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Judge wants to know if Google, Oracle kept bloggers on payroll

UPDATED: The federal judge on the case wants to know if Google or Oracle (or both) paid commentators and bloggers during the legal battle.
Written by Rachel King, Contributor

Not to be outshined by Apple v. Samsung, there is still digital paperwork floating around for Oracle v. Google.

Judge William Alsup issued a brief but specific order on Tuesday afternoon from the U.S. District Court in San Francisco, demanding both parties to basically fess up if they have kept any journalists and/or commentators on the payroll during the duration of the case.

Here's the order, which much like Alsup's style in the courtroom, cuts right to the point:

The Court is concerned that the parties and/or counsel herein may have retained or paid print or internet authors, journalists, commentators or bloggers who have and/or may publish comments on the issues in this case. Although proceedings in this matter are almost over, they are not fully over yet and, in any event, the disclosure required by this order would be of use on appeal or on any remand to make clear whether any treatise, article, commentary or analysis on the issues posed by this case are possibly influenced by financial relationships to the parties or counsel.

Therefore, each side and its counsel shall file a statement herein clear identifying all authors, journalists, commentators or bloggers who have reported or commented on any issues in this case and who have received money (other than normal subscription fees) from the party or its counsel during the pendency of this action.

Both parties must respond with a full disclosure by Friday, August 17 at Noon PDT.

UPDATE: Oracle rep Deborah Hellinger has replied with the following response:

Oracle has always disclosed all of its financial relationships in this matter, and it is time for Google to do the same. We read this order to also include indirect payments to entities who, in turn, made comments on behalf of Google.

Oracle v. Google: Order for Financial Disclosure

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