Re: [Patents] Suing uninformed customers

[Russell McOrmond <russell@flora.ca>]

  I'm not surprised this is happening.  If SCO can randomly sue people
over claims as a way to politically manipulate the marketplace, why can
other companies not do the same?

  Hopefully laws will be put in place against such things where PCT claims 
cannot be brought against third party "customers" of those who allegedly 
infringe rights.  This is a form of business corruption that should be 
thought of in the same terms as the spreadsheet antics of Enron and other 
corporate criminals.

  It is a sad situation to see so many lawyers so badly abusing the legal
system for their own personal gain.

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004, João Miguel Neves wrote:

> I read this in RISKS 23.12:
> 
> Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 13:10:23 -0600
> From: Joyce Scrivner <kscriv@earthlink.net>
> Subject: Suing the customers
> 
> Rockwell, is suing a law firm that is currently suing Rockwell's customers.
> The law firm says that Rockwell has infringed on a patent.  (I'm uncertain
> what relationship the law firm has to the patent holder.)  The law firm
> appears to assume that suing Rockwell's customers will get more money than
> suing Rockwell.  Rockwell sees this as blackmail/threat because the law firm
> has not -- and cannot (without suing Rockwell) -- prove that the patent is
> or is not infringed.  So Rockwell is now suing the law firm.  Rather nasty.
> 
>   In Rockwell Automation Inc. v. Schneider Automation Inc., 02-01195,
>   Rockwell says its technology is not covered by the Solaia patent, and
>   rather than battling that issue out in court, Niro Scavone and its clients
>   have sought to "'shakedown' manufacturers through threats of potential
>   business interruption or catastrophic damages."
>     http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1039054478800

---
 Russell McOrmond, Internet Consultant: <http://www.flora.ca/> 
 Governance software that controls ICT, automates government policy, or
 electronically counts votes, shouldn't be bought any more than 
 politicians should be bought.  -- http://www.flora.ca/russell/