In IPLearn LLC v. K12 Inc., C.A. No. 11-1026-RGA (D. Del. July 2, 2012), Judge Andrews recently granted defendant’s motion to dismiss the indirect infringement claims of plaintiff’s first amended complaint and denied plaintiff’s motion to file a second amended complaint. Judge Andrews found that plaintiff’s amended complaint contained no allegations that defendant’s customers directly infringed the patents, nor did it adequately plead defendant’s knowledge of the patents-in-suit. Id. at 2. Regarding knowledge, Judge Andrews noted that “each count alleges that, ‘K12 knew or should have known of the [patent-in-suit] prior to the filing of this action because [Plaintiffs] patents directly related to the [patent-in-suit], and which share identical or identical-in-part specifications with the [patent-insuit], are referenced by, or were referenced during the prosecution of, K12’s own patents and patent applications.’ The factual support offered in the latter part of the sentence comes close to making an allegation of ‘should have known’ plausible; they do not make an allegation of actual knowledge plausible.” Id. (alteration in original).
Judge Andrews also dismissed plaintiff’s willfulness allegations, finding that “[a]t most, the factual allegations plausibly support the conclusion that both the Plaintiff and K12 had patents in the same field.” Id. at 3.
IPLearn LLC v. K12 Inc., C.A. No. 11-1026-RGA (D. Del. July 2, 2012)
Delaware IP Law Blog 