thearchivist.funNapster closes its file-trading network, and a court keeps it closed
Computerworld reported on 26 March 2002 that the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit had denied Napster's appeal against the court-ordered shutdown, rejecting all of its motions. Napster had closed its MP3 file-trading network in July 2001 after lawsuits by record companies and the Recording Industry Association of America. The order came from Judge Marilyn Hall Patel of the US District Court, who had also ordered Napster to continue its file-blocking efforts, and required the service to stay offline until it could stop the trading of copyrighted works. The appeals court wrote that the shutdown order 'was a proper exercise of the district court's power'. At its peak, the article says, Napster claimed as many as 60 million users. In January 2002 Napster had begun beta testing a paid service in which users would pay for access and trade copy-protected songs.
Context and provenance
This record is about a closing imposed by a court rather than chosen by a company. That changes how it should be described: the shutdown, the appeal and the later attempt at a paid service were separate steps, and the article dates them differently.
The 60 million figure is the company's own claim of peak users. The Computerworld article reports the legal steps rather than the music or the community, so use it for those.
For the legal history, the best evidence is the court's own opinion, which this record does not quote. Use the Computerworld article for the dates and the reported holding, and name it as a news report of the Ninth Circuit's ruling. Keep the 60 million figure attributed to Napster's claims.
Transmission timeline
- 2001-07
Napster closes its file-trading network after lawsuits.
- 2002-01
Napster begins beta-testing a paid service.
- 2002-03-25
The Ninth Circuit denies Napster's appeal (a Monday, per the article dated 26 March).
Why it matters
A file-sharing service was shut by a court and the shutdown was upheld on appeal, a different kind of end from a business decision.
What remains uncertain
The ruling date is inferred from 'Monday' in an article dated 26 March 2002. The court's own opinion was not read for this record.
Sources and evidence
- Computerworld: Napster to remain shut down
Ninth Circuit ruling, Judge Patel's order, July 2001 closing, 60 million peak user claim, January 2002 paid-service beta.
Editorial review: 2026-10-22. New evidence may change this account.