Harry Potter Makes Legal History
NewsMay 12, 2003, 07:54 AM
According to this article in the Independent, the recent court injunction issued in Britian has been the first time a "John Doe" order has ever been issued in that country.
"To our knowledge this is the first time in this country in over 150 years that a defendant is presently unknown", said Keith Schilling, Ms Rowling's solicitor. "It has therefore established an important legal precedent, particularly in the area of intellectual property piracy."
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Though never before invoked in Britain, John Doe orders have long been used in America to enable action to be taken against people whose identities are not known.
