Court Plans Hearing in 2 Parts on Google’s Summary Judgment Motions

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia will structure in two parts Thursday’s daylong hearing on Google’s motions for summary judgment in two cases challenging its alleged monopolies in search and search advertising, said a scheduling order Monday. The hearing begins at 9:30 a.m. with Google’s 45-minute argument in support of its motion against the DOJ’s complaint with 11 states (docket 1:20-cv-03010), said the order. DOJ’s and the state plaintiffs’ argument in opposition to the motion will last 60 minutes, followed by 15 minutes of Google rebuttal, it said. After a lunch break, Google will have 45 minutes of argument in support of its motion against the complaint by 35 states, plus the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico (docket 1:20-cv-03715), said the order. The state plaintiffs will then have 60 minutes of argument in opposition, followed by 15 minutes of Google rebuttal, it said. At the start of each side’s argument, counsel “shall address what they contend is the proper analytical framework the court must use to evaluate whether Google’s alleged conduct is exclusionary,” and whether the plaintiffs have met their prima facie burden under Section 2 of the Sherman Act “by demonstrating anticompetitive effect,” said the order.