DoJ Calls for Rewrite of Google Deal

From Tom's Hardware: The U.S. Justice Department late last week urged the court overseeing the deal to reject the settlement in its current form, adding that the court should encourage the involved parties to renegotiate the terms of the settlement.

"As presently drafted, the Proposed Settlement does not meet the legal standards this Court must apply," the DOJ said according to CNet News. "This Court should reject the Proposed Settlement in its current form and encourage the parties to continue negotiations to modify it so as to comply with Rule 23 (a federal law governing class-action settlements) and the copyright and antitrust laws."

Despite its suggestion that parts of the settlement be rewritten, the filing from the Justice Department (via CNet) also recognizes the fact that a digital library could benefit society.

If Google and the Authors Guild decided to press ahead with the current version of the $125 million settlement, the court will decide the fate of the deal October 7 although any changes made would prolong the case even further.

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