Prenda Law Claims Its Winding Down Its Operations; Very Angry About Having To Pay Bond

from the keep-trying dept

With Judge Otis Wright telling Team Prenda to pay significantly more on the bond to cover Morgan Pietz's legal fees in the big case in California where Prenda got called out for what the judge suggested were racketeering violations, Paul Duffy and Prenda are fighting back in typical fashion. They've gone to the appeals court to whine about why they shouldn't have to pay, why Pietz shouldn't get any money and about all the reasons they think Judge Wright is wrong. But there's also an interesting tidbit in Duffy's affidavit:
Prenda Law is currently winding down its operations and is in the process of dismissing its remaining cases pursuant to the instructions of its clients.
It later says that Prenda Law has not filed any new copyright infringement cases in several months. Of course, this completely ignores the fact that Duffy and what appears to be basically the same crew of people immediately flipped the switch to a new firm, called the Anti-Piracy Law Group, which has continued to do the same basic shakedown game, even as they were being hit with sanctions and more for the same game under the Prenda label. Funny how Duffy leaves that part out...


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Filed Under: bond, john steele, morgan pietz, paul duffy, paul hansmeier
Companies: af holdings, prenda, prenda law


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  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2013 @ 5:52pm

    John Steele, average_joe and horse with no name just hate it when due process is enforced.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    sophisticatedjanedoe (profile), 14 Jun 2013 @ 5:53pm

    Prenda principals had been dreaming about cars, beaches and casinos. Judge Wright fulfilled the casino part: "To play, add more funds."

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Ehud Gavron (profile), 14 Jun 2013 @ 5:57pm

    pdf link?

    It would be nice to read this on a more usable reader than scribd... is there a direct link?

    Thanks

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    The Dude, 14 Jun 2013 @ 5:58pm

    Steele was right. Lots of people have egg on their faces.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    sophisticatedjanedoe (profile), 14 Jun 2013 @ 6:03pm

    Winding down?

    I have a tip that Lutz made harassing calls as recently as today. But he didn't say "Prenda," so no contradiction here. Right.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      That One Guy (profile), 15 Jun 2013 @ 12:26am

      And this is why...

      Going directly after the people(and I use that term loosely), not the companies involved in copyright trolling operation like this should be the focus, since they can easily 'retire' one company when it starts getting too much attention in the courts and just create another.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    sophisticatedjanedoe (profile), 14 Jun 2013 @ 6:03pm

    Winding down?

    I have a tip that Lutz made harassing calls as recently as today. But he didn't say "Prenda," so no contradiction here. Right.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      sophisticatedjanedoe (profile), 14 Jun 2013 @ 6:08pm

      Re:

      Sorry for both duplicate comment and offtopic: my Logitech mouse is (was) great, but the second one in 6 months failed with the same symptom: it sometimes fires double-click code when you single-click.

      Apparently if you double-click on "submit" button, two identical comments are submitted.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        [citation needed or GTFO], 14 Jun 2013 @ 9:57pm

        Re: Re:

        You too? I've had my Logitech VX Nano for about three years now and it started doing the double-click thing last November.

        I usually have to keep one hand on my mouse and the other one near my touchpad's left button.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

        • identicon
          Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2013 @ 4:07am

          Re: Re: Re:

          Thanks guys you have now explained one of my computer issues.

          link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2013 @ 2:48am

        Re: Re:

        … it sometimes fires double-click code when you single-click.

        Have had two IBM/Lenovo -branded mice fail with those symptoms that in recent years. Suspect bad capacitor in switch debouncer.

        Craziest failure, though, was broken conductor near where it flexes at attachment to mouse. Presumably fatigue. But might have been bad crimp at at internal mouse connector plug. The insulation still looked good on the outside, and was holding strands of conductor in electrical contact. Symptom was mouse that worked ok some of the time—but could suddenly start emitting mouse movements and button presses like it was possessed.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2013 @ 5:08am

        Re: Re:

        Perhaps having the submit button move sideways a touch or grey out for maybe 10seconds after hitting SUBMIT would fix the issue?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
    identicon
    out_of_the_blue, 14 Jun 2013 @ 6:04pm

    ZOMG! The return of PRENDA!

    Yes, kids, been just over a week! However did you manage to get along without the daily dull dose of Prenda?


    Take a loopy tour of Techdirt.com! You always end up same place!
    http://techdirt.com/
    ZOMG! Yet another item on Prenda Law! A staple in the soporific "At The Bench" series. Mike sez (short version): "Wow. Wow. Wow. ... The story is gripping."
    http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130303/23353022182/prenda-law-sues-critics-defamation .shtml
    14:03:24[p- 10-6]

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2013 @ 6:14pm

      Re: ZOMG! The return of PRENDA!

      This is not your personal blog. You don't get to dictate what stories are posted here. If you don't like a story, shut up and leave. You seem to hate and complain about every single story posted here no matter the subject. Get lost. You have no valuable contribution and nobody respects your opinion or you.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      sophisticatedjanedoe (profile), 14 Jun 2013 @ 6:14pm

      Re: ZOMG! The return of PRENDA!

      As the critic who is being sued by Prenda for defamation, I'm upset by being remained about this horrific ongoing event. Most likely I won't be able to sleep tonight, full of grave thoughts. Maybe I even decide that life is not not worth experiencing this tormenting.

      Can you link to another post about Prenda next time? Thank you.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • identicon
        Lurker Keith, 14 Jun 2013 @ 7:07pm

        Re: Re: ZOMG! The return of PRENDA!

        Sue is IP address for Emotional Distress?

        If he's on Prenda's side, he wouldn't care about their illegal MO being used on him, would he?

        link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2013 @ 6:28pm

      Re: ZOMG! The return of PRENDA!

      As normal. You're the one stupid enough to continue flinging this hysteric "FIRST!" mentality, like it would deal someone a physical blow.

      Sounds like someone's awfully interested in turning everyone else away from the Prenda issue. Tough tits. You're furious because these guys are the best and brightest copyright enforcement's got.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • This comment has been flagged by the community. Click here to show it
      identicon
      out_of_the_blue, 14 Jun 2013 @ 11:37pm

      Re: ZOMG! The return of PRENDA!

      I love Hot Pockets!


      Take a loopy tour of bluelovescrack.com! You always end up same place!
      http://handjobsforcrack.com/
      ZOMG! Yet another item on my face! A staple in the soporific "At The Wipe It Off" series. Mike sez (short version): "Wow. Wow. Wow. ... The story is gripping."
      http://www.itfeelssogood.com/just/one/more/time.shtml
      09:09:09[6-6-6]

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2013 @ 4:23am

      Re: ZOMG! The return of PRENDA!

      "Yes, kids, been just over a week! However did you manage to get along without the daily dull dose of Prenda?"

      It has been difficult week without a daily infusion belly roles laughs at a group of lying scam artist being putdown for their deceptive clown act.

      And just as the big bad wolf comes out to save the day from little Miss Riding Hood the ice cream truck shows up leaving the big bad wolf alone in fancy land except this is not fancy land and the sheriff is a waiting with a set of nice cufflinks and a free all expense paid long term vacation.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2013 @ 3:35pm

      Re: ZOMG! The return of PRENDA!

      What's the problem with following a story to its conclusion? Just because you have the attention span of a retarded chicken doesn't mean the rest of us don't want to follow up on things.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Cerberus (profile), 14 Jun 2013 @ 9:01pm

    I think you mean "it's" in the title, not "its".

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    That Anonymous Coward (profile), 14 Jun 2013 @ 9:08pm

    Winding down?
    Does that include when they were using the defunct companies name as the ruling was coming out?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2013 @ 7:19am

    Re:

    Hey this must be the outfit ootblew works for

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Wolfy, 15 Jun 2013 @ 8:42am

    OOTB is, I suspect, an out of work lower-management from a McD's, probably fired for racial improprieties, keyboarding from his mom's basement.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2013 @ 9:35am

      Re:

      Out of work is relative. He's likely a musician or graphic artist, probably getting bit work, expecting to retire on what he has done in the past.

      It's painfully obvious he's not a writer.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    James, 15 Jun 2013 @ 9:26am

    So they're back and still the same...

    I hadn’t heard about Prenda in a week. I was getting worried.

    If you’re not hearing about them, you just know they're up to something.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    RubyPanther, 15 Jun 2013 @ 9:58am

    repeat posts

    They allow double posts even though most modern websites are saved from that at the framework level because it is easy to stop them, but everybody else already did that years ago. They're trying for some kind of "authentic 90s" look and feel. And then take it all the way to not fixing 90s-style bugs.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2013 @ 11:58am

      Re: repeat posts

      It's true! Wacky double posts, shaded buttons, allowing unmoderated comments from pimple-faced flamers like you...just like the 90s! I'm going to chug a Red Bull and get on mIRC!!!

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Anon E. Mous (profile), 15 Jun 2013 @ 4:27pm

    LOL Did anyone not see Prenda pleading and whining about having to post the additional bond coming?

    It really is no surprise that Prenda would try and once again side step Judge Wright's order, they took the same steps when they tried to appeal the sanctions and the posting of the first bond.

    The only credit I will give them is they got Rosing from Kliendinst to write it, instead of one if Duffy's brilliant retorts ( much like his genius fail at a faked spam rejection reply )

    Of course we all knew they would plead and whine about having to pay, but you have to love where they are claiming to have no money to pay for an additional bond, nor money to pay any penalties imposed on them.

    Funny thing they are saying they no money to put forth for a bond, nor to pay any additional penalties...but yet in Paul Hansmeier's deposition with Pietz and Ranallo about AF Holdings, Hansmeier stated that any settlements paid by infringers went into Prenda accounts.

    Now if you recall Hansmeier stated that the monies went into Prenda's account, and that no money was paid out to the client AF Holdings. Hansmeier also said that Lutz was not paid any money from those settlements and neither was anyone else connected with AF Holdings.

    Hansmeier also I believe stated that no disbursements were made from those settlements and the monies stayed in Prenda's account.

    So if Prenda made no disbursements of any kind then the money which was to be used for future copyright infringement litigation should still be in Prenda coffers one would think.

    Prenda would have had to either turn those monies back to the client or distribute payment of the monies to various parties. I can't see how they can claim no funds when they claimed in that deposition that they had distributed none of the money out and it was sitting in their account.

    I would say that is quite the contradiction in terms, but I am sure if Pietz files an objection to their emergency stay play he will point out the glaring contradictions made in their affidavit.

    I love how Duffy plays loose with his claims in the affidavit especially where he say's Prenda has files no new cases. Technically he knows that is correct in the loosest terms, but he fails to say under our new Law Office we are still filing troll suits to keep the money rolling in.

    I cant wait to see what Pietz has to say and how Judge Wright and the court they applied for the emergency stay will have to say about this lame attempt once again to side step having to appeal in front of Judge Wright like they should have done.

    As much as they tried last time for an emergency stay and it got denied because they didn't follow the proper steps, I assume it is going to get denied once again for the same issues. Should be interesting to see iof they post the additional bond.

    I doubt they will do so because they know if they lose their appeal, Prenda is out that 238k. I believe they did that first bond specifically without the stipulations they were told to discuss with Pietz for the bond so they could escape in a variety of loop holes from having to pay.

    Pieta is too smart for that, and Prenda knows it is in a corner and with no wiggle room that means that cash would be gone and they would be on the hook for it (mind you I think they would have screwed the insurance co that put it up though... my opinion of course)

    It will be interesting to see how Prenda, Duffy and especially Steele try and weasel out of this, desperation is upon them.

    I wonder what The IRS Criminal Division will think when they read the affidavit that claims there are no finds to pay the bond nor any penalties. Should be interesting especially coupled with the fact that Hansmeier claimed they paid no monies out and the monies stayed in Prenda's account.

    The IRS Criminal Division I am sure will be interested to know where that money went and what people became recipients of those funds and why.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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