In surprise move, judge quits Facebook ‘Sponsored Stories’ case

US District Judge Lucy Koh has abruptly recused herself from a high-profile case in which Facebook had recently proposed to pay at least $10 million to settle accusations that it violated users’ privacy when it used their photos for “sponsored stories” without their permission. Koh’s announcement is remarkable because she has been presiding over the case for more than a year and because the recusal comes just a day before a scheduled hearing in San Jose to discuss the proposed settlement. The most common reasons for judges to recuse themselves are when they are acquainted with one of the parties in the case or when they have a financial interest in the case’s outcome.

The case is Angel Fraley et al., individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated vs. Facebook Inc, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, 11-cv-1726.