Google strikes back at Mississippi attorney general over MPAA subpoenas
theverge.com
theverge.com
The number of cases cited in the Table of Authorities [1] is impressive! Do Google's lawyers have some sort of Google Lawsuit search engine to find the relevant cases?
[1] https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2746012/G...
I wouldn't be at all surprised if Google is dogfooding some kind of as-yet-internal-only tool of this kind, but most lawyers (and law students) have very powerful legal search tools (which are not at all cheap, because they involve not just algorithmic search -- though they include that -- but also quite a lot of expert human curation) for this purpose.
You can sue any person (any legal person, which includes both natural persons -- individual human beings -- and juridical persons like corporations, states, etc.)
> So, what happens if Google wins?
Well, what Google is asking for (and thus, what they would get in a complete win) is specified in the Prayer for Relief beginning on page 32 of the complaint [1].
> What happens if they lose?
Essentially, they'd be in the same position they were before the suit.
[1] http://www.scribd.com/doc/250574252/Google-v-Hood-complaint-...
Yeah, I guess the "in his official capacity" bit threw me. Obviously you could sue him if he e.g. caused you some personal injury due to his negligent behavior, but for some reason I thought government officials acting in an official capacity were immune from lawsuits.
> but for some reason I thought government officials acting in an official capacity were immune from lawsuits.
They are, generally speaking, immune from personal liability for official acts. So, you can't get a damage award against the AG that he has to pay out of his pocket.