Debbie Foster, the RIAA lawsuit defendant who successfully fought off against Capitol Records' allegations of infringement, has been awarded attorney's fees by Judge Lee R. West, who reaffirmed (PDF) his earlier decision that the RIAA was liable for Foster's fees -- possibly in the $50,000 range, from what I've heard. In the future, those who are wrongly sued by the RIAA will have apowerful precedent when planning their defense. Whether artists willeventually start asking their labels why they're spending so much of their moneysuing fans remains to be seen.
A little history on these fees... the RIAA evidently thought what it now owes Foster was excessive, so Foster's lawyer Marilyn Barringer Thomson demanded to see the RIAA's own legal bills. Judge West decided that the RIAA's fees would be kept secret by all involved, although Foster and her attorney had wanted the public to know how much of artists' and labels' money the RIAA spends on these lawsuits.
Still, the RIAA's efforts to make this case disappear have failed. As a result, it will have to be a lot more careful about who it sues in the future, which could itself add to the cost of bringing suits against music fans.
(via slashdot)
