Judge orders record industry to prove ownership of music

The record industry has been ordered to provide proof it owns copyrights to music works it is seeking to protect in its lawsuit against Napster.

US District Judge Marilyn Hall Patel also appointed an expert to review the documents.

Officials for the recording industry's trade group say they are ready to provide the documents.

The record labels are seeking damages from the online file-sharing network for allowing the copyrighted songs to be trafficked.

The judge also opened the door to legal discovery on Napster's claims that the labels misused their copyrights to dominate the growing online music distribution industry.

Napster says both rulings are significant victories for the embattled company, which has been offline since July.

Cary Sherman, general counsel for the Recording Industry Association of America says Napster's allegations of misuse are without merit, which will be confirmed through the ordered discovery.