Microsoft Gets an Extra Week on Sanctions Hearing

A federal judge on Friday gave Microsoft(MSFT Quote) one extra week to prepare for hearings on tougher sanctions being sought by nine dissenting states that refused to approve the software maker's antitrust settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice.

U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly agreed to postpone the sanctions hearings, originally scheduled to begin Monday, until March 18. Earlier this week, Microsoft had asked the judge for a two-week delay, citing a need for more time to respond to changes in a proposal from nonsettling states. The sanction hearings could last at least a month.

Last June the U.S. Court of Appeals found that Microsoft had illegally maintained a monopoly in computer operating systems and remanded the case to the lower court to figure out how the company should be penalized.

After months of haggling, Microsoft settled the case in November with the Justice Department and half of the 18 states that were pursuing it. The remaining states are still fighting for stricter sanctions.

Earlier this week Kollar-Kotelly held a hearing to decide whether the settlement is in the public interest. But it's likely she won't issue a ruling on whether the settlement serves the public interest until after the hearings on the dissenting states' sanctions.

Shares of Microsoft rose $1.61, or 2.6%, to $64.33 in recent trading.