A US-BASED provider of internet services is to transfer the domain name and registration of the website rateyoursolicitor.comto a solicitor who claimed he was defamed on the website, the High Court heard yesterday.
Co Sligo-based solicitor Damien Tansey secured various orders last January against Dotster Inc, a US-based firm, which, he alleged, provided internet services to those hosting the website and to two individuals – John Gill, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare, and Ann Vogelaar, Westport, Co Mayo – who he claimed were running and operating the site.
Mr Gill has claimed he has nothing to do with the site and Ms Vogelaar had also denied the claims against her. Mr Gill has indicated he intends to appeal all orders made against him.
Mr Justice Michael Peart yesterday agreed to an application by Richard Humphreys SC, for Mr Tansey, to make orders transferring the domain name, registration and hosting accounts of rateyoursolicitor.com– which no longer functions – and crookedlawyers.comto Dr Mark Humphrys of the DCU school of computing, on behalf of Mr Tansey.
The judge further ordered Dotster to provide Dr Humphreys with access to files associated with the websites, passwords and contact names of those who paid Dotster to host and register the sites over the last five years, as well as emails sent by the sites’ operators during the same period.
As a result of the orders, Mr Tansey’s proceedings against Dotster have concluded, and all orders previously obtained against the internet provider were struck out. Cian Ferriter SC, for Dotster, said his client was neither consenting to nor objecting to the orders being made. Previously, Dotster had indicated it intended to apply to set aside a judgment obtained against it by Mr Tansey in his proceedings.