US: Stubbornness pays off for Apple

After a bitter court dispute, Apple has reportedly earned a break in a federal appeals court Tuesday regarding its efforts to remove a court-appointed monitor from his position to oversee the company, say reports.

The monitor, lawyer Michael Bromwich, was appointed by US District Judge Denise Cote after Apple was found to have colluded to fix eBooks prices. Bromwich was hired to ensure Apple remains aligned with national antitrust law.

Apple filed complaints regarding Bromwich to Judge Cote, arguing he should be removed from his post for charging an excessive salary to the company and overstepping his boundaries to the point of disrupting Apple’s business operations. Judge Cote denied the request, ruling last week that Apple’s complaints regarding the monitor exemplified the very reason the company needs one.

But Apple appealed Judge Cote’s decision, a stubborn move that seems to have paid off – at least temporarily. Reports say the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in New York granted an “administrative stay” to Judge Cote’s order that appointed Bromwich as the external monitor. That stay will be in effect while Apple requests a longer halt to Bromwich’s services.

While the government has not opposed Apple’s request for an administrative stay, reports say the appeals court gave government officials until January 24 to file an opposition to the case.

Full Content: Reuters

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.