Microsoft yesterday urged the US Supreme Court to let its appeal of antitrust violations be heard by a lower appeals court first, saying the need for a thorough review of the case was more important than resolving it quickly.

The filing was a response to one made by the US Justice Department a week ago that urged the court to consider the appeal on an expedited basis, rather than have the case first go to the lower appeals court because of the case's importance to the US economy.

District court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson found in June that Microsoft broke antitrust law by using its monopoly hold on the Windows personal computer operating system to stifle competition, and ordered the company split in two to prevent further violations.

Judge Jackson also asked the Supreme Court to hear Microsoft's appeal directly, bypassing the US Court of Appeals which has ruled in Microsoft's favour in the past. Last month, in its first response to the judge's move, Microsoft said the lower court should handle the case, arguing there was a "morass" of issues the high court should avoid.