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Microsoft trial delayed
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August 20, 1998: 2:23 p.m. ET
Federal judge postpones start of historic antitrust case for two weeks
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - A federal judge Thursday delayed the start of the government's historic antitrust case against Microsoft Corp. for two weeks.
At a status hearing to review progress of the case, U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson postponed the start of the trial until Sept. 23 from its originally scheduled date of Sept. 8.
Officially, both Microsoft (MSFT) and the government had requested the delay, though a Microsoft spokesman said the company merely resigned itself to the government's wishes.
Pre-trial depositions had been delayed after Jackson said the two sides had to work out ground rules for public access to testimony. But a federal appeals court issued a stay of Jackson's order on Wednesday, denying public access and allowing depositions of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and other executives to begin.
A Justice Department spokeswoman said the two sides are working out a schedule to determine when Gates will begin giving his deposition.
In delaying the start of the trial, Jackson also pushed back by two weeks the schedule for preparatory filings and witness lists. The government, which had been scheduled to provide its lists of expert witnesses on Friday, will do so on Sept. 2.
The two sides are now scheduled to meet again in a pre-trial conference on Sept. 17.
Jackson also set a new schedule for briefings and arguments related to Microsoft's request for a summary judgment to dismiss the government's case.
Under the new schedule, the government must file its briefs on Aug. 28; Microsoft must file its reply on Sept. 4; and oral arguments will begin Sept. 8. 
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