FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          AT
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1995                        (202) 616-2771
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

        JUSTICE DEPARTMENT FILES APPEAL IN MICROSOFT CASE
     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Department of Justice's Antitrust
Division announced today that it filed a notice of appeal and
requested an expedited briefing schedule in the Microsoft case. 
In its brief, the Department said that U.S. District Court Judge
Stanley Sporkin's decision to refuse to enter the final judgment
misconstrued the scope of his review under the Tunney Act, and
erroneously rejected a decree that undoubtedly met the Act's
"public interest" test.       
     According to the Department, Judge Sporkin's opinion would
require the government to:
            Reveal the full details of its investigation.  
            Give reasons for every decision made in performing  
              its prosecutorial duties.
            Lay out the details of conduct that was not         
              challenged.
     Anne K. Bingaman, Assistant Attorney General for the
Antitrust Division, stated, "If this ruling stands, it will harm
the public by detering the Department and antitrust defendants
from entering into consent decrees.  Expedited review is
necessary to ensure that the Division's enforcement program does
not suffer immediate and irredeemable harm."
     A copy of the Department's court documents is attached.