Pre-patent consumer confusion, reputational harm, and loss of goodwill support irreparable harm

Tinnus v. Telebrands was decided on January 24, 2017 on appeal from the Eastern District of Texas. There, the district court granted plaintiff Tinnus a preliminary injunction, affirming a Magistrage Judge’s finding that the claims were likely infringed, were not vulnerable on indefiniteness or obviousness grounds, and that Tinnus made a showing …

Federal Circuit on finding a party in contempt for a redesigned product that violates an injunction

In KSM Fastening v. HA Jones (1985), the Federal Circuit laid out the law for finding a defendant in contempt of an injunction for an infringing redesigned product. This was the law for more than twenty five years, until 2011. Under the KSM test, the court first determines whether a …

Permanent injunction isn’t too broad despite reaching products that do not necessarily infringe

United Construction v. Tile Tech was decided on December 15, 2016 on appeal from the Central District of California. The patent concerned a support pedestal adapted to support surface tiles to form an elevated building surface. After “a series of delays, missed deadlines, and other procedural missteps by [defendant] Tile Tech,” …

A past dismissal with prejudice does not preclude an injunction on the dismissed conduct

This opinion was superseded.    Asetek Danmark v. CMI USA was decided on December 6, 2016 on appeal from the Northern District of California. Plaintiff Asetek prevailed at trial, receiving a judgment of infringement and of no invalidity, plus a damages award against defendant CMI of $404,941 on a 14.5% royalty rate. The district …

Federal Circuit on balancing the hardships for a post-eBay injunction

In this post, I will analyze the balance of the hardships prong for a post-eBay injunction. Injunction elements A plaintiff seeking a permanent injunction must show (1) that it has suffered irreparable harm; (2) that remedies available at law (monetary damages) are inadequate to compensate for the harm; (3) that …

Federal Circuit on finding irreparable harm for a post-eBay injunction

This post will delve into the irreparable harm prong of the injunction analysis post-eBay.  Injunction elements A plaintiff seeking a permanent injunction must show (1) that it has suffered irreparable harm; (2) that remedies available at law (monetary damages) are inadequate to compensate for the harm; (3) that the balance of hardships …

Enhancement affirmed because defendant knew of the patents at the time of infringement

Wbip v. Kohler was decided on July 19, 2016 on appeal from the District of Massachusetts. There, a jury found that defendant Kohler infringed all the asserted claims, that the asserted claims were not invalid, and that Kohler’s infringement was willful (under Seagate’s clear and convincing standard). After the verdict, the district …

Injunction upheld: Defendant didn’t raise a substantial question as to infringement or invalidity

Edge v. Aguila was a nonprecedential case decided on December 21, 2015 on appeal from the Southern District of Florida. There, plaintiff-Edge sued Defendant-Aguila for patent, trademark, and trade dress infringement. After the Magistrate Judge’s recommendation, the district court granted Edge’s motion for preliminary injunction. Aguila appealed. The Federal Circuit affirmed the preliminary injunction …

Preliminary injunction that merely prohibits “other products” is overbroad

M-I v. FPUSA is a nonprecedential case decided on September 24, 2015 on appeal from the Western District of Texas. There, the district court preliminarily enjoined defendant FPUSA from promoting, selling, or renting a system that infringed one or more claims of plaintiff M-I’s patent. FPUSA appealed. The Federal Circuit affirmed the preliminary injunction …

Laches may bar the recovery of damages for a suit brought within the limitations period

SCA Hygiene v. First Quality was decided en banc on September 18, 2015 on appeal from the Western District of Kentucky. Late October in 2003, plaintiff SCA alleged through a letter that defendant First Quality’s absorbent diapers infringed its patent. First Quality replied about a month later that the patent was invalid. In July …