Judges asked to dismiss record fine against Microsoft

Microsoft Corp. said that the record antitrust fine levied against it in 2004 should be thrown out, or at least greatly reduced, because the punishment outweighed the infraction, the company’s lawyers said today.

But European Commission lawyers said that to throw out the fine, or even reduce it, would send a message that virtual monopolies would be harder to fight in court and impede regulators’ ability to keep a level playing field in the world of business.