoft case, and instead
set a fast-paced schedule to consider Microsoft's motion to
stay the lower-court order restricting its conduct until the
company’s case could be reviewed on appeal. Judge Jackson’s
ruling today eliminates the need for the Appeals Court to
consider Microsoft’s motion for a stay.