The music industry has famously fought back, killing Napster with litigation and even suing individuals who shared songs on a large scale.

Americans have always been able to sue foreign individuals who were in this country.

"This substantially expands the rights of nonparties to sue individuals who enter these agreements," he said.

BMG was an attempt by the record companies to sue individuals for copyright infringement of their songs.

Andersen partners have some reason to be nervous, as well, because plaintiffs bringing securities lawsuits against the firm may sue individuals next.

These actions reached their nadir when the company threatened to sue individuals supplying game material on Internet sites.

The Church of Scientology also sued several individuals quoted in the Time article.

These do not include the few dozen cases where Mr. Rosenberg sued individuals, towns and corporations under one of his corporate names.

The risk of suing individuals is that there will be more pressure in that direction.

The regulation allows a private citizen with knowledge of fraud against the government to sue individuals or corporations on behalf of the attorney general.