U.S. appeals court Judges hint that there could be a reversal of a verdict. The verdict in question is an extremely important one as it concerns a whopping $2.18 billion in damages from the defendant. Intel was to pay this amount as a form of compensation related to its patent dispute with VLSI Technology.
This appeal against the former verdict by the jury comes from Intel, the tech giant. A three-judge panel has questioned the validity of the damages expert’s testimony. The testimony is very important in this case as it considerably swayed what is one of the largest compensation amounts in the history of the United States Patent Law.
VLSI Technology, the second party to the case, is the patent-holding company. Its parent organization is the Fortress Investment Group which is a subsidiary of the SoftBank Group. They are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit that accuses Intel of patent infringement. The originality of Intel’s semiconductor technology is being called into question in various U.S. courts.
The initial damages of $2.18 billion were delivered to VLSI in a 2021 jury verdict. This trial had taken place in Waco, Texas. Here, the jury found out that Intel’s microprocessors stood in clear violation of the VLSI patents that it had secured from a Dutch chipmaker, NXP Semiconductors. The Federal Circuit judges soon questioned the damages calculation during the appeal.
Legal backings of the patent infringement were also questioned. On further investigation, they found that the U.S. Patent Office tribunal had already declared both patents invalid earlier. This finding now serves as a significant development in the case as it could nullify the trial altogether.
Amidst all the confusion, another VLSI lawsuit against Intel is set for trial in Northern California next year.
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Debkanya is a lawyer turned writer. With an experience of 3 years, she is your go-to source for all things law. She has a soft corner for the US and international section. When the weekend arrives, you'll find her reading up on politics, Austen, or travel blogs over a cup of coffee.
