Google cut Uncle Sam a $2 million check so it could avoid a jury trial. A judge just agreed

A US federal judge ruled that an antitrust lawsuit against Google will be decided by a judge rather than a jury. Google paid the full amount of monetary damages sought in the lawsuit, leading to the decision. The case is the first antitrust suit against a Big Tech company brought by the Biden administration. The Justice Department wanted a jury trial but the judge ruled in Google’s favor after the company argued that the payment settled the claim for damages. A hearing is set for June 21 on Google’s motion for summary dismissal, with a bench trial scheduled for September.