Breakup plan due today

Friday, April 28, 2000 | 10:43 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department and 19 states that successfully sued Microsoft for antitrust violations will ask a federal judge to split the software giant into two competing companies forbidden to reunite for at least a decade.

The proposal was to be submitted to U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson after the close of financial markets today. Jackson ruled April 3 that Microsoft repeatedly broke federal antitrust laws intended to maintain fair competition by using its monopoly power in computer operating systems to crush rivals.

Jackson gave the government and the states the option of submitting separate briefs if they failed to agree on a remedy. Despite doubts expressed by some states on the divestiture plan, a single proposal would be filed with the court, people close to the talks told the Associated Press.

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