Iowa Lawsuit Brings Claims of New Evidence

Published: January 24, 2007

by Alex Woodie

A new development in the state's antitrust case against Microsoft suggests there may be evidence the software giant conspired to hurt competitors by hiding crucial APIs.

According to an Associated Press article published last week, attorneys representing Iowans in the class action case claim have information that proves Microsoft violated the Department of Justice's landmark 2002 decision against the software giant.

Roxanne Conlin, the plaintiff's attorney, asked the judge in the case for permission to disclose proof that Microsoft hid the APIs to the Justice Department, and the Justice Department has agreed to review the information, the AP said.

A Microsoft spokesman expressed doubt that the attorney had any new information. Microsoft appears before a federal court quarterly, and was deemed to be complying with the 2002 ruling at the most recent review last month.

Microsoft has settled with many of the states involved in the class action lawsuit, including Arizona, California, Florida, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, Nebraska, North Dakota, North Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.

The case brought by Iowa went to trial in December. Plaintiffs in the state say they overpaid $300 million on software from 2002 to 2006 as a result of Microsoft's anticompetitive behavior.

In December, Microsoft issued a statement saying Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and CEO Steve Ballmer will go to Iowa to testify in the trial.

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