John Doe likes his free porn

John Doe, someone whose name is unknown, is often accused of sins in court cases. But on February 18 in San Diego federal court, a suit was filed, and John Doe was the ONLY defendant. A Los Angeles firm, Malibu Media, producer of adult films, charged that Doe is a "persistent online infringer" of the company's erotic films.

The suit names Doe's purported internet protocol address — 76.176.139.46. Malibu Media charges that this particular Doe used a technical system called BitTorrent to watch their adult films for free. Among the films Doe allegedly watched illegally: Bedtime Hijinks, Early Morning Orgasm, Elevated Erotica, and Hot Brunettes.

According to a 2014 story in the New Yorker, a couple launched a website, X-art.com in order to distribute adult films in 2009. The site boomed, then went flat. They hired a lawyer who concluded people were watching the films without paying. They began suing the John Does who were guilty of the filching.

The lawsuit claims that Malibu enjoys 99 percent accuracy using its thief-discovery technology in more than a thousand cases. Generally, the cases don't go to trial; there is a settlement, sometimes exceeding $10,000.

These suits have been a boon for defense lawyers. Antonelli Law in Chicago says it has been defending those sued by Malibu since 2011. Antonelli warns that "opportunistic lawyers" have been offering defense at a cut-rate cost.

"These lawyers apparently scare prospective clients into hiring them for a cheap legal fee," but they aren't experienced, says Antonelli on its website.