U.S. Supreme Court today - i4i v. Microsoft

U.S. Supreme Court today - i4i v. Microsoft

WASHINGTON DC, April 18 /PRNewswire/ - In Washington DC today, eight Supreme
Court justices heard oral argument of the appeal for i4i v Microsoft. 
Microsoft has asked the Supreme Court to lower the standard of proof,
for challenges to the validity of a properly issued patent, from clear
and convincing evidence to a preponderance of evidence. 

Seth Waxman, of WilmerHale, who was Solicitor General in the Clinton
Administration, argued on behalf of i4i. The United States argued in
favor of i4i's position, and was represented by Malcolm L. Stewart,
Deputy Solicitor General.

Loudon Owen, Chairman of i4i, says, "We certainly appreciate the
extraordinary presentation to the Supreme Court of i4i's position by
these magnificent counsel. It is abundantly clear that the fundamental
change in the law, which Microsoft seeks, would result in an enormous
decrease in innovation."  Owen continues, "Microsoft did not present
either policy or legal reasons that would justify any changes to the
law, particularly the sweeping change they now apparently seek."

Owen says, "In our view, Microsoft cannot overcome the prevailing law
and sound policy of the clear-and-convincing standard based on its spin
campaign that now seems to be focused on innuendo about i4i and an
atrociously weak argument that weakening the  patent system will
encourage innovation. We are confident we will continue to prevail." 

Owen says, "It is ironic and revealing that Microsoft itself has
directly cited i4i's '449 patent in four separate patent applications,
and indirectly in approximately 100 other patent applications,
demonstrating that Microsoft expressly seeks to build on i4i's
invention in its own applications for patents filed at the US Patent
and Trademark Office."

In March 2007, i4i sued Microsoft for willful infringement of its
patent. On May 20, 2009, the jury found i4i's patent to have been
willfully infringed, and awarded Microsoft to pay damages to i4i. On
August 11, 2009, the Honorable Leonard Davis issued a final judgment
against Microsoft that included (a) an award of damages in excess of
$290 million USD to i4i (including enhanced damages, interest and
post-verdict damages), and (b) a permanent injunction, which took
effect on January 11, 2010. Microsoft unsuccessfully appealed to the
Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in late 2009, and also unsuccessfully
sought a rehearing in early 2010.  This was the largest patent
infringement judgment ever upheld by the Federal Circuit. 

The case today was heard by the eight Associate Justices. The Chief
Justice of the United States, John Roberts, recused himself from the
case.  For its appeal to be successful, Microsoft must win votes from
five of the eight Associate Justices.  i4i's legal team includes
WilmerHale, McKool Smith, Finnegan Henderson, and Sterne Kessler.
  Written transcripts of the argument will be available online later
today.  A decision from the Court is expected by the end of June.

i4i is a global technology company headquartered in Toronto, Canada. 
For more information on i4i v. Microsoft, selected court documents can
be found on www.i4ilp.com.

SOURCE i4i

i4i

CONTACT: or to request interviews, please contact: Melony Jamieson - melony@getitdone.ca or 416-518-6355

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