Google paid preemptively to US government to avoid jury trial in antitrust lawsuit regarding digital advertising business.

Google has made an unusual preemptive payment to the US government in a bid to avoid a jury trial in the Justice Department's antitrust lawsuit over its digital advertising business. Google disclosed the payment, without revealing the amount, in a court filing, arguing that the case should be heard and decided by a judge directly. The company maintains there is no monetary damages claim, thus the government shouldn't have the right to a jury trial. The Justice Department has not yet responded to Google's payment.