In a significant legal development, a judge has been appointed to decide whether Google violated federal antitrust laws by monopolizing the technology behind online advertising. U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema made the decision on Friday, ruling against the Justice Department’s request for a jury trial.
The case, filed last year in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, centered around the government’s claim that Google’s anticompetitive conduct led to overcharging federal agencies for online ads. While the government sought monetary damages of less than $750,000, Google argued that it had already compensated the agencies, rendering the damages claim moot.
During a hearing in Alexandria, Justice Department lawyers contended that Google’s payment did not eliminate the need for a jury trial. However, Judge Brinkema sided with Google, stating that the amount of the payment covered the government’s initial claim. She likened the payment to “receiving a wheelbarrow of cash.”
In response to the ruling, Google issued a statement expressing satisfaction with the decision to have the case tried by a judge. The tech giant maintained that the case was meritless and aimed at unfairly influencing competition in the industry.
While Google also argued that the constitutional right to a jury trial does not apply to civil suits brought by the government, the government did not seek a ruling on that matter. The case is set to proceed with Judge Brinkema presiding over the proceedings.