Court Denies RIAA's $250,000 Attorney Fee Request in Ongoing Yout Stream-Ripper Case

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January 15, 2025 at 10:23 PM

The RIAA's request for $250,000 in attorneys' fees from stream-ripper Yout has been denied by Judge Stefan R. Underhill in their ongoing legal battle.

Courtroom interior with red drapes

The dispute began in October 2020 when Yout filed a complaint against the RIAA, claiming false DMCA takedown notices damaged its business and reputation. The core issue revolves around whether Yout circumvents YouTube's "rolling cipher" technology when allowing users to download video audio.

Yout maintains that audio downloads are "just an incidental component" of their video content downloading service, and that their platform "prevents users from recording and saving protected work" with anti-circumvention technology.

The case was dismissed twice - once in 2021 and again with prejudice in September 2022. Following the second dismissal, the RIAA sought $250,000 in attorneys' fees.

Judge Underhill's decision states: "I choose to exercise my discretion to deny the fee motion without prejudice and grant the RIAA leave to re-file the motion upon resolution of the appeal." The ruling notes that the Copyright Act allows recovery of fees by the prevailing party, including appeal costs.

The court favored denying the fee motion at this time to promote judicial efficiency and avoid piecemeal adjudication. Neither party has officially commented on the order.