Massachusetts to appeal approval of Microsoft settlement.

Byline: Elise Ackerman

SAN JOSE, Calif. _ Massachusetts said Friday that it will appeal a federal judge's approval of the Microsoft antitrust settlement, even as California, six other states and the District of Columbia said they will stop pursuing the case.

Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly said he filed an appeal Friday challenging U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly's Nov. 1 ruling approving the settlement struck between Microsoft and the U.S. Justice Department to end the long-running antitrust case.

"This appeal is necessary to protect consumers, to bring back competition, and to ensure corporate accountability," Reilly said. "We are prepared to go it alone."

The final state, West Virginia, said …