U.S. District Judge Anthony Battagin (S.D. Cal.) has awarded more than $12.4 million in attorney’s fees to Qualcomm Inc. in a four-year patent infringement suit brought by Gabriel Technologies Corp., which we surmise was what is popularly called a “patent troll” case, after finding that the claims were baseless. The district judge also assessed $64,000 in fees against Gabriel’s local counsel, the amount it billed to plaintiff, observing that this amount “should deter local counsel from filing documents without performing a reasonable inquiry under the circumstances.” (For you purists, the case is Gabriel Technologies, et al. v. Qualcomm Incorporated, et al., S.D. Cal. Case No. 08cv1992 AJB.)
Blawg Bonus: A less pejorative term than “patent troll” is “non-practicing entity” (NPE).
Look at them, troll mother said. Look at my sons! You won’t find more beautiful trolls on this side of the moon. (1915) by John Bauer. Wikimedia Commons.