Microsoft victory in overseas e-mail seizure case is upheld

Info issue: Microsoft was thought to be the first US company to challenge a domestic search warrant seeking data held outside the country.

NEW YORK: An equally divided federal appeals court refused to reconsider its landmark decision forbidding the US government from forcing Microsoft Corp and other companies to turn over customer e-mails stored on servers outside the United States.

Tuesday's 4-4 vote by the 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan let stand a July 14 decision that was seen as a victory for privacy advocates, and for technology companies offering cloud computing and other services worldwide.