Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. Doe

Filing 11

ORDER: granting #7 Letter Motion for Discovery. Having reviewed Strike 3 Holdings' motion for leave to serve a third party subpoena prior to a Rule 26(f) conference (Docket # 7), as well as the supplemental declaration provided by Strike 3 Holdings in response to the Court's April 29, 2022 Order (Docket # 10), the Court grants the motion to the extent stated below. This Order granting the motion, with the accompanying limitations described herein, is being issued for substantially the same reasons as stated in the cases of Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. Doe, 2020 WL 2115211 (S.D.N.Y. May 4, 2020); Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. Doe, 2019 WL 5459693 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 9, 2019); and Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. Doe, 329 F.R.D. 518, 521 (S.D.N.Y. 2019). IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT Within 14 days of the date of this Order, plaintiff may serve a Rule 45 subpoena on Spectrum to obtain the name and address of John Doe (the "defendant") in accordance with the limitations stated in this Order. Plaintiff may not seek any other information about defendant, including but not limited to defendant's telephone number or email address. The subpoena shall attach a copy of the complaint in this matter and a copy of this Order, with the annexed "Notice to Subscriber." And as set forth herein. SO ORDERED.. (Signed by Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein on 5/09/2022) (ama)

Case 1:22-cv-02733-LAK-GWG Document 11 Filed 05/09/22 Page 1 of 4

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK
---------------------------------------------------------------X
STRIKE 3 HOLDINGS, LLC,
:
Plaintiff,
-v.-

:
:

ORDER
22 Civ. 2733 (LAK) (GWG)

:

JOHN DOE subscriber assigned IP address
142.105.25.22,
:
Defendant.
---------------------------------------------------------------X
GABRIEL W. GORENSTEIN, United States Magistrate Judge
Having reviewed Strike 3 Holdings’ motion for leave to serve a third party subpoena
prior to a Rule 26(f) conference (Docket # 7), as well as the supplemental declaration provided
by Strike 3 Holdings in response to the Court’s April 29, 2022 Order (Docket # 10), the Court
grants the motion to the extent stated below. This Order granting the motion, with the
accompanying limitations described herein, is being issued for substantially the same reasons as
stated in the cases of Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. Doe, 2020 WL 2115211 (S.D.N.Y. May 4,
2020); Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. Doe, 2019 WL 5459693 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 9, 2019); and Strike 3
Holdings, LLC v. Doe, 329 F.R.D. 518, 521 (S.D.N.Y. 2019).
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT
1.

Within 14 days of the date of this Order, plaintiff may serve a Rule 45 subpoena on
Spectrum to obtain the name and address of John Doe (the “defendant”) in accordance
with the limitations stated in this Order. Plaintiff may not seek any other information
about defendant, including but not limited to defendant’s telephone number or email
address. The subpoena shall attach a copy of the complaint in this matter and a copy of
this Order, with the annexed “Notice to Subscriber.”

2.

Within 60 days following the receipt of this subpoena, Spectrum shall deliver a copy
thereof (including the copy of the attached complaint and a copy of this Order) to the
defendant — that is, the subscriber (or subscribers) that it determines are associated with
the IP address in the caption above. The “Notice to Subscriber,” which is annexed to this
Order, shall be the first pages of this mailing, followed by the subpoena, the complaint,
and a copy of this Order.

3.

Spectrum shall deliver the copy of the Notice and other documents using any reasonable
means, such as a written notice delivered to defendant’s last known address, transmitted
either by first class mail or via overnight service. Spectrum shall inform plaintiff of the
date it delivered the materials to defendant, of the means it used to do so, and of any
information it has as to whether defendant received the materials. Spectrum shall not

Case 1:22-cv-02733-LAK-GWG Document 11 Filed 05/09/22 Page 2 of 4

disclose to plaintiff any other information about the defendant, including of course the
defendant’s name and address, until there is an order of the Court so permitting.
4.

Once the above materials are delivered to the defendant, the defendant shall have 60 days
from the date of delivery to make any application to this Court regarding the subpoena,
including a request to quash or modify the subpoena.

5.

Spectrum shall preserve any subpoenaed information pending the resolution of any
timely filed motion to quash or modify.

6.

If the 60-day period in which the defendant may make an application contesting the
subpoena lapses without defendant having made such an application, plaintiff shall so
inform the Court (providing at that time any information Spectrum provided to it
regarding the delivery and/or receipt of the subpoena) and may at that time request an
order that Spectrum release the information to plaintiff. The Court expects that it will
then issue an Order directing Spectrum to release the information to plaintiff within 21
days thereafter. During either the 60-day period or the 21-day production period,
Spectrum may file its own motion to quash.

7.

Any information ultimately disclosed to plaintiff in response to the Rule 45 subpoena
may be used by plaintiff solely for the purpose of protecting plaintiff's rights as set forth
in its complaint.

8.

This case shall be litigated in the name of defendant “John Doe” unless and until this
Court orders otherwise. Accordingly, plaintiff is ordered not to publicly file any of
defendant’s identifying information and to file all documents containing defendant’s
identifying information in redacted form with the unredacted version filed under seal.
Courtesy copies shall be sent to the undersigned. Plaintiff is ordered not to disclose to
anyone else the identifying information. Additionally, plaintiff shall not indicate to
defendant at any time that it has the right to disclose any of defendant’s identifying
information.

Dated: May 9, 2022
New York, New York

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NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBER
1. You have been named as a defendant in the case of Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. John Doe, 22
Civ. 2733 (LAK) (GWG). The case was filed in the United States District Court for the
Southern District of New York, which is located at 500 Pearl Street, New York, New York. The
complaint in the case alleges that you illegally downloaded and/or distributed a movie on your
computer. The case was brought by Strike 3 Holdings, LLC (the “plaintiff.”). The case has been
referred to the Honorable Gabriel W. Gorenstein, United States Magistrate Judge for the
Southern District of New York. At this stage of the case, you do not have to answer the
complaint.
2. Strike 3 Holdings does not know your name and address so it has issued a subpoena to your
internet service provider, Spectrum, seeking your name and address. Strike 3 Holdings is
seeking your name and address so that Strike 3 Holdings may formally serve you with the
complaint in the lawsuit. Strike 3 Holdings does not know your actual name or address, but it
does know the Internet Protocol address (“IP address”) of the computer associated with the
alleged downloading and/or distributing. Using the IP address, it is asking Spectrum to provide
your name and address. Attached is a copy of this subpoena to Spectrum. Also attached is an
Order issued by Judge Gorenstein regarding how the case will proceed.
3. You are not required to answer the complaint at this time. At this point, Strike 3 Holdings is
only seeking your name and address from Spectrum. It is seeking the name and address solely
for the purpose of serving you with the complaint in this case.
4. You are free to hire a lawyer to represent you in this case. You are also free to represent
yourself, which is called proceeding “pro se.”
5. If you do not want Spectrum to provide this information to Strike 3 Holdings and you believe
there is a legal basis for Spectrum to withhold this information, you may file with the Court an
application in the form of a letter seeking to “quash” or modify the subpoena. This must be done
within 60 days of the date that Spectrum sent you this notice. If you do not have a lawyer, this
application may be in the form of a letter mailed or delivered to the Court at the following
address:
Pro Se Office
United States Courthouse
500 Pearl Street, Room 230
New York, New York
You can also file the letter by email by sending it in pdf form to
[e-mail]

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You may contact the Pro Se Office, which is the office that helps people who do not have
lawyers, at [phone]. You may also be able to obtain free legal assistance from the New
York Legal Assistance clinic at [phone].
6. The Court has already ordered that no documents shall be filed publicly containing your name
and address until the Court rules otherwise. However, if you are representing yourself, you will
still have to provide your name and address, as well as other information such as a telephone
number, to the Court. The Pro Se Office of the Court will have you fill out an information card
that will be used only by the Court. The Court must have this information so that it may
communicate with you regarding the case.
7. If you do not file a letter that seeks to quash or modify the subpoena, Strike 3 Holdings will
obtain your name and address and will then serve the complaint on you. You may still proceed
in this case anonymously, unless the Court later rules otherwise. This means that the Court and
Strike 3 Holdings will know your identity and contact information, but your identity will not be
made public unless the Court determines otherwise. If Strike 3 Holdings serves you with a copy
of the complaint, the next step in the case will be for you to file an Answer. You may contact the
Pro Se Office about how to proceed if you are served with the complaint.
THIS NOTICE WAS AUTHORIZED BY:
Gabriel W. Gorenstein
United States Magistrate Judge
U.S. Courthouse
500 Pearl Street
New York, NY 10007