Got an AT&T Internet Letter About Strike 3 Holdings?
A Strike 3 Holdings AT&T Internet letter is usually a notice that a federal court has allowed Strike 3 Holdings to subpoena the name and address linked to an IP address on your account. It is a serious document. It is not a judgment, it is not a criminal charge, and it does not mean you have been named in the lawsuit. Most of these cases begin against a “John Doe” known only by an IP address.
Many judges have noted that the infringer may be a family member, roommate, guest, neighbor or somebody else. One of those judges is a United State Supreme Court Justice – Justice Sotomayor stated in Sony v. Cox Communications: “When Cox receives a copyright-violation notice, however, the notice specifies only which connection was used to infringe, not who used it to commit infringement.”
This page explains what AT&T Internet itself says publicly about civil subpoenas, what a Strike 3 Holdings AT&T Internet letter usually contains, and what to do next. If you want a fast answer about your own letter, call or tap (312) 201-8310 for a free, confidential consultation.
What AT&T Internet says about civil subpoenas
AT&T publishes a transparency report that describes the legal demands it receives. AT&T says it complies with court orders and subpoenas, including those from parties to civil lawsuits. It also explains that subpoenas “don’t usually require the approval of a judge and are issued by an officer of the court, e.g., an attorney,” and that a subpoena can be used to request basic subscriber information, such as the name and address listed on the billing account.
AT&T says it checks that it has received the correct type of demand and rejects demands that are improper. See also AT&T’s privacy transparency page.
In Strike 3 Holdings cases, the plaintiff normally needs a court’s permission to serve the subpoena early, before the defendant is known. What matters most for you is the court order in your case and the dates printed on your Strike 3 Holdings AT&T Internet letter. AT&T does not publish a fixed subscriber notice period for these cases that we could verify.
ISP policies change, and the court order in your own case controls. Use the dates printed on your own Strike 3 Holdings AT&T Internet letter, not dates from this page or from someone else’s letter.
What a Strike 3 Holdings AT&T Internet letter usually includes
- A federal case number and the court (for example, a docket that looks like 2:26-cv-01795)
- An IP address and a date and time
- Dates related to when the provider says it will respond, or dates set by the court
- Sometimes a copy of the court order or the subpoena
Keep the provider name exact. Your documents should refer to AT&T Internet. Each provider’s notice looks different. Other provider pages: Spectrum subpoena notice, Comcast Xfinity Letter, Verizon Letter, Cox Letter, Optimum Letter, Frontier Letter.
What the letter is not
- A Strike 3 Holdings AT&T Internet letter is not proof that the account holder downloaded anything. The person who pays the bill may be a family member, roommate, guest, or someone else using the connection.
- It is not a settlement demand by itself, and it is not a criminal charge.
- It does not mean Strike 3 Holdings already has your name. The provider’s response to the subpoena is how the plaintiff asks for that information.
What to do next
- ☐ Read every page calmly, including any court order or subpoena enclosed with it.
- ☐ Keep every document as it is. Do not delete files, wipe devices, or uninstall software.
- ☐ Do not contact Strike 3 Holdings or its attorneys yourself. What you say can affect your privacy and your options.
- ☐ Do not file anything in court on your own without advice. A filing you make yourself can put your name in the public court record.
- ☐ Get a free, confidential consultation. Call (312) 201-8310, or email or upload your AT&T Internet letter through our contact page.
For a fuller checklist, see the Strike 3 Holdings ISP letter guide and our Strike 3 Holdings FAQ.
Your options, in plain terms
- A quiet, anonymous resolution. Many people prefer to resolve the matter confidentially through counsel, often without their name appearing in the public court record.
- Challenge the subpoena. Depending on the facts and the court, an attorney may file a motion to quash or ask the court to let you proceed anonymously.
- Defend the case in court. If the facts support it, Antonelli Law® defends Strike 3 Holdings cases in federal court.
Most people who contact us want a quiet, anonymous resolution. We also defend in court when that is the right path. See pros and cons of settling and why filing your own motion can affect your privacy.
Attorney Highlight: Melissa Ross
Melissa Brabender Ross, a Senior Associate at Antonelli Law® since 2012, handles BitTorrent copyright defense and employment and labor matters. She also works with Jeffrey Antonelli in the firm’s Drone/UAS Practice Group. She has appeared in federal, state and administrative proceedings, has extensive trial and deposition experience, and has won many contested substantive motions.
Originally from Ohio, Melissa graduated with honors from DePaul University College of Law and was elected to the Order of the Coif. Before that she earned an accounting degree with honors at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business. She is licensed in Illinois and admitted to the General Bar of the Northern District of Illinois.
Phone: (312) 201-8310. Email: mross@antonelli-law.com.
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Posted by anonymous | June 27, 2025 | Hired Attorney
Client review of Melissa Ross
“Woking with Melissa was fantastic. She was really effective in communicating with me in layman terms; translating legalize, explaining the process and making me feel I was in really good hands. She was always reachable and extremely prompt in communicating the back and forth between opposing counsel. I couldn’t have asked for more from Melissa. Because of the time zone, I was catching her late in her evenings and she always responded – THANK YOU. Sometimes you get lucky with the initial interview process, and I certainly did.”
Got a AT&T Internet letter about Strike 3 Holdings?
Most people we talk with want a quiet, anonymous resolution. We also defend cases in court when that is the better path. The first step is simply a free, confidential consultation about your document.
Call or tap: (312) 201-8310
Or email or upload your documents through our contact page, or choose an attorney and book a time below.
Schedule Your Free Confidential Strike 3 Holdings Consultation
Speak directly with our team. Choose the attorney you prefer. A consultation is not a decision to go to court.
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Frequently asked questions
What information is AT&T asked to provide?
AT&T explains that a subpoena can be used to request basic subscriber information, such as the name and address on the billing account. In a Strike 3 Holdings case, that is how the plaintiff tries to learn who the account holder is.
Is the AT&T Internet account holder automatically the person being sued?
No. The case starts against a “John Doe” identified only by an IP address. The person who pays the bill may not be the person who used the connection.
Does AT&T tell me before it responds?
Your Strike 3 Holdings AT&T Internet letter is the notice. Use the dates on it and the court order in your case. We could not verify a fixed AT&T timeline that applies to every case.
Can I get help if I live outside Illinois?
Yes. Antonelli Law® handles Strike 3 Holdings matters in federal courts nationwide. You can email or upload your documents, or call (312) 201-8310.
Related reading
- Strike 3 Holdings Spectrum subpoena notice
- Strike 3 Holdings ISP letter guide
- ISP subpoena orders: deadlines depend on the court
- Strike 3 Holdings FAQ
- Should I ignore a Strike 3 Holdings subpoena?
This page is general information about Strike 3 Holdings and similar BitTorrent copyright cases. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different. Client reviews describe individual experiences. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Antonelli Law® defends people and businesses against copyright claims and does not represent copyright holders. Attorney advertising. Information is current as of October 23, 2026.
TORRENT DEFENDERS® is a federally registered trademark owned exclusively by the Law Offices of Jeffrey J. Antonelli, Ltd. dba Antonelli Law®.
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About Author
JAntonelli
Jeffrey Antonelli is a member of the federal trial bar of the Northern District of Illinois and is admitted to numerous federal courts around the country. He has been a civil litigator nearly 25 years in a broad range of actions representing corporations and individuals as plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court. Jeffrey has been interviewed by the media many times, including Bloomberg BNA, NBC, The New York Times, Chicago Lawyer, Chicago Tribune, and the longstanding lawyer’s publication Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Prior to forming Antonelli Law Ltd. in 2007 Jeffrey worked for several litigation boutiques in Chicago’s Loop as well as a full service firm. His litigation experience includes hotly contested issues in intellectual property, business, insurance, and consumer fraud. He is an adviser to the Illinois Board of Higher Education Advisory Council for Private Business and Vocational Schools (PBVS), and was a member of the Illinois State Bar Association Education Law Section Council from 2012-2013. Jeffrey is especially proud of his work representing hundreds of students defrauded by improperly accredited educational institutions, including as certified class counsel. Before attending law school, Jeffrey was interested first in business, and then in biomedical ethics. These interests led him to graduate from the nation’s largest philosophy department at Loyola University in Chicago, where some of his favorite (and most challenging) subjects were cognitive science and philosophy of science. During college he held positions at the University of Chicago’s Ben May Institute; as a medical assistant for a University of Chicago foot and ankle surgeon; and volunteered in the emergency room at the University of Chicago Hospitals. These experiences led to studying health law at the DePaul College of Law where Jeffrey earned his law degree and a certificate in health law. At that time DePaul’s Institute for Health Law was consistently ranked in the top 10 health law specialty programs nationwide. During law school Jeffrey immersed himself in studying the practical and public policy aspects of health care through internships at the American Medical Association in Chicago, and on Capitol Hill at the Governmental Relations Office of the Association of American Medical Colleges in Washington, DC. Jeffrey has concentrated in civil litigation throughout his legal career, and is a member of the federal trial bar of the Northern District of Illinois, the Central District of Illinois federal court, and all federal courts of Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. In addition, he is a member of the DuPage County Bar Association and the Illinois State Bar Association. Jeffrey prides himself on his strong personal ideals, passionate, ethical advocacy, and working hard to bring the best possible results for his clients. He also maintains a special interest in cases involving fraud. Whether due to good parenting, his family’s law enforcement employment, undergraduate studies in philosophy including ethics, or a fortuitous outcome of good breeding, one essence of Jeffrey’s character is a drive to root out the truth behind fraudulent practices.