From Computer World

Action likely to push company closer to being shuttered

Eight music publishers have sued LimeWire LLC of massive copyright infringement, even as a federal court in New York is considering a request by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to shut the file-sharing software maker down over a similar complaint.

The music publishers's lawsuit, filed this week in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, charges LimeWire with facilitating "pervasive online infringement" of music copyrights.

The companies filing the lawsuit are members of the National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) and include EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group and Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

LimeWire, Lime Group LLC, company CEO Mark Gorton and its former CTO Greg Bildson are all named in the lawsuit, which was filed as a related case to the one filed in the same court by the RIAA against LimeWire and Gorton.

A statement by the music publishers said it will seek "equitable relief and damages" from LimeWire for the alleged copyright infringement. Copyright statutes provide for statutory damages of up to $150,000 per violation.

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