Google antitrust trial documents regain public availability

The Google antitrust trial is taking another turn, albeit an expected one, as public availability of the trial documents will be opened back up. Earlier this month shortly after the trial began, Google told Judge Amit Mehta that the Department of Justice was sharing trial documents by posting them publicly online via its website. Mehta in the interim ruled that the DOJ had to stop publicly posting these documents. And that a decision would be made in the near future. Mehta has now made that decision and ruled that the Google antitrust trial documents may once again be made publicly available.

For anyone who wishes to know more about the trial, this is good news. As it means more details of the trial can make it out to the public. Google has made it rather difficult for the majority of the public to ascertain what is most likely important information. Notably because the search company has very loudly opposed live streaming of the trial. So unless you’re able to hit the courtroom every day for the trial’s duration, there’s a good chance you might miss information about Google’s allegedly monopolistic practices.

But with posting of the documents being approved, that should be prevented somewhat. Having said that, there are still caveats to Mehta’s decision. As documents won’t be made available immediately. And there is a chance they may have to stay closed off from public eyes.

Google can dispute public availability of these antitrust documents

Here’s how things will work. The DOJ has agreed to inform Google of any documents it plans to post online. Google will then have until 9pm Easter Standard Time the day of posting to dispute. If it misses that window, then public posting is fair game. If it does dispute in time, though, then the DOJ will need address Google’s concerns “by the next business day.” This should allow for some leniency on both sides of the courtroom.

And it could (and should) lead to the documents that were pulled down coming back online. When or if that happens of course is still unclear. Google’s antitrust trial is expected to last for several more weeks leading well into late Fall. So expect more documents about the trial to surface.