US: Court releases bench transcripts in AT&T merger fight

On Friday, August 3, an appeals court that is hearing the US Justice Department’s (DOJ) fight with AT&T over its merger with Time Warner agreed to allow the release of transcripts of bench conferences that the public was unable to listen in on during the trial in a lower court, reported Reuters.

The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit said in an order on Friday that the government would be allowed to release transcripts of the conversations that generally occurred between Judge Richard Leon, who tried the case, and one or more lawyers from the DOJ, AT&T and Time Warner.

Judge Leon ruled in June that the DOJ was wrong to ask that a US$85.4 billion merger of AT&T, which owns DirecTV, and Time Warner be blocked. The government had said it would lead to higher prices for consumers and was illegal under antitrust law.

The DOJ has appealed, but no date has been set for when the appeals court will hear the case. The deal closed on June 14.

Full Content: Reuters

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