Read DIRECTV, Inc. v. Rawlins, 06-1430

In a suit by a satellite television provider against a purchaser of illegal decryption devices, denial of statutory damages under the Wiretap Act is vacated and remanded where: 1) a district court's discretion to award or not award damages under the Wiretap Act is not restricted to those cases involving de minimis violations; and 2) the district court abused its discretion by failing to apply the appropriate factors for a violation of the Wiretap Act.

Appellate Information

• Argued 12/07/2007
• Decided 04/21/2008
• Published 04/21/2008

Judges

• Before DUNCAN, Circuit Judge, HAMILTON, Senior Circuit Judge, and CATHERINE C. BLAKE, United States District Judge for the District of Maryland, sitting by designation.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Howard Robert Rubin, Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal, L.L.P., Washington, D.C., for Appellant.  Ray Martin Kline, Raleigh, North Carolina, for Appellee.   ON BRIEF:  Samuel Bryant Davidoff, Sonnenschein, Nath & Rosenthal, L.L.P., Washington, D.C., for Appellant.