News Google employees convicted by Italian court

Not only was the court's time wasted, they went one further. The charges were criminal.

I already loathe it enough when courts have to decide petty civil disputes between two private parties, but in this case it was the government itself that brought the frivolous suit.

The charges were for "criminal defamation", a charge that doesn't exist in most US states, and goes unprosecuted in others. It was a bench trial, and those charged were not Italian citizens. Just about every indication there is of a dog and pony show.