WE’RE SEEING A LOT OF I.P. OVERREACH: Sanctioned: P2P lawyer fined $10,000 for “staggering chutzpah.”

Judge Godbey fined Stone $10,000, which he hopes will be enough to “deter similar misconduct and adequately reflects the gravity of the circumstances.” In addition, Stone has to pay the attorney fees for EFF and Public Citizen, and must tell the court if he has settled with anyone in the Mick Haig case, and if so, for how much.

Finally, Stone has to send a copy of Judge Godbey’s order to each judge overseeing any federal or state case in which Stone currently has a hand—whether or not it has to do with file-sharing.

Those are serious penalties, but as Judge Godbey noted, “The adage ‘it is easier to ask forgiveness than it is to get permission’ has no place in the issuance of subpoenas.”

I like that last.