When this legal melee began earlier this month, I guessed that the judge was simply taking IBM at its word and ordering Papermaster to stop work essentially at their whim. Well, you can’t blame me for underestimating the Judicial Branch, can you? Recently revealed records show that the judge had pretty solid reasoning for believing Papermaster was a serious threat to IBM in his new position at Apple, citing Apple’s interest in the man’s specific knowledge of microprocessors and the history between Apple and the Power processors to which Papermaster is related.

God, that’s all a bit dry, isn’t it? But it increases my faith in the court where this thing is being addressed; it also gives weight to IBM’s side of the argument — a non-comp agreement that Papermaster says is too broad. Unfortunately, his complaint may be a little too after-the-fact for the judge to consider it worthwhile.

I wish we had flashier legal issues to talk about, but all the ones I mention here aren’t quite as public. So, Papermaster it is!