Retired Magistrate Judge Is Appointed Mediator in Infringement Case vs. Altice

U.S. Magistrate Judge Roy Payne for Eastern Texas in Marshall appointed retired U.S. Magistrate Judge Suzanne Segal of Signature Resolution in Los Angeles as the mediator in the recording industry’s contributory copyright infringement lawsuit against Altice USA (see 2404110048), said Payne’s signed order Friday (docket 2:23-cv-00576). Payne designated plaintiffs’ counsel to be responsible for timely contacting the mediator and defendant’s counsel to coordinate a date for the mediation, said the order. The mediation plan “requires the presence at the mediation conference of all parties, corporate representatives, and any other required claims professionals,” such as insurance adjusters, “with full authority to negotiate a settlement,” it said. The 54 record labels and music publishers allege that Altice has knowingly contributed to, and reaped “substantial profits” from, massive copyright infringement committed by thousands of its internet subscribers. Mediator Segal was a magistrate judge for 18 years in the Central District of California before retiring in 2020.