It’s been a long two weeks for US District Court Judge Lucy Koh, who is currently presiding over the high-profile Apple-Samsung trial. On top of the usual court arguments, it’s been filled with nonstop bickering between the attorneys of both parties.
And Koh says she tired of it. In a new order, filed late yesterday afternoon, the Judge said that she was disappointed by the efforts to meet and confer on final jury instructions, and that she wanted lead trial counsel from sides to meet in person…
FOSS Patents‘ Florian Mueller has the order:
“The Court is disappointed by the parties’ respective reports regarding their meet and confer efforts on final jury instructions. Lead trial counsel shall meet and confer in person today and file joint and disputed final jury instructions by Monday, August 13, 2012 at 8 a.m.”
The order, the site explains, is in reaction to statements filed by Apple and Samsung late Friday evening. Both parties are essentially blaming each other for their ongoing disagreement on what the jury should and should not be told by the court.
At the moment, there are at least 40 disputes between the two companies on the matter. But Koh is hoping that forcing the two sides to meet, and file a joint document together, will bring that number down so the trial can stay on schedule.
The constant arguing between Apple and Samsung’s lawyers isn’t the least bit surprising, given what’s at stake here for both sides. If Samsung loses the trial, it could owe billions of dollars in damages and lose the right to sell some of its products here in the US. And if Apple loses, then it’s open season on the trade dress of its iOS devices.
And we’re only two weeks in. Stay tuned.