The first judgment was made under a cable law.

U.S. District Judge Filemon Vela permanently enjoined a motor hotel operator in Edinburg, Tex., from pirating cable-TV signals. The judge ruled that cable-TV system operators, as well as cable programmers, are entitled to sue under the recently enacted Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 and ordered the Echo Motor Hotel to pay $40,000 in damages to Home Box Office Inc., ESPN, Heritage Cablevision and Southern Satellite Systems. According to HBO, it is the first judgment obtained since the new law took effect.