Law360, New York (July 10, 2012, 8:37 PM ET) -- The Second Circuit said Tuesday that patent licensing agreements reached before litigation cannot be used to bar a licensee from later challenging the validity of a patent, even if the deal is called a legal settlement.
The appeals panel affirmed a New York federal judge's dismissal of Rates Technology Inc.'s $12 million breach of contract suit against Best Buy Co. Inc., agreeing that a "no-challenge clause" in a previous settlement between the patent licensor and the retailer was void under the U.S. Supreme Court's 1969 ruling...
2nd Circ. Says Licensing Deals Can't Bar Patent Challenges
To view the full article, take a free trial now.
