It's Official: LAT/WP vs Free Republic Settles

LAT/WP vs Free Republic ^ | June 19, 2002 | Jim Robinson

[Jim Robinson]

I just received official word that our settlement with the LAT/WP in their alleged copyright infringement and unfair competion suit against Free Republic (click Source link above for complete history of the case) is completely finalized with the court. I do not have a copy of the final order yet, but the basic terms are as follows:

• Unless we receive prior written permission on an article by article basis, Free Republic agrees to continue posting only excerpts (as allowed by fair use) and links from any of the LAT/WP or related publications.

• Free Republic agrees to remove all full text copies of any LAT/WP and related publications copyrighted articles from its archives and servers and to destroy all copies of same.

• Neither party is awarded any damages, attorney fees or costs except that Free Republic agrees to pay the Los Angeles Times $5,000 and the Washington Post $5,000 (these negotiated amounts have already been paid).

I will post the entire final order including the list of related publications as soon as I receive a copy and get it scanned in.

Well, my fingers are not cold and dead and my keyboard has not been ripped away. While this is not entirely a win for FR, neither is it a crushing defeat. Free Republic is alive and well and the fight against liberalism continues on. It's a crying shame that the hallowed words of the WP/LAT will no longer grace our pages, but, somehow, I am sure we will manage to live on without them.

And despite what our detractors may say, we have not committed any crimes or broken any laws and we have not admitted to any guilt. We have negotiated a mutual agreement and settlement with the LAT/WP and have agreed upon satisfactory terms for continuing forward without having to spend the rest of our lives in court.

Many thanks to all of you for your past and continuing support.

Regards.

Jim Robinson

[Jim Robinson]

Oops. That's not what I meant. The court did not rule in favor of our interpretation. The court ruled that we were not entitled to use the fair use defense. They claimed we are a commercial for profit site. We are not.

Jim

[MoJo2001]

Woohoo!! Congratulations Jim!! May Free Republic live on FOREVER!! WOOHOO! FREEPERS!!

[Bogie]

#3

Ditto!

[Reagan Man]

FreeRepublic LIVES!!!

Congrats Jim.

[sweetliberty]

"They claimed we are a commercial for profit site."

Based on what??? One of the glorious things about this site is the blessed absence of commercial enterprise. What morons!

Parsy, do you have an enlightened legal opinion as to how they can claim this is a commercial site?

[AppyPappy]

June is the cruelest month. I guess 9:30 has come and gone.

[trussell]

Thank you for the ping. That is certainly good news.

I understand it is getting so bad over in Durango, that the airplanes are having to rely on their navigational equipment to land. Trying to land by sight at the airport is impossible.

I am still praying for rain. Hope HE answers that prayer soon!

[Rebelbase]

The anti-freeps are going to have to go on Viagra just to be able to post after this gigantic letdown. What a bunch of pathetic parasites.

[HiJinx]

I think the two lovely ladies makes it worth posting.
And the guys are sorta good lookin', too, although I'm not usually a judge of guys' looks...
Whaddya say, Meekie?

[Drumbo]

Free Republic is alive and well and the fight against liberalism continues on.

This is a good thing - A very GOOD thing!

[doug from upland]

Oh, man. Eschoir is going to jump off a building. He lived for the destruction of FR. His life has no meaning. (Well, actually it didn't have meaning before so this won't be much of a change.)

[Cool Guy]

We just ate dinner and drank beer. That's all

What else can you do in Hooters? BTW, thanks for the pictures but can you put a name to the faces there? Thanks.

[Cool Guy]

LOL! Men can hold a whole celler :)

[BunnySlippers]

Congratulations, Jim. I know it's been a long, hard road to this point. Be proud of yourself for sticking to your guns.

[TLBSHOW]

ping

[SpookBrat]

I'm on the far left, my husband is behind me (he is not a FReeper). SassyMom is to your right (my left) and her husband Kneezles is behind her. "Meek the Sweet" is on the end in the white Dallas Cowboy T-shirt.

Meek is one of the nicest human beings I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He is a gracious, gentle, kind man. And he's a CONSERVATIVE!!! I'm crazy about him. "I'm your #1 fan" Meek. LOL

Sassy is a lovely woman also. She and I have become good friends. Her husband is a hoot and a total blast to hang out with. I miss them all very much. I won't get to see them for awhile. Sniff...

[Cool Guy]

Thanks for the names. So can you also tell me the names of the gals in the other thread? :P

[Carolina]

Hi, Doug. We need a ballad or something in honor of Jim.

[John Robinson]

Judge Morrow wrote in her final opinion that FreeRepublic was "minimally commercial" that it exhibits many non-profit-like qualities, but was none-the-less "minimally commercial." Couldn't tell you offhand why for sure and don't want to make unsure guesses on this thread.

If FreeRepublic did not have this "minimally commercial" distinction as written in her opinion, FreeRepublic would have probably won a second point of four used to assess fair use. FR easily won consideration for the character and nature of the work used, and easily lost the consideration for the amount of work reproduced. I forget what the other consideration was (there are four considerations in assessing fair use) but FR lost that as well. In short, it would have weighed much more favorably to have won 2 of 4 considerations (though it is anybody's guess how this Judge would have weighted such considerations.)

[rockfish59]

Awwwww....those poor purveyors of 'truth' and 'freedom of the depressed'

Good show!!