Strike 3 Holdings v. John Doe subscriber assigned IP address 68.129.244.229
- Paul Engelmayer
- 1:25-cv-08111
- U.S. District Court · Southern District of New York
- 5
Strike 3 Holdings v. John Doe, Judge Engelmayer authorized a subpoena to identify the defendant while preserving opportunities to object or remain anonymous.
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC, John Doe, and Verizon Online LLC d/b/a Verizon Internet Services. The order allows Strike 3 to seek identifying information from Verizon but gives John Doe and Verizon 60 days to challenge the subpoena or request anonymous litigation.
What happened
In Strike 3 Holdings, LLC v. John Doe subscriber assigned IP address 68.129.244.229, Strike 3 asked to subpoena Verizon, the internet service provider, for information identifying the defendant. The notice says Strike 3 alleges that the defendant illegally downloaded or distributed movies.
The court allowed Strike 3 to seek the defendant’s true name and current and permanent address. The subpoena may not seek the defendant’s email addresses or telephone numbers, and the information may be used only to protect Strike 3’s rights in this lawsuit.
Verizon must notify John Doe and provide the subpoena and court order. John Doe or Verizon will have 60 days to challenge the subpoena, and John Doe may request to proceed anonymously. Judge Paul A. Engelmayer ordered Verizon not to disclose identifying information during that period or while a timely challenge is pending.
The detailed version
- Strike 3 Holdings v. John Doe subscriber assigned IP address 68.129.244.229 · No. 1:25-cv-08111
- Paul Engelmayer
- Nov. 20, 2025
Background
Strike 3 Holdings, LLC asked for permission to serve a subpoena under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 45 on Verizon Online LLC d/b/a Verizon Internet Services. The subpoena seeks information to identify John Doe, a defendant identified in the complaint by the Internet Protocol address 68.129.244.229. The notice to the defendant states that Strike 3 alleges illegal downloading and/or distribution of movies.
Ruling
The court granted Strike 3’s motion. Strike 3 may immediately serve Verizon with a subpoena seeking John Doe’s true name and current and permanent address. The subpoena may not seek email addresses or telephone numbers. Strike 3 must provide Verizon with a copy of the order and the attached notice to the defendant.
Verizon has 60 days after receiving the subpoena to serve John Doe with the subpoena, the order, and the notice. John Doe then has 60 days after receiving notice to file a motion challenging the subpoena, including a motion to quash or modify it, or to request permission to litigate anonymously. Verizon may not disclose identifying information before that 60-day period ends. If John Doe or Verizon files a motion to quash, Verizon may not disclose information until the court resolves the motion and directs Verizon to resume production.
If no challenge is filed during the 60-day period, Verizon will have 10 days to provide the subpoenaed information to Strike 3. Verizon must preserve the information while a timely motion to quash is pending. The order also directs Verizon to confer with Strike 3 about production costs and prohibits advance charges, although Verizon may later provide a billing summary and cost report if it elects to charge for production.
Limits on disclosure and anonymity
Any information disclosed may be used only to protect Strike 3’s rights stated in its complaint. The notice explains that John Doe may seek to remain anonymous even without filing a motion to quash or modify the subpoena. If John Doe proceeds without a lawyer, the notice directs communications through the court’s Pro Se Office and states that identifying information submitted to the court will not be provided to Strike 3’s lawyers unless the court determines there is no basis to withhold it.
Judge Paul A. Engelmayer directed the Clerk of Court to terminate the motion pending at docket 6.
Read the full 5-page opinion on CourtListener, the free public archive maintained by the Free Law Project.