Patent

Apple Secures Victory: $300 Million Patent Verdict Overturned in Legal Battle

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — Apple has successfully appealed a jury’s decision that ordered the tech giant to pay $300 million in a patent dispute. This overturning marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battles that have shadowed Apple in its efforts to protect its technology and innovation. The jury previously ruled in favor of the patent holder, a move that had the potential to greatly impact Apple’s finances and, by extension, its future technology developments. However, on appeal, Apple argued that the jury’s findings were not substantiated by sufficient evidence, a claim that the … Read more

Texas Courts Emerge as Hotspot for Patent Disputes, with Eastern District Taking the Lead

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Marshall, Texas – Patent infringement lawsuits have seen a notable rise in the Eastern District of Texas, defying a national trend of declining cases. According to a report from Lex Machina, U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap handled 795 new patent lawsuits in 2024, significantly outpacing other federal judges in the country. This figure is more than six times that of the next highest judge, U.S. District Judge Alan Albright of the Western District of Texas, who oversaw 124 new patent disputes. Albright’s court, which once saw over 700 cases in 2022, has also faced a … Read more

Inventor Triumphs in $278 Million Patent Case Against Samsung After Proving Invention Conception Post-Employment

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Tyler, Texas — A pivotal ruling from the Eastern District of Texas has cleared the way for Headwater Research to pursue a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics, allowing the company to claim $278.8 million in damages. The court found that although a post-employment assignment clause appeared to give Samsung claims to certain patents, Headwater had the legal standing to assert them because the inventor demonstrated that he conceived the inventions after terminating his employment with Qualcomm. On April 20, 2025, Judge J. Rodney Gilstrap upheld a report indicating that Headwater Research possessed the necessary … Read more

Federal Circuit Faces Crucial Decision on Innovative Jury Verdict Format in High-Stakes Patent Disputes

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In Marshall, Texas, the Federal Circuit is set to hear three appeals in a series of patent infringement lawsuits that challenge a unique verdict format used by a federal judge. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap has faced scrutiny for allowing juries to answer a simple yes-or-no question regarding whether defendants copied patents, rather than requiring detailed findings on each patent involved. This approach has resulted in significant damage awards, including a combined total of $530 million for the defendants. The appeals involve major companies: Apple Inc., PNC Bank, and Ecobee Technologies. Each defendant contends that the … Read more