*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 36229* Federal Communications Commission DA 04- 577 Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Washington, D. C. 20554 In the Matter of ) ) Judith Judware, ) ) Complainant, ) ) v. ) File No. IC- 02- I0013921 ) Verizon Communications, Inc., ) ) Defendant. ) ORDER Adopted: February 27, 2004 Released: February 27, 2004 By the Deputy Chief, Market Disputes Resolution Division, Enforcement Bureau: 1. On November 18, 2002, Judith Judware (“ Judware”) filed an informal complaint against Verizon Communications, Inc. (“ Verizon”) pursuant to section 208 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U. S. C. § 208, and sections 1.716 – 1.718 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C. F. R. §§ 1.716 – 1.718. On March 24, 2003, Verizon submitted its response to the informal complaint. Pursuant to section 1.718 of the Commission’s rules, 1 the Complainant is required to convert its informal complaint into a formal complaint within six months of the date that the Defendant replies to the informal complaint, or such informal complaint will be deemed to be abandoned. In this case, Judware was required to convert the informal complaint into a formal complaint by September 24, 2003. This date was later extended to March 1, 2004. 2 1 47 C. F. R. § 1.718. 2 See Judware v. Verizon, Order, DA 03- 4110, 2003 WL 23095472 (F. C. C.) (December 31, 2003); Letter from Warren Firschein, Attorney, Market Disputes Resolution Division, Enforcement Bureau, FCC, to Christopher Karns, Attorney for Judware, and Marie Breslin, Attoney for Verizon, File No. IC- 02- I0013921 (November 21, 2003); Letter from Warren Firschein, Attorney, Market Disputes Resolution Division, Enforcement Bureau, FCC, to Christopher Karns, Attorney for Judware, and Marie Breslin, Attoney for Verizon, File No. IC- 02- I0013921 (September 29, 2003). 1 Federal Communications Commission DA 04- 577 2 2. On February 19, 2004, Judware and Verizon filed a joint request seeking an additional extension of the period for converting Judware’s informal complaint into a formal complaint pursuant to 47 C. F. R. § 1.718. Specifically, the parties state they are currently exploring settlement negotiations, and that an extension of the deadline to convert the informal complaint will enable them to continue those discussions. As a result, the parties request that the Commission extend the deadline to May 1, 2004. Furthermore, the parties offer to provide the Commission with a joint report covering the status of these discussions on or before March 19, 2004, and a second such report on or before April 16. 3. We are satisfied that granting the waiver request will serve the public interest by promoting the private resolution of disputes and by postponing the need for further litigation and expenditure of further time and resources of the parties and of this Commission until such time as may actually be necessary. 4. Accordingly, we hereby GRANT the parties’ joint request for a further extension of the period for converting informal complaints under 47 C. F. R. § 1.718, and extend the deadline for Judware to convert her informal complaint to a formal complaint to May 1, 2004. Furthermore, the parties shall submit a joint status report covering the status of their discussions on or before March 19, 2004, and a second report on or before April 16, 2004. This report shall be addressed to: Suzanne Perrin Room CY- B526 Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau Federal Communication Commission 445 12 th Street, S. W. Washington, D. C. 20554 5. This order is issued pursuant to sections 4( i), 4( j), and 208 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U. S. C. §§ 154( i), 154( j), and 208, and sections 1.3 and 1.718 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C. F. R. §§ 1.3, 1.718, and the authority delegated in sections 0.111 and 0.311 of the Commission’s rules, 47 C. F. R. §§ 0.111, 0.311. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Radhika V. Karmarkar Deputy Chief, Market Disputes Resolution Division Enforcement Bureau 2