Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. John Doe subscriber assigned IP address 76.102.12.84
- Cisneros
- 3:25-cv-06497
- U.S. District Court · Northern District of California
- 3
In Strike 3 Holdings v. John Doe, Judge Cisneros allowed Strike 3 to seek the defendant’s identity from Comcast by subpoena.
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC, the unidentified defendant associated with the specified internet protocol address, Comcast Cable Communications, LLC, and any other internet service provider identified through the subpoena process.
What happened
In Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. John Doe Subscriber Assigned IP Address 76.102.12.84, Strike 3 asked to serve Comcast with a subpoena before the parties’ required initial conference.
The court found good cause and allowed Strike 3 to seek the defendant’s true name and address from Comcast. Strike 3 may also subpoena another internet provider identified in response to the first subpoena.
Judge Cisneros ordered notice to the subscriber, allowed 30 days to challenge or modify the subpoena, and limited use of the information to enforcing Strike 3’s rights in the complaint. The order did not decide the underlying claims.
The detailed version
- Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. John Doe subscriber assigned IP address 76.102.12.84 · No. 3:25-cv-06497
- Cisneros
- Sept. 3, 2025
Background
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC filed an application without advance notice to the other side for permission to serve a third-party subpoena before the parties’ Rule 26(f) conference. A third-party subpoena is a formal demand for information from someone who is not a party to the lawsuit. Strike 3 sought information from Comcast Cable Communications, LLC, identified as the internet service provider.
Ruling
The court found that Strike 3 had shown good cause to serve Comcast with a subpoena under Rule 45. The subpoena may require Comcast to provide Strike 3 with the true name and address of the defendant associated with the internet protocol address listed in the complaint. Strike 3 must attach a copy of the order to the subpoena.
The order also permits Strike 3 to serve a similar subpoena on another internet service provider identified in response to the Comcast subpoena. If Comcast qualifies as a cable operator under the cited federal statute, it must send the defendant a copy of the order when disclosing the identifying information.
Limits and Procedure
Strike 3 may use information obtained through the subpoena only to protect and enforce the rights asserted in its complaint. Comcast must serve the subscriber with copies of the subpoena and order within 30 days after being served. Each subscriber and Comcast has 30 days after service to file a motion challenging, quashing, or modifying the subpoena. If no timely challenge is filed, Comcast has 10 additional days to produce the responsive information. Comcast must preserve the subpoenaed information while production or any timely challenge remains unresolved.
The defendant’s name and other identifying information must initially be filed under seal and not otherwise disclosed. After the defendant is served, the court may require the defendant to seek permission to proceed anonymously. This order addressed discovery and identification procedures; it did not decide whether the defendant committed the conduct alleged in the complaint.
Read the full 3-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.