“I Ignored It, and My Case Was Dismissed”

This is classic survivorship bias;you’re only hearing from people who got lucky. The defendants who ignored their case and then got served with an amended complaint naming them, whether publicly or under seal? They’re not posting victory stories online.

Strike 3 dismisses some cases “without prejudice,” meaning it reserves the right to refile later. But others receive amended complaints with their real names attached to adult film copyright cases, and while Strike 3 now requests to file these under seal (hidden from public view), not all judges grant this request. Some amended complaints still become part of the public federal court record. We’ve seen both outcomes in our 2,300+ Strike 3 cases, and there’s no reliable pattern for predicting which you’ll get.

“They’re Bluffing / Won’t Actually Pursue You”

This would be comforting if it were true, but the numbers tell a different story.Strike 3 Holdings has filed over 20,000 federal lawsuits since 2017. In 2024 alone, they filed 3,932 cases across multiple federal districts.

They have local counsel in California, New York, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Hawaii. They actively serve defendants at their homes. Recent court records from March 2025 show default judgments of $20,250 (Eastern District of New York, Case No. 1:24-cv-02287) and $86,250 (Northern District of Georgia, Case No. 1:23-cv-03062). A 2020 judgment in the Eastern District of New York reached $108,750. This isn’t a bluff. It’s systematic federal litigation backed by a business model that depends on enforcement.

“Just Wait It Out”

Waiting sounds passive and safe, but it actively harms your position.

Settlement amounts vary significantly based on individual circumstances. Early settlements, while you’re still anonymous and have maximum leverage, typically fall in the low-to-mid thousands and are well below Strike 3’s standard demands. After being served with an amended complaint, settlement costs generally increase by 20-40% or more. We’ll give you a realistic assessment for your specific situation during consultation.

More importantly, you’re gambling with your anonymity.While Strike 3 now asks courts for permission to file amended complaints “under seal” (keeping your name hidden from public view), this practice emerged only after federal judges pushed back against their tactics; one judge even called their methods “legal extortion.”

Here’s the problem: Most judges DO grant the under-seal request, but some do NOT. In most cases, the judge’s initial order authorizing the ISP subpoena is silent on whether the amended complaint may be filed under seal.

This means you won’t know whether your name will be public or sealed until after the amended complaint is filed. You’re not just gambling on whether Strike 3 will pursue you; you’re also gambling on whether your name will appear in public court records attached to an adult film copyright case. Waiting doesn’t make this go away; it makes resolution more expensive and adds layers of uncertainty you can’t control.

“They Can’t Prove It Was Me Because I Used a VPN”

If you received an ISP letter at your home address, Strike 3 has already presented evidence to a federal judgeshowing that your IP address was used to download their copyrighted content on specific dates and times. That’s why the court issued a subpoena for your subscriber information.

The VPN question is irrelevant at this stage. They’re not trying to trace an IP address anymore; they already have it. The subpoena is to attach your legal name to that IP address. Whether your network was compromised or someone else was responsible, these are potential defenses that require legal strategy and documentation, not ones that can be achieved by ignoring federal court proceedings.

Gamble #1: Will Strike 3 pursue you or dismiss your case?

Some cases get dismissed without prejudice.Others result in amended complaints and service at your home. There’s no reliable way to predict which outcome you’ll get.

Gamble #2: If they do pursue you, will your name be public or sealed?

After federal judges criticized Strike 3’s practices, one judge called their methods “legal extortion.”Strike 3 began requesting permission to file amended complaints under seal, keeping defendants’ names hidden from public view.

Most judges grant this request, but not all. And here’s the critical problem: in most cases, the judge’s initial order authorizing the ISP subpoena is silent on the under-seal issue.

This means you won’t know whether the amended complaint will be filed publicly or under seal until after it happens.You could receive service papers with your name already in public federal court records attached to adult film downloads, or your case could be sealed. You have no way to know in advance.

By ignoring the ISP notice, you’re rolling the dice twice:once on whether you’ll be pursued at all, and again on whether your name will become public if you are.

We’ve represented over 5,000 clients in BitTorrent copyright cases since 2010. We’ve seen Strike 3 Holdings pursue cases aggressively across the country and dismiss hundreds of cases without prejudice.

The problem is there’s no reliable pattern for predicting which outcome you’ll get. What we can tell you is that ignoring it removes every option you have to protect yourself.

You’ll learn whether Strike 3 is actively pursuing cases in your jurisdiction.

We track dismissal and settlement patterns across federal districts. What’s happening in California may look completely different from Florida or New York. We can tell you what we’re seeing in your specific court.

You’ll get realistic settlement expectations based on your specific situation.

Settlement amounts vary significantly based on individual circumstances. Early settlements, while you’re still anonymous and have maximum leverage, typically fall in the low-to-mid thousands and are well below Strike 3’s standard demands. After being served with an amended complaint, settlement costs generally increase by 20-40% or more. We’ll give you a realistic assessment for your specific situation during consultation.

You’ll know exactly what representation costs.

We offer flat-fee representation, typically $3,000, to handle your case from consultation through resolution. Compare that to the uncertainty of ignoring: you might pay nothing if dismissed, or you might face a $97,000+ default judgment.