WASHINGTON -- The US Justice Department said Wednesday if it wins a major antitrust case proving that Microsoft abused monopoly power, a new court hearing may be needed to impose additional penalties against the software giant.
With the trial set to begin next week, the Justice Department said in a filing that some relief -- which it laid out in its complaint last May -- would be needed immediately. But the government said that more steps may be necessary to prevent the company from violating antitrust laws again.
Some critics have said that a Justice Department win would have little effect on Microsoft, which would have moved beyond the subject matter of the trial and into new areas. This is the first time the Justice Department has said it might widen the scope of sanctions.
"Depending on the nature and scope of the violations determined by the court at trial, plaintiffs will seek such additional permanent relief as is necessary to restore competitive conditions and to prevent Microsoft from committing similar violations in the future," the Justice Department and 20 states said in the 10-page filing.
"To that end, plaintiffs may request that the court conduct additional proceedings for the purpose of hearing evidence concerning such additional relief," it said.
The trial is set to begin 15 October on allegations that Microsoft violated the nation's antitrust laws by using a monopoly in operating system software for personal computers to compete unfairly in the market for Internet Web browsers.
Copyright© 1998 Reuters Limited.
