From: [s--s] at [oz.plymouth.edu] (Steffan O'Sullivan)
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp.misc,rec.games.board,comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: SJG wins lawsuit vs SS!
Date: 14 Mar 93 22:17:43 GMT

I just got a call from our lawyer in the SJG vs. SS court case - we
won!  The judge issued a 26-page judgment, which I haven't seen yet,
but apparently castigates the Secret Service some more.  Judge Sparks
ruled that the SS violated the Privacy Protection Act, and awarded SJG
just over $50,000 in damages.  The judge also ruled they violated the
Electronic Communications Protection (or is that Privacy?) Act, and the
standard fine of $1,000 each is awarded to the co-plaintiffs.

However, the judge did not rule it was an interception, taking a very
narrow definition of interception as being cotemporaneous.  I don't
know how the EFF will feel about that one . . .

We also don't know if they'll appeal.  The damages awarded are fairly
low, so they may not; but the legal issues may bother them enough to
appeal.  We'll see.  I forgot to ask how many days they have to file an
appeal - anybody know?

More news later - the lawyer will send me a copy of the brief this
week.  I may not post my own views any further if others, such as Joe
Abernathy, Paco Xander Nathan or Shari Steele come through with some
more law-knowledgable posts - watch comp.org.eff.news for an EFF
bulletin.  (I'll port any post there to the rec.games boards.)

-- 
  - Steffan O'Sullivan		         [s--s] at [oz.plymouth.edu]