LAS VEGAS, NV—In response to a request by file locker service Oron.com that it be allowed to access $375,000 from accounts frozen by Judge Gloria M. Navarro in Liberty Media v FF Magnat to pay for legal expenses in the case and ongoing operating expenses, the judge has issued an order saying that a hundred grand will do.
"Defendant requests for this Court to unfreeze €300,000 (approximately $375,000 U.S. dollars) from its PayPal account so that it may pay legal fees to defend itself in this action and in a related action brought by Plaintiff Liberty Media Holdings, LLC in Hong Kong, as well as pay certain limited business expenses that are necessary to keep operating," Navarro wrote. "However, Defendants do not provide any itemization or accounting for the Court to consider in making its determination if the amount requested is reasonable. Therefore, the Court authorizes $100,000 U.S. dollars to be released from Defendant’s PayPal account."
Navarro also said a subsequent motion for additional funds could be filed, but added that "the Court will only consider such a motion if it is accompanied by an itemization specifying which funds are requested and for what purpose. This request should be accompanied by an affidavit verifying the amounts requested, their current location and their intended use."
In addition, Navarro is allowing Oron to access funds from its Hong Kong accounts for a similar copyright infringement suit filed in that jurisdiction, "as authorized by the Hong Kong Court to pay its legal fees and business expenses."
Because of the allowance to withdraw funds, the court denied Oron's alternative request to advance the preliminary injunction hearing to June 29, but agreed to extend it by one week from the previous July 3 date to July 10 at 2:30 p.m. before Navarro, in courtroom 7D of the Lloyd D. George United States Courthouse, 333 Las Vegas Boulevard, South, Las Vegas.
The briefing scheduled also was altered, giving the defendants until July 3 at 5pm to file answering papers, and the plaintiff until July 9 at noon to reply.
The order can be accessed here.
