Who Wants To Own Righthaven.com? Domain Seized, About To Be Auctioned

from the start-the-bidding dept

Thu, Dec 22nd 2011 12:18pm — Mike Masnick

The latest in the continuing Righthaven saga is that as part of the efforts by the court to hand over Righthaven assets to satisfy the court order for Righthaven to pay legal fees in the Hoehn case, the righthaven.com domain has been seized and will be auctioned off. While the domain is currently listed as being in the possession of Hoehn's lawyer, Marc Randazza, Randazza says that it's actually been given to the court-appointed receiver, Lara Pearson, who is planning to auction it off. According to Vegas Inc.:

Pearson added Thursday, �If all goes well, I intend to put the domain name up for auction before the holiday break begins tomorrow, though I have not yet made a firm decision as to where the domain will be auctioned.�

So, get out your checkbooks if you'd like to own a piece of copyright trolling history...

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Filed Under: assets, attorneys fees, copyright, hoehn, marc randazza, steve gibson
Companies: righthaven

38 Comments

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xenomancer (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 11:33am

Much as I would enjoy enshrining the downfall of Righthaven with a historical record pointed to by their previously owned domain name, I have far more important things to do (like not read the content they were "protecting"). Honestly, rebranding the Righthaven name is almost a lost cause at this point. Purchasing the domain name would almost have to be a historical or humorous pursuit.
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- Chronno S. Trigger (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 12:39pm
  
  Re:
  I'd do it just for shits and giggles (but somehow I don't think I have the kind of money needed). I'd setup a redirect to a "Righthaven" search on Techdirt.
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- Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 3:24pm
  
  Someone will probably turn it into a porn site.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 8:42pm
    
    Re:
    Hopefully said pornsite will be a mirror of meatspin.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 12:31pm

I'd bid a dollar and build it into a torrent search site.
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- Hephaestus (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 1:51pm
  
  Re:
  I was thinking the same thing. Then I realized pointing it at TPB would be funnier.
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  - That Anonymous Coward (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 4:25pm
    
    Re: Re:
    You miss an even more wonderful use of the site, use it as a clearing house of information about all of the copyright trolls shaking people down in porn cases. Randazza is very active in these cases, and writes some amazingly wrong threat letters, trying to use fear of being outed or your neighbors being told they think you downloaded gay porn to get paid.
    
    This would be a much better use.
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    - sophisticatedjanedoe (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 5:21pm
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Indeed. I wouldn't mind to have this domain redirected to my site. Randazza will be happy.
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- Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 6:19pm
  
  Re:
  This was the very first thing I thought about as well.
  
  Maybe the piratebay guys want another domain?
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:Lobo Santo (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 12:35pm

The power or mis(re)direction!
One could always purchase aforementioned domain and have it bounce to somewhere else: shillforhire.com or somesuch.

Edit: Just checked, shillforhire.com is also available!
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Bob 5k, 22 Dec 2011 @ 12:41pm

If only...
...I had the sort of free time and excess $$$ to do something really fun with this...
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Ima Fish (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 12:43pm

If I were rich, I'd buy it to host a flash game where you rack up points stealing Corvettes.
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- Mike C. (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 3:25pm
  
  Re:
  Good idea, but I think you should only get points if you DOWNLOAD a Corvette....
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 12:43pm

This is how seizures should happen. First the trial, then the seizure (if appropriate).
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- Joe Publius (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 2:23pm
  
  Re:
  But I want to seize it now!
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- mike allen (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 11:53pm
  
  Re:
  I love the irony the only site seized with due process is a copyright trolls site a pro IP and maybe a SOPA supporter.
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AdamBv1 (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 12:56pm

Somebody should start a kickstarter project to buy the domain and turn it into a monument to stupidity.
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vilain (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 12:59pm

import the assets
I did a little victory dance when an owner of a property that illegally went into foreclosure sued the bank that did the robosigning. He won a judgement against them and made every attempt to contact them for funds. So he showed up at their offices with a moving van, court order, and sheriff's deputies. It took the bank president 5 minutes to make out a cashier's check for the amount of the settlement plus the cost of the van, court costs and the sheriff's time. It made the papers and was on the AP.

I'd love to see this happen with Righthaven's CEO. The asset of Righthaven hauled away in a van along with their cars and the contents of their house.
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- :Lobo Santo (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 1:02pm
  
  Re: import the assets
  Link? (please)
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  - Berenerd (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 1:15pm
    
    Re: Re: import the assets
    http://www.newser.com/story/120157/bank-of-america-pays-debt-to-couple-when-threatened-with-furnitur e-repossession.html
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- Vidiot (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 2:10pm
  
  Re: import the assets
  Or maybe the assets of Righthaven hauled away in a paper grocery bag. Remember, they claim to be impoverished...
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  - The Devil's Coachman (profile), 23 Dec 2011 @ 7:24am
    
    Re: Re: import the assets
    How about the staff of Righthaven hauled away in a paper grocery bag? All nicely ground up and cryovac packaged. Should keep the stench down for a while.
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Beefcake (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 12:59pm

Someone should buy it and put up a poll to determine what to do with it, ala Mark Ecko with the Bond's home run ball.
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perkata, 22 Dec 2011 @ 1:03pm

What about the folks Righthaven was working for
Can't they go after the people who "sold" Righthaven it IP it claimed to be suing to protect? I don't see how they can be held blameless.
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- :Lobo Santo (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 1:16pm
  
  Re: What about the folks Righthaven was working for
  The puppeteers have already pulled their hands out--it's only the Righthaven puppets which are going down. That's how it works.
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- Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 1:30pm
  
  Re: What about the folks Righthaven was working for
  That's the whole reason Righthaven existed. So that when shit hit the fan, they would be liable and no one else.
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  - Joe Publius (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 2:28pm
    
    Re: Re: What about the folks Righthaven was working for
    That's the whole reason Righthaven existed. So that when shit hit the fan, they would be liable and no one else.
    
    That's right folks, when we bring up third party liability, we're protecting criminals, when they do it, it's good business sense!
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 1:23pm

Let's see, do I want to intentionally buy a domain name that is funcationally identical to a company that's notorious for being litigious re: intellectual property?

No thanks.
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Tapper, 22 Dec 2011 @ 1:45pm

Sad day?
I'm almost gonna miss those little bastards.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 2:09pm

Was it seized for copyright infringement?
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PrometheeFeu (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 2:17pm

If somebody puts together a kickstart project to buy that domain and do something fun, I will contribute. Two ideas:

1) Put an FBI-style warning about being a copyright troll
2) Redirect to The Pirate Bay
3) Put together a detailed story of the failure of Righthaven as a warning to future copyright trolls.
4) Redirect to the server which serves ICE's message about having stolen a domain name.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 2:18pm

Wait!
Before anybody gets in a bidding war over the domain, remember that the proceeds go towards satisfying the judgment against Righthaven. That means that every dollar the sale of the domain brings in is one less dollar that can be extracted in the form of office furniture and other tangible property that the firm might actually give a shit about.
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TtfnJohn (profile), 22 Dec 2011 @ 2:41pm

I'm sure Average Joe wants to bid for it in order to keep it performing its honourable, useful and anti-piratical cause.

It might also make a good basis for an essay as he's not quite ready for dissertation writing yet!
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 3:27pm

Count me in...
I'm totally buying it. Then I'm going to trademark and copyright it out the wazoo. Then I'm going so sue anyone who mentions my new IP.

Profit.
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Anonymous Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 4:14pm

Conspiracy Charges?
It sure seems to me that a conspiracy was in practice here. When will all of those involved be charged with conspiracy to commit fraud happen (yeah I know, bought and paid for government official)? I don't think that monetary sanctions are enough, I would like to see these folks in jail (sharing a cell with Bubba).

Also, redirect to the TPB is good, but don't forget about the rest of the list of 'rogue' sites, they should certainly be included.
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Anonymous Coward, 22 Dec 2011 @ 5:56pm

And we all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun.
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Domain Promo Codes, 2 Feb 2012 @ 2:24pm

Domain
Seems it has been sold,right? was pretty good domain,if it was sold,so how much it was? can anybody tell me? Thanks
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Domain Promo Codes, 2 Feb 2012 @ 2:25pm

Domain
Seems it has been sold,right? was pretty good domain,if it was sold,so how much it was? can anybody tell me? Thanks
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