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Being sued, in East Texas, for using the Google Play Store [video]

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Re: Being sued, in East Texas, for using the Google Play Store [video]

#241

Post by granos »

peeters wrote: post #169
readams wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The insurance would cost more than the expected cost of the litigation which is of course how insurance works. They key with the patent system is that you have to pay millions to defend yourself, but it's exceptionally rare to be able to recover attorney's fees even if you win. So in the end it's a choice between capitulating and paying some amount (and perhaps unleashing more trolls in the future) or wasting million…

> The insurance would cost more than the expected cost of the litigation which is of course how insurance works. The key with the patent system is that you have to pay millions to defend yourself, but it's exceptionally rare to be able to recover attorney's fees even if you win. If enough people buy insurance to make sure that the patent trolls never win, then there's no money to be made and the lawyers stop suing. S…

They don't even have to never win. It just has to cost them enough that their margin is smaller than that of some other venture.

Re: Being sued, in East Texas, for using the Google Play Store [video]

#242

Post by tedmiston »

Shivetya wrote: post #132
comboy wrote: post #5

Couldn't Google offer defense in such cases for its users? Every case is the same so it shouldn't even be that expensive (I guess, IANAL), and it would discourage future cases because the troll would know he will have to fight against Google.

I guess I am stupid, why isn't Google the defendant, other than the fact they have too much money. This is like being sued for shopping at the wrong store.

He answers this in the FAQ at the end of the video: Because Google is big enough that it could defend itself.

Re: Being sued, in East Texas, for using the Google Play Store [video]

#243

Post by caiowilsonb »

hhsnopek wrote: post #172

I find it oddly funny how Google hasn't stepped in to support their "clients", I'd think they'd help shutdown patent trolls so developers can continue to improve and distribute applications

Honestly I just think 4chan should get involved in this. That would probably turn out awesome.

Re: Being sued, in East Texas, for using the Google Play Store [video]

#244

Post by [deleted] »

thegasman wrote: post #157
clavalle wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not speed but cost of which time is definitely a factor. Getting to the merits is the point but the point is often lost in the game of the process. True statement?

>Getting to the merits is the point but the point is often lost in the game of the process. True statement? True, but you're assuming that the process and the merits are totally distinct (in fact, my own comment reads that way ;]). But, as another commenter noted, processes themselves can influence merits (e.g. missing a filing deadline, or enforcing discovery requests).

[deleted]

Re: Being sued, in East Texas, for using the Google Play Store [video]

#245

Post by zuminator »

mikeash wrote: post #33
mfoy_ wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe the firm doesn't represent both sides simultaneously. Maybe they usually represent the patent troll, but if someone needs a patent troll defense lawyer they'll do that too. Basically, as long as patent litigation is in town, business is good.

That helps, but the judge working cases his son's law firm also works is pretty bad too.

To be clear, Meyer does not allege anything of that sort in the clip. He says, "Bo Davis is a lawyer in the Eastern District of Texas that represents patent trolls and their victims. Bo Davis is Judge Leonard Davis's son working a law practice in the very same district in which his father is a judge. So, if Judge Leonard Davis can encourage more patent trolls to bring more lawsuits into the Eastern District of Texas, his son is one of the people that's gonna rack up the billable hours."

So there's no allegation that Judge Davis (now retired) actually presided over any of his son's cases, merely that his son stood to benefit from the overall patent-troll friendly climate of the Eastern District court. Not really a clear-cut recusal situation. If anything, the fact that his son's firm represents trolls and victims alike meant there was less reason for a specific bias on behalf of the judge.

Re: Being sued, in East Texas, for using the Google Play Store [video]

#246

Post by quest88 »

tedmiston wrote: post #232
mmaunder wrote: post #215

Also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8XknFl1l_8 He visits East Texas and shows that the 'offices' of the 'companies' that hold each patent are empty shells.

To save someone 8 minutes: Tl;dr: He visits the listed offices of several dozen patent trolls in East Texas, including one directly across from the court house. Each one is empty with no sign of human activity. One has a secretary who claims the address is the accounting firm for those businesses. Then one person comes out to say that he is "a representative" of the businesses, and that those businesses "are based in…

Ah yes. Former East Texan here. One company, Personal Web (http://www.personalweb.com/about.html), setup shop near the courthouse. They came to our school claiming they were going to be working on the next version of the web, web 3.0. They were recruiting for part-time only students. I asked why they chose east texas, and they said because they owned many patents wanted to be near the court that here's many technology patent cases.

1) The patent reason is a giveaway what they were really up to. 2) Why would you only hire part-time students? They were simply trying to build up a credible reputation in the community as a "small, local shop hiring locals" going against the big guys.

Re: Being sued, in East Texas, for using the Google Play Store [video]

#248

Post by hospes »

hhsnopek wrote: post #240
piyush_soni wrote: post #234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would totally want this too, but legally, can Google do something here when they are not a party in this litigation?

I believe the defendants are able to hire any lawyer. In that case Google would be able to provide support without issue. I could be wrong.

Or Google can sue patent troll for false claims that they own patent on Google Play Store and seek compensation for their financial damages caused by those false claims. In this case "financial damages" may be interpreted as thousands of developers that presumably did not get involved with Google Play platform because of these false claims.

Plus Google can claim litigation costs.

Also clearly there is a damage to reputation of the Google, since we are discussing here that they need to get involved in this case. I am not sure if they can get compensated for that as well.

Re: Being sued, in East Texas, for using the Google Play Store [video]

#249

Post by rplnt »

hhsnopek wrote: post #172

I find it oddly funny how Google hasn't stepped in to support their "clients", I'd think they'd help shutdown patent trolls so developers can continue to improve and distribute applications

Because Google has a great track record of caring about Android developers? They are basically monopoly (in western markets at least), they don't need to do anything to turn profit. They are happy to collect their 30% while spending almost nothing (directly that is - on support for example).
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