Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-04289/USCOURTS-cand-3_15-cv-04289-2/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 820
Nature of Suit: Copyright
Cause of Action: 17:101 Copyright Infringement

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United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

MALIBU MEDIA, LLC,

Plaintiff,

 v.

JOHN DOE SUBSCRIBER ASSIGNED IP

ADDRESS 76.103.148.240,

Defendant. /

No. C 15-04289 WHA

ORDER GRANTING PRO SE

DEFENDANT’S REQUEST

TO MOVE TO QUASH

SUBPOENA ANONYMOUSLY

A prior order granted plaintiff’s motion for leave to serve a third-party subpoena on

Comcast Cable Communications, LLC, seeking the name and address of the subscriber assigned

to the IP address identified above (Dkt. No. 9). That order provided that any identifying

information about defendant must be filed under seal. Comcast has forwarded a motion by

mail from defendant, who is proceeding pro se. Defendant contends that he or she is not subject

to personal jurisdiction in the Northern District of California and seeks to proceed with the

litigation anonymously, that is, without disclosing his or her identifying information to Malibu

Media, at least until any motion to quash the subpoena can be resolved. If pro se defendant is

required to appear in this action in to file a motion to quash, any such motion will be moot. 

This order holds that pro se defendant may proceed without disclosing any identifying

information to Malibu Media until any motion to quash the subpoena is resolved. For the

Case 3:15-cv-04289-WHA Document 16 Filed 12/01/15 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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practical reason that the Court and the parties must receive relevant pleadings and orders, this

protection must be subject to the following procedures: 

1. Plaintiff shall please SERVE this order on Comcast, and Comcast

shall please forward a copy of this order to the subscriber assigned

the above-captioned IP address. The Clerk shall also please mail a

copy of this order to the return address on the envelope that

contained defendant’s motion (Dkt. No. 13).

2. By DECEMBER 17, defendant may move to quash the subpoena by

following the Court’s procedure for manual filing. Defendant may

continue to use the pseudonym, “John Doe.”

3. Defendant shall please also include a separate notice indicating his

or her name and an address at which he or she may receive process. 

Defendant may file an ex parte motion to file that document under

seal in accordance with Civil L.R. 79-5. 

4. To the extent defendant’s motion to quash relies on evidence that

contains identifying information, defendant may file an ex parte

motion to file the portions of any declarations or exhibits containing

such exhibits under seal pursuant to Civil L.R. 79-5. Any evidence

submitted in support of defendant’s motion to quash that contains

identifying information shall be reviewed in camera (that is, only

visible to the Court). 

5. The Court will serve any other filings, including orders and

plaintiff’s pleadings, on defendant at the address provided pursuant

to Paragraph 3 above.

6. Comcast shall not respond to the subpoena in this action until

further ordered by the Court.

If defendant’s motion to quash is denied, he or she may continue litigate the case on the

merits under the pseudonym “John Doe,” and any identifying information shall be redacted on

the public docket, although Malibu Media will, of course, be entitled to the subpoenaed

information at that time. As provided in the prior order, Malibu Media shall not use any

identifying information obtained in this action except to prosecute the claims as stated in its

complaint, nor may it disclose any such information. 

Finally, defendant is concerned that plaintiff may engage in a “shake-down campaign” if

his or her information is disclosed. It is plaintiff’s stated practice never to initiate settlement

discussions. Nevertheless, as a prophylactic measure, plaintiff is hereby ORDERED not to

Case 3:15-cv-04289-WHA Document 16 Filed 12/01/15 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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engage in settlement discussions of any kind unless and until defendant explicitly states that he

or she is interested in settling this matter.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: November 30, 2015. 

WILLIAM ALSUP

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:15-cv-04289-WHA Document 16 Filed 12/01/15 Page 3 of 3