Category: Judge Alsup

Judge Alsup picks apart Bartz’s proposed settlement process, listing now 33 questions for parties to address

Late Tuesday, Judge Alsup issued another order picking apart gaps and inconsistencies in the Bartz authors’ proposed settlement process. It just shows how meticulous Judge Alsup is in dissecting the proposed settlement process. Now, the total questions that the parties must address has ballooned to 33 questions. (See below for the first list.) To me…
Read more: Judge Alsup picks apart Bartz’s proposed settlement process, listing now 33 questions for parties to address
Bartz book authors file the List of Works and Class, but under seal.

Unfortunately, the Bartz book authors have filed their list of Works and Class with an accompanying motion to file it under seal. It does not even state what the total number is.
Read more: Bartz book authors file the List of Works and Class, but under seal.
Judge Alsup picks apart inconsistencies and gaps in Bartz’s proposed settlement process. Asks parties to answer 17 questions by Sept. 23.

With a meticulous eye, Judge William Alsup picked apart inconsistencies and gaps in the claims process proposed for the class action settlement in Bartz v. Anthropic. The Judge is clearly concerned about a situation involving multiple copyright holders in a work for which not all elect to opt into the class. He’s also concerned about…
Read more: Judge Alsup picks apart inconsistencies and gaps in Bartz’s proposed settlement process. Asks parties to answer 17 questions by Sept. 23.
Authors Guild, American Publishers Assn. CEOs listened to Judge Alsup’s scrutiny of their roles at settlement hearing in Bartz case. Then issued statements afterwards.

It’s a day after what feels like the most stunning hearing in any of the 50 copyright lawsuits against AI companies. Yesterday, Judge Alsup aired his list of many “grievances” on the Bartz book authors’ proposed class action settlement for an estimated $1.5 billion, the largest copyright settlement in U.S. history. “We’ll see if I…
Read more: Authors Guild, American Publishers Assn. CEOs listened to Judge Alsup’s scrutiny of their roles at settlement hearing in Bartz case. Then issued statements afterwards.
Shocker: Judge Alsup “postpones” preliminary approval of class settlement in Bartz v. Anthropic. Updated with order.

UPDATED VERSION: Well, it looks like things are not as bad as first reported. Judge Alsup issued an order “postponing”–not denying–approval of the proposed class settlement: Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge William Alsup: Motion Hearing re: 363 Motion for Preliminary Approval held on 9/8/2025. Preliminary approval was postponed pending submission of further clarifying…
Read more: Shocker: Judge Alsup “postpones” preliminary approval of class settlement in Bartz v. Anthropic. Updated with order.
Bartz book authors, Anthropic announce terms of proposed class action settlement. At least $1.5 billion. Destroy pirated book copies. Fair or foul?

Well, well, well. Earlier today, I predicted the proposed class settlement would be “at least $1 billlion or more.” At high noon today, the parties filed their motion for pre-approval of the proposed settlement. The amount? “At least 1.5 billion.” They say that’s highest reported copyright settlement ever. We learned that Bartz identified so far…
Read more: Bartz book authors, Anthropic announce terms of proposed class action settlement. At least $1.5 billion. Destroy pirated book copies. Fair or foul?
Anthropic, Bartz book authors reach a class settlement. Wow. The dominoes are falling.

BREAKING NEWS: After mediation, Anthropic reaches a settlement with Bartz book authors, including class-wide. It will still need to be approved by Judge Alsup, but that seems very likely. This is now the second settlement announced in the past week in the AI copyright litigation. Which domino will drop next? UPDATE: Judge Alsup immediately signed…
Read more: Anthropic, Bartz book authors reach a class settlement. Wow. The dominoes are falling.
Desperate to avoid “doomsday” statutory damages award, Anthropic battling to stave off waiving its attorney-client privilege regarding pirated books. Hearing set for Aug. 28, 8 am.

Things appear to going from bad to worse for Anthropic in the lawsuit filed by book authors Bartz. Judge Alsup just allowed Bartz to file more evidence to support its contention that Anthropic has impliedly waived its attorney-client privilege regarding legal advice given related to Anthropic’s use of pirated books from shadow libraries. Ominously, Judge…
Read more: Desperate to avoid “doomsday” statutory damages award, Anthropic battling to stave off waiving its attorney-client privilege regarding pirated books. Hearing set for Aug. 28, 8 am.
Bartz book authors gear up for class action trial v. Anthropic. Add legal firepower and ask Judge Alsup to approve class notice.

The Bartz book author plaintiffs are trying to strike while the iron is hot. They added more legal firepower to their team including Samuel Issacharoff, the Bonnie and Richard Reiss Professor of Constitutional Law at the New York University School of Law and the reporter for the American Law Institute’s Principles of Aggregate Litigation, who…
Read more: Bartz book authors gear up for class action trial v. Anthropic. Add legal firepower and ask Judge Alsup to approve class notice.
Anthropic desperate to stave off waiver of attorney-client privilege

Anthropic filed its reply to support its position that it has not waived its attorney-client privilege for any communications containing advice regarding the legality of downloading copies from shadow libraries. What seems apparent is that Anthropic switched from downloading from shadow libraries to scanning copies of books it purchased (a la Google Books project) based…
Read more: Anthropic desperate to stave off waiver of attorney-client privilege