The DoJ review is a separate proceeding from Judge Chin's consideration of the agreement, though the close look the deal is getting from the feds made it clear that the version of the agreement Chin was set to consider at a fairness hearing last month would have to be revised substantially. In that light, he delayed the hearing to give the parties time to revise the agreement to a point where it might pass muster with federal antitrust authorities.

Following the submission of the revised agreement, Judge Chin is expected to allow a window for review and comment from interested parties (of which there are many) before convening the next fairness hearing.

The settlement has come under scathing criticism from a variety of groups, including non-profits, consumer advocates and Google rivals such as Microsoft, Amazon and Yahoo, who have argued that the proposed deal would give the search giant an unprecedented exemption to existing copyright laws.