Microsoft Judge Set to Name Mediator

The federal judge overseeing the landmark antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft Corp. is expected next week to appoint a mediator in hopes of brokering a settlement.

Attorneys for the software giant, the Justice Department and the 18 states suing Microsoft spoke in a conference call with U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.

Later, the sides declined to discuss the call. But two people informed of the conversation by participants said Microsoft and the prosecutors reported that they haven’t been able to reach a settlement on their own.

Kollar-Kotelly said Sept. 28 that she would name a mediator if no deal was achieved by Friday, and she plans to do so early next week, sources said.

Previous court rulings found that Microsoft broke federal laws by strong-arming computer companies to protect its monopoly on PC operating systems. Absent a settlement by Nov. 2 on how Microsoft should be punished and its future conduct restricted, a trial on those issues is planned for March.

Microsoft rose 6 cents to $56.38 on Nasdaq.