Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-cv-05922/USCOURTS-cand-3_16-cv-05922-1/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
John Doe
Defendant
Malibu Media, LLC
Plaintiff

Document Text:

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 107.199.204.150,

Defendant. /

No. C 16-05922 WHA

ORDER GRANTING EX PARTE

MOTION FOR LEAVE TO SERVE

THIRD-PARTY SUBPOENA PRIOR

TO RULE 26(f) CONFERENCE

Plaintiff, Malibu Media, LLC, alleges that it owns registered copyrights in various

pornographic films and that John Doe defendant directly infringed those copyrights by

distributing the films on the Internet using the above-captioned IP address. Malibu Media now

seeks leave to serve a subpoena on third-party AT&T Internet Services, in order to ascertain the

identity of the subscriber using that IP address prior to a Rule 26(f) conference. 

Malibu Media’s motion is hereby GRANTED. This is without prejudice to any motions

to quash or modify the subpoena that may be filed by any interested party, including AT&T or

the subscriber assigned to the IP address. Furthermore, the following limitations apply:

• The subpoena shall only request the actual name and address of the

subscriber to whom AT&T assigned the above-captioned IP address.

• The subpoena shall only seek the name and address of the subscriber for

the time frame from FOURTEEN DAYS BEFORE the date of the first alleged

infringing act to FOURTEEN DAYS AFTER the date of the last alleged

infringing act. 

• Malibu Media shall attach a copy of this order to the subpoena.

Case 3:16-cv-05922-WHA Document 12 Filed 02/02/17 Page 1 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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• Malibu Media may not use any information disclosed by AT&T for any

purpose other than protecting its rights as set forth in the complaint.

• AT&T shall, in turn, serve a copy of the subpoena and a copy of this

order on the subscriber within TWENTY-FOUR DAYS of the date of service

on AT&T.

• The return date on the subpoena shall be no less than FORTY-FIVE DAYS

from the date of service on AT&T. AT&T shall not disclose any

identifying information about defendant to Malibu Media prior to the

return date or, if a motion to quash or modify the subpoena is filed, prior

to the resolution of any motions to quash or modify the subpoena. 

Malibu Media must inform AT&T if any such motion is filed.

• Malibu Media shall not disclose defendant’s name, address, telephone

number, email, social media username, or any other identifying

information, other than defendant’s IP address, that it may subsequently

learn. All documents including defendant’s identifying information,

apart from his or her IP address, shall be filed under seal, with all such

information redacted on the public docket, unless and until the Court

orders otherwise and only after defendant has had an opportunity to

challenge the disclosure of any identifying information. Malibu Media

explicitly consented to the inclusion of such a protection in its motion.

• Unless otherwise provided, both sides may file under seal any of

defendant’s identifying information pursuant to this order, without

seeking further leave to file under seal. A version with all identifying

information redacted shall be filed on the public docket.

• Malibu Media must seek leave to serve subpoenas on any other Internet

service provider besides AT&T in this matter.

• Malibu Media shall have THIRTY-FIVE DAYS from the date on which it

receives defendant’s identifying information from AT&T (or, if later,

until the deadline set by Rule 4(m)). Any requests to extend that deadline

shall be made immediately as circumstances justifying the extension

arise, rather than at the last minute. Malibu Media must support

any assertion that defendant is dodging service with an affidavit

of non-service (to be filed under seal, with defendant’s identifying

information redacted on the public docket). Malibu Media shall please

file a notice informing the Court of the date on which it received

defendant’s identifying information no later than FIVE CALENDAR DAYS

after receiving that information.

• If Malibu Media learns, whether through subpoena response or other

communication, that defendant’s IP address was assigned to a physical

address outside this district, it shall, within 21 CALENDAR DAYS from the

date on which it learned that information, dismiss the action or SHOW

CAUSE why it should not be dismissed. 

Case 3:16-cv-05922-WHA Document 12 Filed 02/02/17 Page 2 of 3
United States District Court

For the Northern District of California

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Any motions relating to the subpoena or the protective order discussed above shall be

filed prior to the return date of the subpoena.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

Dated: February 1, 2017. WILLIAM ALSUP

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Case 3:16-cv-05922-WHA Document 12 Filed 02/02/17 Page 3 of 3