U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, who ordered the split of Microsoft into two firms, has asked the Supreme Court to hear the software giant’s appeal case directly. By using the obscure Antitrust Expediting Act, Judge Jackson has put the Microsoft matter on a fast track to the top court, therefore avoiding multiple appeals if Microsoft would lose again in a lower appeals court. Jackson has also postponed business restrictions against the software company until the appeal is heard. Jackson ruled last month that Microsoft used its monopoly in the PC operating systems market to stamp out competition. The Judge ordered that the firm be broke up into two companies, one for its Windows operating system and one for its other software.