Who is Amit Mehta? The Gujarat-Born US Judge Shaping the Future with His Google Antitrust Decision

Amit Priyavadan Mehta, a prominent American lawyer and federal judge, has been serving as a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia since 2014. He left his birthplace of Patan, Gujarat, India, in 1971 and was brought to the United States when he was one year old.

He grew up in Reisterstown, Maryland, and attended Georgetown University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics in 1993. Two years later, in 1997, he received his Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law.

On July 8, U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta of the District of Columbia issued an important and groundbreaking ruling in a major antitrust case involving Google. He then concluded on August 5, 2024 that Google had illegally maintained its monopoly in the Internet search market, a sign that had persisted for years throughout the tech industry.

Key details of the ruling

Monopoly Abuse: Judge Mehta said Google took advantage of its 89.2% market share in the U.S. for general search services and used that power to “eliminate competition and maintain a monopoly.” He noted that Google’s actions, such as paying billions of dollars to companies like Apple and Samsung to have their search apps run by default on targeted devices, demonstrated monopolistic behavior.

Market impact: The ruling is seen as a pivotal moment in U.S. antitrust enforcement that could redesign how big tech companies operate. If Mehta’s ruling stands, it could have a big impact on how Google does business and serve as inspiration for future cases against other giants like Apple or Amazon.

Google’s response: The company said it would appeal the ruling and argued that product innovation, not anti-competitive behavior, ensured its market success. The company said in a statement that the ruling “distorts” how it operates and threatens consumer choice.

Wider impact

The ruling is a major issue for U.S. regulators as they seek to limit the power of tech giants in one of the most important antitrust cases in recent years. The case is drawing attention not only for its impact on Google, but also for what it could portend for competition in the development of artificial intelligence. In short, Judge Mehta issued a landmark ruling against Google – one that could dramatically change the landscape of the digital advertising and search engine markets.

Amit Mehta’s rulings and judicial philosophy continue to influence legal discourse in the United States, particularly in high-stakes cases involving significant political implications.