The judge overseeing the Microsoft antitrust case has given the company and the Justice Department an extra four days to submit a joint report that had been due in court tomorrow.
U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly extended the deadline until Tuesday when a report outlining how both sides think the case should be handled going forward will be submitted, Microsoft said in a statement.
The two sides had filed a joint request for an extension late on Wednesday according to a Microsoft spokesman, Mr Jim Desler. Desler said he did not know the reason for the request. The Sept. 21st date for a previously scheduled conference with the judge has not changed, he said.
Judge Kollar-Kotelly is to hold hearings to decide what sanctions should be imposed on the company to prevent future antitrust violations.
On June 28 a federal appeals court upheld a ruling that the company abused its monopoly power to protect its dominance in the market for personal computer operating systems. But it reversed a lower court order to break up the company and directed the district court to hold hearings to determine a proper remedy.