I agree. By fining her an amount that at least has a chance to be paid would be scarier to others if that was their mission. This woman actually commented that she wasn't worried because she was never going to pay it anyway.

 

Outside the courtroom, she called the $1.92 million figure "kind of ridiculous" but expressed resignation over the decision.

"There's no way they're ever going to get that," said Thomas-Rasset, a 32-year-old mother of four from the central Minnesota city of Brainerd. "I'm a mom, limited means, so I'm not going to worry about it now."

They have as much chance of getting the $1.9 as they would any amount.

I didn't read the article but I want to know how they came up with this specific person. If they did this to everyone who downloaded music then there would literally be over a trillion dollar lawsuit.

It wasn't this specific person. They have sued others but they all settled out of court for $3000-$5000. She was the only one stupid enough to take it trial. The record company's rep also said they would still be interested in settlement similar to the original offer.

They have as much chance of getting the $1.9 as they would any amount.

 

No, not really. They could have charged her $100 per song and got that $2400 faster than the $1.9 Mill.

If they had awarded treble damages for 1000 songs, the most they would have gotten was $2970. I believe this gets thrown out on appeal for unreasonable damages. I'd like to see how the jury came up with their figure.

"There's no way they're ever going to get that," said Thomas-Rasset, a 32-year-old mother of four from the central Minnesota city of Brainerd. "I'm a mom, limited means, so I'm not going to worry about it now."

 

Isn't that one of the towns in the movie "Fargo"?

"Let's settle this in Brainerd."

It wasn't this specific person. They have sued others but they all settled out of court for $3000-$5000. She was the only one stupid enough to take it trial. The record company's rep also said they would still be interested in settlement similar to the original offer.

 

That's because they know that they are unlikely to get anything once she files bankruptcy. The fact that this dragged out so long shows poorly on the woman's lawyers. This appears to have been one that should have been settled.