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A Federal Court judge is trying to ensure that a lawsuit against Internet users alleged to have illegally distributed copyrighted Hollywood films doesn’t bog down the legal system with thousands of individual cases of litigation.

In a lawsuit filed late last year, American film studio Voltage Pictures LLC is hoping Justice Kevin Aalto will compel Internet service provider TekSavvy Solutions Inc. to hand over the names and addresses of hundreds of its subscribers accused of illegally copying and distributing the studio’s films online. The drawn-out legal case resumed in Toronto on Tuesday.

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“From where I sit, my concern from the court’s perspective is … if your order is granted, is this court then going to have 2,000 separate cases arising from these individuals?” asked Justice Aalto. “It’s a mammoth undertaking.”

The Los Angeles-based production company best known for its movie The Hurt Locker is seeking damages related to the alleged copyright infringement by hundreds of Jane and John Does. Forensic software investigation firm Canipre Inc., which was retained by Voltage, alleges that more than 2,000 Internet protocol (IP) addresses have been linked to the illegal copying and distribution of the film studio’s copyrighted content over the course of a two-month period last fall.