Ah…those geeks on Best Buy’s Geek Squad. They’re so cute aren’t they? With their little white shirts, clip-on black ties, and nerdy glasses taped on the nose bridge. You just know that when you give them your misbehaving computer, they’re going to get right to fixing it. But would you hand your computer over to a member of the Geek Squad if you knew he was acting as a kind of paid FBI agent by proxy, one who intends to scour your hard drive and look through your files to find anything possibly compromising to hand over to the FBI…and collect a bounty? Or would you choose a different repair center, one that simply focuses on repairing your computer?
Law
In Battle with Sonos, D&M Takes Yet Another Blow
Sonos Seeks Permanent Injunction Against Infringing Products
The battle rages on between D&M Holdings and Sonos over the patent infringement lawsuit brought by Sonos in 2014 against the HEOS by Denon line, and in which Sonos won the first set of their claims in a bellwether trial that concluded this past December. In retaliation for the Sonos lawsuit, D&M Holdings filed a countersuit that is now heating up, and in which they just lost a major decision from Judge Richard G. Andrews.
See more on D&M’s loss in this ongoing matter… [Read more…] about In Battle with Sonos, D&M Takes Yet Another Blow
Yet Another Investor Sues Gibson Over Soured Deal
The Plot Thickens in This Sales Triangle
Just last week, we learned that real estate investment company Somera Road filed a lawsuit in the Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville, alleging that Gibson Brands had reneged on a deal to sell them a property known as the Valley Arts building. Now, in a report from the Nashville Post, we’ve learned that another party has sued Gibson over the same property.
See what we know about this mess Gibson finds themselves in… [Read more…] about Yet Another Investor Sues Gibson Over Soured Deal
Recent Purchaser of Gibson Brands Properties Files Lawsuit
And They Said It Wouldn’t Last; Hearing Set for This Friday
Somera Road, Inc., a real estate investment firm that has recently purchased several properties from Gibson Brands, Inc., has filed a lawsuit against the company seeking to enforce a purchase agreement that they say Gibson has violated. The lawsuit was filed in Nashville, Tennessee in the Davidson County Chancery Court, according to a report by the Nashville Post.
See more on this eruption of war between Gibson and its new partners… [Read more…] about Recent Purchaser of Gibson Brands Properties Files Lawsuit
Monster & Noel Lee Must Pay Beats Nearly $8M in Legal Fees
On a Roll, Beats Files New Lawsuit Against Monster Seeking $100 Million
While you were drinking your eggnog or otherwise enjoying your holidays, the Grinch stole all the good cheer from Monster LLC and owner Noel Lee when a jury in the case of Monster LLC v. Beats, et al agreed with Beats and ordered Monster and Lee to pay them $7,916,201.64 as reimbursement for their legal expenses.
And Beats has more bad news for the Monster camp… [Read more…] about Monster & Noel Lee Must Pay Beats Nearly $8M in Legal Fees
Sonos to Seek Injunction to Stop HEOS Sales of ‘Infringing Technology’
BREAKING NEWS
Case May Have Major Impact on Wireless Speaker Business
As we recently reported, a federal jury gave Sonos a sweeping victory in the first “bellwether trial” in Sonos Inc. v. D&M Holdings Inc. et al, siding with Sonos on all counts and awarding them nearly $2 million in damages. Furthermore, the jury affirmed the validity of the three Sonos patents at issue, and disagreed with D&M’s assertion that the patents were not valid.
Strata-gee spoke with both sides of this case and, this decision notwithstanding, neither appears ready to back down, even as this is just the first of what will ultimately be three trials in the case – two where Sonos is the plaintiff, and a countersuit by D&M Holdings where they will be the plaintiff. Sonos won round one, but this is a multi-round fight.
Both Sonos and D&M Holdings talk to Strata-gee in wake of trial verdict… [Read more…] about Sonos to Seek Injunction to Stop HEOS Sales of ‘Infringing Technology’
Verdict: ‘Denon Directly Infringed’ on Sonos Patents
BREAKING NEWS
Jury Finds for Sonos on All Counts; Denon Claims of Invalidity Vanquished
Last Friday, after a full week of testimony, evidence, deposition playbacks, and attorney posturing, members of the jury listened closely as Judge William C. Bryson delivered instructions designed to clarify their deliberative process and their duty as “finders of fact” in the matter of Sonos, Inc. v. D&M Holdings Inc. d/b/a/The D+M Group, D&M Holdings U.S. Inc., and Denon Electronics (USA), LLC. The judges verbal instructions took a while to relay, as the reality is that patent disputes can be quite complex and the issues of intellectual property quite nuanced yet important.
In written form, which the Judge provided the jury for their easy referral, his instructions ran a full 27-pages long. After considering it all, the jury came back with a finding in favor of Sonos on all counts – and delivered an award to Sonos of just under $2 million for damages.
See more on this conclusion to a three year litigation… [Read more…] about Verdict: ‘Denon Directly Infringed’ on Sonos Patents
Long Simmering Sonos vs. D&M Lawsuit is Now Boiling Over
Trial is Next Week; Sonos Makes Big Mistake
Ever since Sonos filed their patent infringement case against D&M Holdings – in reference to its then new HEOS line – things started out like the opening salvo in a boxing match. That was over three years ago in October 2014 and after an initial flurry, including the filing of a countersuit by D&M Holdings, the event went on to settle down into more of a wrestling match, as opposed to boxing. Each side jockeyed for leverage on the other, with our judgment giving a slight advantage to Sonos, whose legal team seemed just slightly better in their approach perhaps even winning over the judge in a series of mostly favorable rulings.
Now, on the eve of trial and in front of a new judge, things are really moving from its long, low simmer to a boil – in fact, boiling over in the days leading up to trial next week starting December 11.
See recent developments just days before commencement of trial… [Read more…] about Long Simmering Sonos vs. D&M Lawsuit is Now Boiling Over
Lawyer Warns: Alexa is ‘Betraying You’
Smart Devices Put 1st Amendment Rights at Risk, Lawyer Says
Stahl Criminal Defense Lawyers
As we perused the newswire services Monday, one release, from a New Jersey criminal defense law firm, caught our eye. Titled, “Are Your Smart Devices Betraying You?” the release was written more like a poison warning label than a news release. Your smart device, Westfield, NJ-based Stahl Criminal Defense Lawyers said, are “always on and potentially recording or transmitting.”
You should be concerned Stahl says, as your First Amendment rights are at risk… [Read more…] about Lawyer Warns: Alexa is ‘Betraying You’
In Epic Legal Battle with Sonos, D&M Dinged Again
Will a Change of Judge Bring a Change of Outcome?
The battle for patent supremacy between Sonos and D&M Holdings is picking up significant steam. In one 30-day period of this year alone (June), we counted no less than 110 docket items. That’s more than four filings a day if you take out weekends. The vast majority of these items were heavy legal motions and other multi-dozen page document filings.
The lawsuit, originally brought by Sonos against D&M Holdings and their HEOS line, and ultimately reciprocated with a D&M counter-suit, has been raging on since October 2014. Yet as the matter is plunging headlong towards a trial by the end of this year, D&M is handed another loss, as Judge Richard G. Andrews denies two key D&M Motions for Summary Judgment in his last ruling before turning the matter over to a new judge.
