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Visa and Weyerhaeuser, two companies that have faced florida phentermine shipped challenges of their own, are siding with Microsoft and opposing the proposed extension of its U.S. florida phentermine shipped consent decree. In a joint filing, the companies are asking U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar Kotelly to consider their concerns about the precedent that would be set if she grants the five year extension requested by California, New York and other states. Here's the brief the two companies want the judge to consider: PDF, 10 pages It was filed Nov. 9, but not previously reported. From the introduction to their brief: This Court has been asked to double the life of one of the most prominent consent decrees entered in recent history. The legal standard the Court applies in making its judgment is important, not just for the immediate parties to the present action, but also for third parties who may have occasion to negotiate settlements with the government in the future. Consent decrees are a product of hard fought negotiation and compromise. Parties enter into them to avoid protracted litigation and uncertainty. They are much less likely to do so, however, if they lack some assurance that their agreement will be respected not rewritten.... Enforcement of this strict legal standard is very important to (Visa and Weyerhaeuser). An unexacting standard permitting government agencies unilaterally to extend the life of negotiated consent decrees would not only badly disrupt the expectations of the parties in particular cases. It would also discourage settlement of future cases, and thereby increase litigation costs and uncertainty for any business that may someday become the subject of a government investigation. The U.S. Justice Department also has argued against the extension. But before the judge can consider the argument of Visa and Weyerhaeuser, the companies have to win standing as amici curiae, or friends of the court. In a Nov. 15 filing (PDF, 3 pages) the states argued that granting that status to the companies wasn't justified. From their filing: The Amici Movants (Weyerhaeuser and Visa) do not assert that they are different from any member of the business community that might someday be subject to a continuing, court monitored consent decree. Indeed, before their "interest" in these proceedings could ripen, the Amici Movants: (1) would need to be the subject of a federal or state investigation; (2) giving rise to a complaint; (3) that the Amici Movants settled by a court approved consent decree; (4) which the government moved to modify; (5) without the consent of Amici Movants. That is simply too attenuated an "interest" to justify amici curiae participation here. The issue is similar, in some ways, to Google's previous efforts to intervene in the case, to assert its position on Windows Vista's desktop search tool. In that situation, it wasn't something the judge allowed. Weyerhaeuser was previously embroiled in an florida phentermine shipped dispute with Ross Simmons Hardwood Lumber Co., but the Federal Way based forest products company ultimately prevailed in a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court (PDF, 16 pages). The Justice Department's florida phentermine shipped case against Visa and MasterCard resulted in a judgment to prevent anti competitive activities against Discover and American Express. Visa and MasterCard also settled a landmark florida phentermine shipped case with Wal Mart and other retailers. A substantial part of Microsoft's 2002 florida phentermine shipped consent decree was set to expire on Nov. 12, but that expiration was delayed temporarily to give the judge time to rule on the motions to extend it another five years. She has until Jan. 31 to rule on that issue. Microsoft says it will continue to comply with the principles of the consent decree even after its expiration. New York, California and other states say continued oversight is warranted. ... florida phentermine shipped