US District Judge Amit Mehta suggested the date during a
status conference, and counsel for the two sides did not object. Mehta noted
that the two sides appeared to expect that discovery would be completed in
March 2022, with other pretrial matters not addressed until early 2023.
"It seems to me that we're looking at late summer,
early fall of 2023 for a trial, a potential trial," said Mehta before
suggesting September 12, 2023, for a potential trial date.
The two sides also began the process of at least partially
consolidating the government's case with a lawsuit that 38 states and territories
filed against Google on Thursday, specifically in terms of pre-trial matters.
The state case is broader than the Justice Department's. The
Justice Department's lawsuit focused on Google's search and search advertising
while the state case filed this week included what it said was Google's efforts
to extend its dominance to devices like speakers, televisions and even smart
cars.
Google has denied wrongdoing.
California, which is joining the Justice Department case
along with Wisconsin and Michigan, indicated that it would have to make
disclosures to third parties but gave no details. "I know that we have a
separate investigative file," said Paula Blizzard, an attorney with the
California attorney general's office.
Google's lawyers and the Justice Department also seemed
close to wrapping up details of an order protecting confidential information
from corporations which helped with the government's case as well as on a
scheduling order. Both could be completed next week.
The next status hearing was set for January 21.
© Reuters