Apple and Motorola have been in and out of courtrooms around the globe for the past two years. Motorola’s one of the many Android device partners that Apple is in an ongoing legal dispute with.
Here in the US, the two companies were squaring off in a federal court over claims that Motorola was illegally using 4 of Apple’s patents. I say “were” because, the entire case has just been dismissed…
That’s right, according to The Verge, Judge Richard Posner has dismissed the case of Apple v. Motorola in its entirety, essentially ending a trial that has been going on since 2010.
“This isn’t the first time Posner has dismissed the case — he had tentatively dismissed it a couple weeks ago, before allowing both sides one more chance to make their case. In his latest ruling, it looks like the reasoning is essentially the same as it it was before: neither Apple nor Motorola were able to prove damages in his view, and therefore, an injunction against the sale of any products in unwarranted.”
In announcing the dismal, Judge Posner proclaimed: “No more can Apple be permitted to force a trial in Federal Court the sole outcome of which would be an award of $1.”
He’s likely referring to the fact that Apple wasn’t seeking any monetary damages in this case, but rather an injunction against Motorola products to force it to remove Apple IP.
Here’s what Motorola — whose single-patent lawsuit against Apple was also dismissed — had to say about the ruling:
“We are pleased that Judge Posner formally dismissed the case against Motorola Mobility. Apple’s litigation campaign began with their attempt to assert 15 patents against us. As it relates to Apple’s violation of our patents, we will continue our efforts to defend our own innovation.”
Of course, Apple can, and probably will appeal the decision. But for now, it looks like sanity has won the day.