Strike 3 Holdings v. John Doe Subscriber Assigned IP Address 98.207.131.213
- Thomas Hixson
- 3:25-cv-10204
- U.S. District Court · Northern District of California
- 2
In Strike 3 Holdings v. John Doe, Judge Hixson allowed early subpoena service to identify the subscriber behind an IP address.
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC may seek the identity and address of the John Doe defendant from Comcast or another identified internet service provider. The defendant and the provider may challenge the subpoena within 30 days, and the defendant’s identity is subject to the order’s notice, preservation, use, and sealing requirements.
What happened
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC asked to serve Comcast Cable Communications, LLC with a subpoena before the parties held their required early case conference. The subpoena seeks the name and address of the defendant associated with IP address 98.207.131.213.
The court found good cause for the early subpoena and allowed Strike 3 to serve Comcast. The order also allows subpoenas to other internet providers identified in response. Comcast must notify the subscriber, and the subscriber and provider may challenge the subpoena within 30 days.
Judge Thomas S. Hixson granted Strike 3 Holdings, LLC’s motion for permission to serve the third-party subpoena before the Rule 26(f) conference. The order limits use and public disclosure of the information and requires references to the defendant’s identity to remain under seal unless the court orders otherwise.
The detailed version
- Strike 3 Holdings v. John Doe Subscriber Assigned IP Address 98.207.131.213 · No. 3:25-cv-10204
- Thomas Hixson
- Dec. 29, 2025
Background
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC filed an ex-parte application, meaning a request decided without a prior appearance by the opposing party, for permission to serve a third-party subpoena before the parties’ Rule 26(f) conference. The opinion states that Strike 3 sought information identifying the defendant associated with the IP address listed in Exhibit A to the complaint.
Court’s Analysis
The court found that Strike 3 had established “good cause” to serve a subpoena on Comcast Cable Communications, LLC, identified as the internet service provider. The subpoena may command Comcast to provide the defendant’s true name and address. Strike 3 may also serve a similar subpoena on another internet service provider identified in Comcast’s response.
If Comcast qualifies as a cable operator under 47 U.S.C. § 522(5), it must send the defendant a copy of the order. Comcast must serve the subscriber with the subpoena and order within 30 days after being served. The subscriber and Comcast each have 30 days from service to file a motion challenging the subpoena, including a motion to cancel or modify it. If no timely challenge is filed, Comcast has 10 days to provide the responsive information to Strike 3 and must preserve the subpoenaed information until production or final resolution of a timely challenge.
Ruling and Limits on Disclosure
Judge Thomas S. Hixson granted the ex-parte motion for leave to serve the third-party subpoena before the Rule 26(f) conference. Strike 3 may use information obtained through the subpoena only to protect and enforce the rights described in the complaint. It may not publicly disclose the information without the court’s permission at least until the defendant has had an opportunity to seek permission to proceed anonymously or further discovery has occurred. References to the defendant’s identity must be redacted and filed under seal until further notice. The order does not decide the merits of Strike 3’s underlying claims.
Read the full 2-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.