Special Master B. Wilson Redfearn recently issued rulings and recommendations on issues relating to the parties’ protective order. Eon Corp. IP Holdings, LLC v. FLO TV Inc., et al., C.A. No. 10-812 (RGA) (D. Del. July 10, 2013). First considered was the defendants’ argument that the prosecution bar be extended to include reexamination and resissue proceedings to guard against the “significant risk of plaintiff’s inadvertent use of defendants’ confidential information” absent such an extension. Id. at 2. Special Master Redfearn denied the requested extension, noting that the defendants failed to “substantiate any actual risk that might be incurred.” Id. He explained that in the context of reexamination, the “[d]efendants’ confidential information is basically irrelevant to” the determination of patentability over specific prior art.” Id. (quoting Xerox Corp. v. Google, Inc., 270 F.R.D. 182, 184 (D. Del. 2010)). Special Master Redfearn recommended, therefore, that the defendants’ request be denied for failure to satisfy their burden of demonstrating that the proposed extension of the prosecution bar was necessary. Id.
Special Master Redfearn also denied the defendants’ request that the defendants’ respective in-house counsel be permitted access to settlement materials between the plaintiff and settling defendants. The defendants sought in-house counsel access to “settlement and licensing information,” which Special Master Redfearn viewed as seeking “the specifics, and particularly the amounts, of the settlements with the dismissed defendants, as well as the monetary terms of the licenses, should such exist.” Id. at 3 n.4. Special Master Redfearn explained, “[t]his is not a situation where specific damages and/or settlement details in one case would affect the damages in other cases. Essentially each cause of action stands on its own and, as such, is subject to independent appraisal.” Id. at 4. Based on that, as well as the fact that the issue of damages was bifurcated and the defendants in any event failed to provide any legal support for their request, Special Master Redfearn recommended denial of the request. Id.
Eon Corp. IP Holdings, LLC v. FLO TV Inc., et al., C.A. No. 10-812 (RGA) (D. Del. July 10, 2013).
Delaware IP Law Blog 