Michael James Davis (Minnesota)

Michael James Davis

United States District Court for the District of Minnesota (senior status)

Tenure

2015 - Present

Years in position

9

Prior offices

United States District Court for the District of Minnesota

Education

Personal

Recording piracy lawsuit (2009-2010)

See also: United States District Court for the District of Minnesota (Capitol Records v. Thomas-Rasset, No.06‐1497(MJD/RLE))

In 2008, Judge Davis overturned a 2007 jury verdict that found Jammie Thomas-Rasset guilty of illegal music distribution and ordered her to pay six record companies a total of $222,000.^[7]

Judge Davis ordered a retrial that took place in June of 2009. In this trial, the jury also found Thomas-Rasset guilty and ordered her to pay a $1.92 million fine to the record companies, nine times the first ruling. On July 11, 2009, Ms. Thomas-Rasset filed an appeal to the District of Minnesota on the $1.92 million verdict calling the verdict "excessive". Attorneys for Ms. Thomas-Rasset urged Judge Davis to consider lowering the damages to $18,000, or $750 per song, which was the minimum available under the Copyright Act.^[7] In making the request, Thomas-Rasset's lawyers noted that their client "was a single mother who, at worst, downloaded and shared some music on Kazaa, music for which she had already lawfully purchased the CD's, without any hint at all of a commercial motive."^[7] In their motion, Thomas-Rasset's lawyers also asked Judge Davis to order a new trial.

In 2010, Judge Davis heard the case for the third time, at which time he lowered the amount to be paid out to $54,000.^[8] After the payment was reduced, a third trial was held in November of 2010, where Thomas-Rasset was again ordered to pay $1.92 million dollars. In July of 2011, Judge Davis again, reduced the amount to be paid to $54,000.^[9] In September of 2012, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the original fine of $222,000 was to be reinstated.^[10] In 2013, a writ of certiorari was denied by the Supreme Court of the United States.^[11]

1. ↑ Minnesota Lawyer, "Chief Judge Davis to assume senior status," December 30, 2014
2. ↑ United States Courts, "Current Judicial Vacancies," accessed July 3, 2015
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Judge Michael Davis Biography at the Federal Judicial Center
4. ↑ THOMAS, "Michael Davis USDC, MN confirmation: PN924-103," accessed August 3, 2015
5. ↑ St. Paul Pioneer-Press "Reps. Bachmann, Kind split over response to St. Croix bridge ruling," March 19, 2010
6. ↑ Bring Me the News, "Political leaders hail new St. Croix bridge at groundbreaking ceremony," May 28, 2013
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} PC World, "Music Piracy Verdict Appealed," July 11, 2009
8. ↑ Scribd.com, "Capitol Records v. Thomas-Rasset," accessed August 15, 2013
9. ↑ Archive.gov, "Capitol Records v. Thomas-Rasset," accessed August 15, 2013
10. ↑ United States Courts, "Capitol Records v. Thomas-Rasset," accessed August 15, 2013
11. ↑ Supreme Court of the United States, "Capitol Records v. Thomas-Rasset," accessed August 15, 2013