Prevent copyright holders from shutting down Web sites without proving copyright infringement in a court of law

There are two bills pending in Congress now that would curtail the legal rights of citizens to defend themselves against claims of copyright infringement in a court of law. The bills, known in the House of Representatives as The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA, H.R. 3261, pdf) and in the Senate as The Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft of Intellectual Property (PROTECT IP) Act (S. 968), would enable copyright holders to require a Web site hosting service to shut down any Web site that they claim violates their claim of copyright on published materials without ever presenting their case before a judge or court. This violates citizens' rights under the Fourth Amendment protecting them against unlawful search and seizure of property.