A team of lawyers from McKool Smith and Irell & Manella secured a $303 million patent infringement verdict on Friday in U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap’s courtroom after convincing the jury that Samsung willfully infringed Netlist’s patents related to computer memory technology. The same day, in a trial before U.S. District Judge Alan Albright, a jury sided with Textron Innovations, finding that SZ DJI Technology owes $279 million for infringing two patents related to drones.
Dallas Jury Hits Oncor With $44M Verdict in Power Line Injury Case
Oncor has maintained that James Stacey Taylor’s claims are barred because of his “contributory negligence” and that it enjoys statutory indemnity for any liability under state law. Taylor’s attorney, Sean Breen of Howry Breen & Herman, told The Lawbook he presented the case to the jury as a tragic accident that wouldn’t have happened but for Oncor’s practice of “putting profits over safety.”
Both Sides Claim $1.75M Settlement of Collin County DA Suit a Win
The settlement brings an end to a federal lawsuit lodged by six former employees of the office in November. Additional terms of the settlement requires three plaintiffs who still were employed by the DA’s office to resign and bars all plaintiffs from seeking future employment with the county. Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis and First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye remain in their positions.
Litigation Roundup: Texas Hammer-based Prejudice Claim Tossed, Chevron Beats a Uri Gas Delivery Suit
In this edition of Litigation Roundup: Uvalde police officers lawyer up in the suit over the Robb Elementary shooting; Fifth Circuit determines discussion of “The Texas Hammer,” during jury selection didn’t taint the outcome of a trial and Pappas Restaurants’ fight over losing a $470 million contract heats up.
Prominent Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Gets the Hollywood Treatment
A new five-part Showtime series about the criminal trial of the Branch Davidians who survived the siege in Waco 30 years ago begins streaming today. Houston defense attorney Dan Cogdell, who won an acquittal for his client Clive Doyle, is played by the actor Giovanni Ribisi. The Texas Lawbook had a chance to chat with Cogdell about both experiences,the real and the cinematic.
Litigation Roundup: Citgo Hires Defense in $100M Suit, Landry’s Files TM Suits
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, Citgo Petroleum hires defense attorneys in a $100 million Citgo 6 lawsuit, a litigation funder says a Philadelphia firm owes $13.4 million and a former county attorney gets indicted on public corruption charges.
Dallas Textile Engineer Gets High-Thread-Count Sheet Patent Fight Tossed
Arun Agarwal and his company AAVN own 10 patents for a process that turns cotton and cotton-polyester blend materials into luxury, high-thread-count bedsheets. In the latest battle to protect his intellectual property, Winstead attorney Cory Johnson won dismissal of a federal suit in North Carolina where a competitor was trying to invalidate all 10 patents.
SCOTX Chief Justice Gives State of Judiciary Address
Chief Justice Nathan Hecht spoke for almost 40 minutes Wednesday, supporting a variety of proposals that he said would increase court efficiencies, the caliber of judges and access to justice. “If the justice system were a business, and its customers had any choice, it would be in bankruptcy,” Hecht said.
Government Reaches $144.5M Proposed Settlement in Sutherland Springs Case
If approved by the court, the settlement would bring an end to litigation brought by more than 75 plaintiffs in the wake of the shooting that left 26 dead.
Litigation Roundup: SCOTX Sides with Ex-Dallas Cowboy, Llano County Dealt a Book Ban Blow
In this edition of Litigation Roundup, an intermediate appellate court split widens regarding gross negligence claims, sanctions requested by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in a fight over unpaid attorney fees are upheld on appeal, and a federal judge undoes one Texas county’s book bans.