The judge in the ReplayTV vs. Hollywood-TV networks lawsuit says the studios may not withhold internal documents about their lobbying efforts and finances:

The federal judge presiding over Hollywood's lawsuit against Sonicblue Inc.'s ReplayTV, a commercial-skipping video recorder, has rejected a novel attempt by the entertainment companies to withhold key documents from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Lawyers for the EFF, an advocacy group that promotes civil liberties online, represent five ReplayTV users who say they have the right to skip commercials and send shows to other viewers.

The major Hollywood studios and TV networks tried to withhold internal documents about their lobbying efforts and finances from the EFF. They argued that the documents would be used to aid the EFF's own lobbying efforts, even if the court barred public disclosures.

But Friday, U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper in Los Angeles ordered the companies to hand over the documents. [LA Times]