Judge allows Google antitrust case to move ahead in Virginia

By MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) — A judge has rejected a request from Google to transfer a federal antitrust lawsuit against it from Virginia to New York. The ruling Friday from U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema is a victory for the Justice Department and several states, including Virginia, that sued Google earlier this year and wanted to keep the case in the commonwealth. The lawsuit alleges that Google holds a virtual monopoly in online advertising that works to the detriment of consumers. Google had argued that it would be more efficient to consolidate the lawsuit with similar ones already being heard in New York. Justice Department Lawyers said consolidating the case in New York would just bog it down.