February 3 -- Judge
Marilyn Hall Patel questioned whether the record companies have
copyrights that apply to digital distribution of music, and said
she'd permit Napster to fish for evidence that the companies
collude.
February 20-- Judge Marilyn Hall Patel said she was
planning to allow an investigation into how the labels have accounted
for ownership of the songs they say have been stolen through
Napster. Patel also said she would open an investigation into
the issue of copyright misuse, or whether the labels have abused
their control of music copyrights.
February 22 -- Marilyn
Hall Patel ruled that the five major record labels must prove
they own thousands of music copyrights, and prove those copyrights
weren't used to monopolize and stifle the distribution of digital
music.
