Judge Lifts Freeze on Microsoft Search Warrant

Chief US District Judge Loretta Preska on Aug 29 lifted a freeze on a ruling that enforces a search warrant against Microsoft for customer email stored in a company data center in Ireland.

Judge Preska agreed with the government in a July 31 ruling, saying the location where the email was saved was irrelevant because Microsoft controlled its foreign-based computers from the US. The company’s lawyers argued unsuccessfully in Judge Preska’s court that the Justice Department needed to obtain the e-mails through a legal treaty with Ireland, and that forcing Microsoft to retrieve them without the country’s consent violated Irish sovereignty and international law.