2016-06-16

New gTLD AFRICA Litigation: Defendant ZACR Dismissed as a Party

See UPDATE June 24: ICANN and Dot AFRICA: Dismissed Party ZACR Files Notice of Appeal.

UPDATE: On June 20, 2016, the U.S. District Court denied ICANN's motion for reconsideration of the Order enjoining ICANN from delegating new gTLD .AFRICA. The trial judge, Hon. R. Gary Klausner, has obviously carefully read and considered the IRP Final Declaration in this matter, upon which Plaintiff has relied in support of its claims. The case has already been assigned to a 10-12 day jury trial beginning February 28, 2017 (see scheduling Order further below) and ICANN is due to file its appellant's brief on June 29, 2016, in its interlocutory appeal to the Ninth Circuit of the District Court's Preliminary Injunction Order. The Court's June 20, 2016, Order is embedded below (highlighting added):

--original post below--
In the new gTLD .AFRICA litigation, Case No. 16-CV-00862 RGK (JCx), DotConnectAfrica Trust (DCA Trust) v. Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) & ZA Central Registry (ZACR), the U.S. District Court for Central District of California at Los Angeles, Honorable R. Gary Klausner, U.S. District Judge, has granted ZACR's Motion to Dismiss the Complaint (as to defendant ZACR only), concluding, along with other reasons (see embed below):
"... the Court finds Plaintiff’s first request against ZACR (i.e., that the Court declare the registry agreement null and void) unnecessary, as a favorable ruling on its claims against ICANN will result in the relief it seeks ..." (emphasis added)
The District Court has also set the case for a jury trial (estimated length: 10−12 days), starting February 28, 2017 at 09:00 AM (see scheduling conference proceedings embedded further below).

ICANN has filed an interlocutory appeal of the District Court's order granting Plaintiff DCA Trust's motion for preliminary injunction which enjoined ICANN from delegating the new gTLD .AFRICA. That appeal is pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and appellant ICANN's opening brief is due June 29, 2016; appellee DCA Trust's answering brief is due July 29, 2016; and ICANN's optional reply brief is due within 14 days after service of the answering brief. See Order (pdf).

District Court ruling (highlighting added):


Scheduling conference proceedings (highlighting added):


See also on Domain Mondo:

feedback & comments via twitter @DomainMondo


DISCLAIMER

Domain Mondo archive