Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Richard Gabriel appointed to serve as judge in Colorado appeals court starting in July

We have just learned that Richard L. Gabriel, the lawyer heading up the RIAA's litigation campaign, has been appointed as a state court, Court of Appeals, judge, in Colorado, effective July 1st.

Press release May 1, 2008



Commentary & discussion:

p2pnet.net
Legal Blog Watch
Slashdot
p2pnet.net (5/10)





Keywords: digital copyright law online internet law legal download upload peer to peer p2p file sharing filesharing music movies indie independent label freeculture creative commons pop/rock artists riaa independent mp3 cd favorite songs intellectual property

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, as tricky Dickie said,
"You won't have me to kick around anymore".

Poor Ray, what are you going to do?

The salary is $124k. Maybe he wasn't all that successful as a litigator. In any case, it would appear that you ran him out of town. Don't forget to send him a congradulatory note!

Kip Patterson

Anonymous said...

I have negative warm fuzzies for HRO and their shady attorneys. Yet still, gotta wish ol' Richard a bon voyage and good luck.

Mr. Reynolds... you are up.

- Funster

raybeckerman said...

I'm sure he was doing very well financially, taking in millions upon millions of dollars.

But on a professional level they were losing under his leadership, and he leaves at a time when a lot is about to hit the fan over the unlicensed investigations, the serial commencement of frivolous lawsuits, the deliberate misjoinder, the misstatements to justify ex parte procedures, the computer fraud and abuse, the advancement of frivolous and unsupportable legal theories, etc.

He is smart to get out now, before the Rule 11 holdings come down.

Since he personally has been arguing every single important motion, and personally tried their one trial, it will be of interest to see whether his firm stays in as national counsel, or whether the RIAA moves on yet again to a fourth firm serving as its "national counsel".

John said...

Just hope he never presides over an RIAA case. Given his past actions, it seems unlikely he'd even think of recusing himself.

raybeckerman said...

Copyright cases are only in federal court. He will be in state court.

Jadeic said...

I would like to think that this puts him out of harm's way but I somehow doubt it.

John said...

Ah, thank you for the clarification, Ray. I thought they were held in whatever state the alleged infringement allegedly took place in.

Anonymous said...

Are private investigators required to have a license in Colorado?

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...what happens when a state court judge is hit with rule 11 sanctions from a case he worked on before his appointment? I'd really, really like to find out.

Scott said...

Let's hope that Mr. Gabriel left out of conscience and not out of expedience. If it's the latter, then he could be a menace as a judge.