I am root root rooting for 321 Studios in their court challenge to the Hollywood studios over its DVD-copying technology. As we have said here ad nauseum, all citizens have a right to make a back up copy of their own DVDs and music CDs. The DMCA denies citizens this right; ergo, the DMCA is crap.

321 Studios thinks so too:

321 Studios, a provider of DVD copying technologies, is counting down to a court date in San Francisco Friday when a judge is set to consider whether the company is on solid constitutional ground to sue nine major motion picture companies to prevent them from blocking the distribution of its software.

The hearing, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, comes one year after 321 Studios filed the suit as a preventive measure, believing that the movie studios would sue it to stop distribution of its DVD Copy Plus software, which allows consumers to make personal backup copies of their DVDs.

The suit names MGM Studios, Tristar Pictures, Columbia Pictures Industries, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Time Warner Entertainment, Disney Enterprises, Universal City Studios, The Saul Zaentz, and Pixar as defendants.

....321 Studios is arguing that its software is protected under fair use and free speech rights and is asking for a declaratory judgment stating that its DVD copying software is legal.

....321 Studios' DVD Copy Plus software allows users to back up DVD movies on standard CD-R disks and the company's DVD X Copy software allows users to backup DVD movies on recordable DVDs. On the company's Web site, 321 states that DVD X Copy will "copy almost any DVD--including copy-protected DVDs!"

It will be up to the judge to decide if 321 Studios' constitutional claim is enough to warrant a trial in the case. The hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. PT, a 321 Studio representative said. [IDG]